Doll is a free, open-source menu bar utility that mirrors notification badges from applications like Mail, Slack, and Microsoft Teams directly into the macOS menu bar. (Free, open-source)
The app solves a common pain point: when working in full-screen windows or using an external monitor where the Dock is hidden, unread counts from communication apps become invisible. Doll polls each monitored application’s Dock badge once per second using the macOS Accessibility API and renders matching badge icons in the menu bar in real time. Users can search for and add any app that uses standard Dock badges—not just the defaults—through a built-in search interface. Clicking a menu bar icon opens the corresponding application directly.
Configuration is minimal: right-click or Option+click any Doll icon to access app management options. The polling interval is fixed at one second, which the developer notes has a negligible performance impact. Version 0.0.9.2 added support for inverting icon colors in dark mode, improving legibility for apps that use light-colored icons.
System requirements: macOS 11.0 Big Sur or later. Requires Accessibility API permissions. Available as a .dmg download from the GitHub releases page. App size is approximately 3 MB.
Pricing: Free and open-source (MIT-style). No subscription, no in-app purchases.
Limitations: The badge polling mechanism requires Accessibility permissions, which some users may prefer to avoid. The 1-second polling interval cannot be adjusted. The project reached version 0.0.9.2 in December 2023 with no updates since, indicating limited ongoing maintenance. Badge display depends on apps using standard macOS Dock badge APIs; custom notification systems may not be detected.
Alternatives: Notchmeister and Notchbro surface notifications in the notch area rather than the menu bar. Overflow 3 provides a broader dock-items-to-menubar approach with additional customization. The built-in macOS Focus Modes can consolidate notification visibility without third-party tools.
Suitable for users who work frequently in full-screen apps or with external displays and need quick visibility into unread message counts without switching focus to the Dock.
