Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Perhaps the worst UI crime in macOS 26 Tahoe was the inexplicable decision to add cryptic, distracting icons next to every item in the menu bar. You might remember Jim Nielsen writing about it, he described it as exactly what Mac users look down on in platforms like Google Docs and Windows. You may also remember Nikita “Tonsky” Prokopov writing about it, pointing out that the bad idea wasn’t even implemented well, with different Apple apps using completely different icons for the same menu item. You’ll also remember my linking to Nielsen (“I can afford to be angry about the UI changes Apple made to the Mac. But I can’t afford the heartbreak.”) and Prokopov (“The fact that Tahoe’s menu item icons are apparently inconsistent and often completely cryptic is the icing on the crap cake, but the real shame is that this idea never got past the proposal stage. No real UI. is not Or Icon designers think it’s a great idea. nobody.”)
Top third-party developers rightly rejected the design, and adopted open source code from Brent Simmons to disable the “icons in all standard menu items” behavior.
Amazing news in macOS 27 Golden Gate: the icons are gone. It’s as if Tahoe’s menu item icons were never created. Prokopov noted this on Mastodon with before-and-after screenshots, and mentioned that Apple has updated human interface guidelines accordingly:
Use menu item icons sparingly and purposefully. Icons allow people to find menu items more quickly, and help clarify what selecting an item does. Use an icon to highlight your app’s most common actions and key features, file system locations, connected devices, visual concepts like rotating or flipping an image, and user-generated content like folders and documents. If you can’t find an icon that clearly represents a menu item, don’t display it.
This updated advice in HIG is excellent. Screenshot:
MacOS 26 Tahoe – in every Apple app on the system – has a live example of the updated HIG’s “what not to do” illustration (including the second section about groups within the menu). If you’re stuck using the Tahoe until the Golden Gate arrives, remember this tip to ease the problem some.
This is my favorite news from the entire WWDC this week. I mean that. I mean this in a small way because I hate this aspect of MacOS Tahoe so much. But by and large I mean it because it’s proof that the rot has been rooted out from Apple’s software design team. I don’t know if all the talented hacks are gone, but Alan Dye has all the talented magazine-designer hacks left with clout and influence. I’ve talked to a few people from Apple’s design team this week and they all like the work they’re doing and the direction they’re taking Apple’s platform. Pushing back on these silly menu item icons was a necessary first step.
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