Menu bar disappears when app is in full screen mode

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Level 1

13 points

Menu bar disappears when app is in full screen mode

Just got new MacBook Air and when I expand any application it makes the menu bar with the time, battery status, etc dissappear. I know how to use esc and <Ctrl><Cmd><F> but that just minimizes or shrinks the application. I want the menu bar to stay visible at all times. This wasnt the behavior with my last macbook so I think it is just a setting that I cant find. Again, I am not looking to toggle between windows, resize or use commands while in the app I just want to menu bar to stay at all times weather in full screen mode or not.....this is both on the laptop screen and external monitor.

Thanks

OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on May 5, 2015 2:54 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

N1122

Level 1

4 points

Jan 11, 2016 5:55 PM in response to Lanny

Keeping the cursor over the green dot and then holding down the Option button did the trick. I can now see the Menu Bar at all times without having to scroll all the way to the top of the screen. Not sure why the Menu Bar suddenly disappeared for me but it did. I tried everything I could think of under Safari, View, System Preferences, etc but nothing worked till I tried your suggestion. Thanks so much!!

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Answer 2

jc_green Author

Level 1

13 points

May 5, 2015 7:16 PM in response to Lanny

No need to be rude about it, I didnt say anyone was MAKING ME do it, and I am not actually using 'full screen' I am using the green 'expand' button. I am simply saying it didnt behave this way on my last Air and now it is. Maybe I am stating it wrong - when I click on the green 'expand' button it takes up the full screen but leaves the menu bar.....maybe thats not called 'full screen' as using the blue double arrow is full screen but it seems as though when I click the green 'expand' now it behaves the same as clicking the blue double arrow. I can say with certainty as I am typing on my old air in expanded mode that the menu bar is still there while looking at new air it is not. Again, not sure why or what I am not seeing here, but I just want it to stop, and have seen other unanswered posts on the same irritant.

This is my screen with the GREEN upper left hand expand selected. As you can see the upper rt hand double arrow is NOT selected. On my new air when I select this same green upper left hand expand it enables the upper rt double arrow. ON every application.....which leads me to an apple setting rather than an application (Firefox, Office, etc) setting.

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Answer 3

jc_green Author

Level 1

13 points

May 5, 2015 3:06 PM in response to Kappy

Thank you for the reply. I have seen how to do that as well, I just dont want to have any action be necessary to see the time and stats. This is not how it behaved in 10.9.4, was there a change that anyone is aware of b/c this was not the normal behavior on my last one. Its quite aggravating.

Thanks

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Answer 4

Lanny

Level 6

13,183 points

May 5, 2015 4:51 PM in response to jc_green

This is not how it behaved in 10.9.4,

Yes it is. It is exactly how it has behaved ever since Full Screen was introduced in Lion. Otherwise, it wouldn't be, "Full Screen." How could you call it, "Full Screen," if the Finder's menu bar was still visible at the top of the screen?

Don't use Full Screen, no one is twisting your leg to use it.

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Answer 5

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

May 5, 2015 2:57 PM in response to jc_green

That is normal. Make it reappear by pushing your mouse arrow all the way to the top of the screen. The menu will drop down.

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Answer 6

jc_green Author

Level 1

13 points

May 5, 2015 7:14 PM in response to jc_green

On the new air with green expanded

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Answer 7

jc_green Author

Level 1

13 points

May 5, 2015 7:15 PM in response to jc_green

BEGGING for help as this is making me CRAZY. And I am sure it is something very very little in some teeny tiny mouse setting that I just dont know about.

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Answer 8

Lanny

Level 6

13,183 points

May 5, 2015 7:24 PM in response to jc_green

The Green dot is for Full Screen mode. Holding down the Option key when clicking on the Green dot will change its function. Hold the cursor over the Green dot and press the Option key and you will see the symbol changes.

The first screen shot that you provided is not of an application in Full Screen mode. It is just maximized. The 2nd screen shot you provided is in Full Screen mode, and it is the same configuration since Lion, Mountain Lion and Mavericks.

The only thing that has changed is the default function of the green dot.

Read this: http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/os-x-yosemite-what-does-that-little-green -button-do-now

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