Version 3.8.7a on Monterey doesn't show menu bar icon

[David Macfarlane]

I've got a new MacBook Pro running Monterey (12.1) on Apple silicon. It has the notch in the laptop screen that obscures the middle of the menu bar.

I've installed Tunnelblick 3.8.7a and when it is running it doesn't show the menu bar icon so I can see the status, connect, and disconnect.

How do I fix this? I've rebooted and re-installed, but that hasn't worked.

Regards,

       David.

[Tunnelblick developer]

It's a real pain. I suggest you do the following (once):

1. Temporarily reduce the number and size of items that show up in the menu bar. I had to reduce the date/time size [1], not show the status for Time Machine [2] and the battery [3], and not show the fast user switching name/icon [4]. If you use something like iStat Menus, disable or minimize what it shows in the menu bar.
   
2. Click the Desktop so "Finder" is the active application (to ensure menu items don't extend too far to the right).
3. Launch Tunnelblick. It should show up to the right of the notch.
4. Holding down the "command" key, drag the Tunnelblick icon as far to the right as possible (so it is immediately to the left of the "control panel" icon).
5. Restore the menu items you modified in step 1.

This way Tunnelblick will appear as far right as it can. It will take up some space, but it is pretty compact.

[1] Un-check System Preferences >> Dock & Menu Bar >> "Show the day of the week" and "Show date", "Show AM/PM", and "Display the time with seconds"

[2] Un-check System Preferences >> Time Machine >> "Show Time Machine in menu bar"

[3] Un-check System Preferences >> Battery >> Battery >> "Show battery status in menu bar"

[4] Un-check System Preferences >> Users & Groups >> Login Options >> "Show fast user switching menu"

[David Macfarlane]

Yes, that worked. Thank you very much for the quick reply. I didn't realize that the MacOS was blindly shoving menu bar icons behind the notch. You'd think they'd know the notch was there and would avoid using that part of the menu bar. What are operating systems for, eh? :-)

Thanks.