I’m still using an iPhone 12 Pro, so I don’t get to experience the Dynamic Island daily. But then I discovered NotchNook, an app that brings a similar concept to my Mac. It has the potential to revolutionize how I use my Apple computers. The idea is simple: hover your mouse over the notch on your MacBook, and it expands slightly. A click or a two-finger swipe downwards reveals a black box (the “nook”) with controls for various apps and tasks.
NotchNook starts with basic controls. On the left is a space for a “now playing” widget, compatible with Spotify or Apple Music. The center displays workflows from Apple’s Shortcuts app. On the right, a button toggles your webcam (called the “mirror” control). You can also add Live Activities, showing information about running apps, even when the notch is in its shrunken state. For example, the Spotify Live Activity displays a miniature album cover and music levels, allowing you to play or pause without expanding the notch.
The app offers extensive customization. You can swap the widgets with a calendar, notes, to-dos, and even “quick apps” coming soon. Widgets can be moved and resized within the app’s container. While the drag-and-drop functionality for widgets is missing, the overall customization is impressive. You can change the look and feel of NotchNook by adding or removing dividers, adjusting their size and padding, altering transparency, height, and more.
However, my favorite feature is the Files Tray. When you drag a file from the Finder over the nook, it opens to reveal two options: Files Tray and AirDrop. Dropping a file into the Files Tray allows you to access it easily across apps and desktop spaces. To delete the file, hover over it and click the X in the top-right corner. Alternatively, dropping it into the AirDrop area brings up the sharing window for easy file transfer. While the Files Tray is currently limited to two options, the developer plans to add more features, such as zipping and unzipping files, and compressing images.
These “pipelines” remind me of BetterTouchTool, a popular Mac app that offers extensive customization for trackpad gestures, window management, and user interface controls. If NotchNook can compete with BetterTouchTool’s capabilities, it will be a valuable tool.
NotchNook’s animations are a delight. The notch pulses outward with a drop shadow when you hover over it, and it expands and bounces back smoothly when you open it. The app’s smooth animations contribute to a polished experience. The overall feel is reminiscent of the Dynamic Island on iPhone, showcasing the developer’s attention to detail.
Even if your Mac doesn’t have a notch, NotchNook creates a “handler” that functions similarly. It’s a smaller, less intrusive version of the nook, but it provides all the same features.
NotchNook is promising, but what truly excites me is its future potential. The developer plans to continuously add functionality, transforming this useful utility into a Mac essential. If you’re interested, NotchNook costs $3 a month for a subscription that allows usage on two devices, or $25 for full purchase with access on up to five devices. A 48-hour free trial is available to see if the app suits you.
