Claude Status Bar plugin
A macOS menu bar indicator that shows whether Claude Code is thinking, waiting for your permission and how long the current turn has run
- 726 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Extended access
Why this level
- Hooks fire on every tool call and permission request, so the app sees the progress of every session
- Once a day it queries GitHub's and Homebrew's public APIs to check for updates
- The Homebrew install puts a macOS app on the machine that runs Node.js hook scripts
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add plugins/claude-status-barDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- Hooks fire on every tool call and permission request, so the app sees the progress of every session
- Once a day it queries GitHub's and Homebrew's public APIs to check for updates
- The Homebrew install puts a macOS app on the machine that runs Node.js hook scripts
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Claude Status Bar shows Claude Code's state in the macOS menu bar, so you can switch windows during a long turn without missing the moment Claude needs you. The icon animates while Claude thinks or runs a tool, with a timer such as `1m 1s` beside it. A yellow dot means it is waiting for permission, and the resting Claude logo means the work is done. While a tool runs, a short label appears: `Editing`, `Reading`, `Running command`. The link to Claude Code runs through hooks. The plugin registers handlers for `SessionStart`, `SessionEnd`, `UserPromptSubmit`, `PreToolUse`, `PostToolUse`, `Notification`, `PermissionRequest` and `Stop`, and the app reads their events. With several sessions open (multiple terminals, or a terminal plus the desktop app), the menu bar shows the highest-priority status: a permission wait is never hidden behind a working session, and the dropdown lists every session. Sessions are tracked in the Claude Code CLI, the Code tab of the desktop app and the Claude Code extension for Cursor. The menu sets the timer, the label, the icon color (orange or system) and the animation style: Spark, Unicode, Clawd or Orbit. There is no window or Dock icon: the app starts itself with a Claude Code session and quits when none is left.
Who it is for. For Claude Code users on a Mac who work in other windows during long tasks and want to see at once when the agent waits for permission or finishes.
Good fit when
- Claude Code thinks for minutes while you switch to a browser or an editor
- You run several sessions and do not want to miss a permission prompt in one of them
- You want a light indicator with no window, Dock icon or usage dashboards
- You use Claude Code from a terminal, the desktop app or the Cursor extension
- You want to see how long the current turn has run: the timer is a menu option
Not a fit when
- You use Windows or Linux: the app targets macOS 12 and newer
- You work in the Chat or Cowork tab of the Claude desktop app: those modes are not tracked
- You want limit and token usage stats: the app shows no usage data
- You do not want a third-party program to edit `~/.claude/settings.json`: the installer adds hooks to it
Example request
Install Claude Status Bar through Homebrew and launch the app once so it wires up the Claude Code hooksLimitations
- macOS 12 or newer, Claude Code (CLI or desktop app) and Node.js are required.
- After install the app must be opened by hand once: on first launch it wires up the hooks.
- Sessions opened before an install or update appear after their next prompt or tool call, or in a new `claude` session.
- Precise terminal tab detection across several sessions is still in progress (issue 19).
- The project is unofficial and not affiliated with Anthropic.
How to disable. To remove only the hooks run `node "/Applications/Claude Status Bar.app/Contents/Resources/uninstall.js"`. `brew uninstall --zap claude-status-bar` removes the app and every file it created. If you installed from the DMG, drag the app to the Trash.
FAQ
How do I install Claude Status Bar?
Run `brew install --cask claude-status-bar && open -a "Claude Status Bar"`. The one manual launch at the end lets the app write the Claude Code hooks. After that it starts itself with a session. The other route is `ClaudeStatusBar.dmg` from Releases, signed and notarized by Apple.
What does the yellow dot in the menu bar mean?
Claude Code is waiting for your permission to act. Such a session has top priority: it shows even when another session is thinking at that moment. It works in the CLI and in the desktop app.
Does the indicator work in Cursor and the desktop app?
Yes, in the Claude Code extension for Cursor and in the Code tab of the desktop app. The desktop app's Chat and Cowork tabs are not tracked.
What does the app change on my computer?
The installer merges its hooks into `~/.claude/settings.json` and saves a backup first. The app's only network activity is a once-a-day update check against GitHub's and Homebrew's public APIs. Details are in the repository's `PRIVACY.md`.
How do I remove the indicator?
`brew uninstall --zap claude-status-bar` removes the app and the files it created. To remove only the hooks and keep the app, run `node "/Applications/Claude Status Bar.app/Contents/Resources/uninstall.js"`.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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Comparison with similar tools
Cards that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Tool | Official | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Status Bar (this card) | no | 726 | |
| ccstatusline | no | 13,542 | a configurable status line inside the Claude Code terminal, while this is an icon in the macOS menu bar |
| Claude Code Agent Monitor | no | 1,152 | an agent monitoring dashboard, while this is just a compact indicator with no window |
README in short
The page covers install through Homebrew and DMG, updating and the indicator states. A table shows where tracking works. Then come how hooks drive it, requirements, troubleshooting links, uninstalling and a note that the project is unofficial and not affiliated with Anthropic.