Rid Yourself of that Pesky Translucent Menu Bar

The stupid translucent menu bar in Leopard annoys me beyond annoyance, here’s an easy way to make it nice and solid like a good menu bar should be. Open Terminal.app, then enter the following command to turn the menu bar solid whitesudo defaults write /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.WindowServer 'EnvironmentVariables' -dict 'CI_NO_BACKGROUND_IMAGE' 1 To turn the bar solid gray, enter this commandsudo defaults write /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.WindowServer 'EnvironmentVariables' -dict 'CI_NO_BACKGROUND_IMAGE' 0Travis also pointed out that you can enter values in between gray and white for softer grays such as this one which is much like Tiger’s menu barsudo defaults write /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.WindowServer 'EnvironmentVariables' -dict 'CINOBACKGROUNDIMAGE’ 0.62 To turn it back to transluscent (god forbid) enter this commandsudo defaults delete /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.WindowServer 'EnvironmentVariables' For the changes to take effect, restart your computer.

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Written by Michael Zhao on January 10, 2008 at 11:37 pm - Rid Yourself of that Pesky Translucent Menu Bar has 13 comments - Categorized in Advanced Tips, Finder Tips, Terminal Tips

13 Responses to “Rid Yourself of that Pesky Translucent Menu Bar”

Travis Jeffery

Even better change it to the gray-tinted menu bar that Tiger had:sudo defaults write /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.WindowServer 'EnvironmentVariables' -dict 'CINOBACKGROUNDIMAGE’ 0.62 [Via: BoyWondr] January 10th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
adam

Hi, I am in some would like transculid bar,
I have a iMac with GeForce 5200FX,
and Translucid bar was work great in beta to me.

Could you explain me to add it in terminal line by line,
thanks before,

adam January 11th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Brad Jasper

Adam,

I'm not exactly sure I understand your question. This tip is for people who have Leopard and don't like the Translucent menu bar at the top of your screen.

If you don't have Leopard, I'm not sure you can have a translucent menubar. I did a quick search for you but came up empty.

- Brad January 11th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
adam

I have leopard, but only the GeForce 5200 in my iMac do not support translucid bar, Apple desactivate on final version on this Computer.
On Beta 10.5 Translucid Bar was work great, I have CoreGraphic, Quartz Extreme Work great. I cannot use "turn it back to transluscent" command because is not translucid by default. I would like to know the command to enable Translucid bar from a no translucid bar.

Thanks if you know January 11th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Michael Zhao

try running the last command January 11th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
adam

not work, and is logic, is for some was add environnements variables.
Terminal said me there is not environement variable.
I was try all this command on top, no one work in my case. January 12th, 2008 at 5:42 am
Michael Zhao

Well, adam, I can tell you you're not missing out on much. It's really more annoying than anything else January 12th, 2008 at 11:23 am
adam

what the inverse of 'CI_NO_BACKGROUND_IMAGE' command ?
'CI_BACKGROUND_IMAGE' not work … January 12th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Michael Zhao

this one:

sudo defaults delete /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.WindowServer 'EnvironmentVariables'

the last one, but if it's not working for you, I'm not sure it will make a difference January 12th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Julian Pitt

I put in the commands and logged out. Twice. Still nothing. I guess I should try restarting . . . January 12th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Julian Pitt

The restart did it. You should put that in the post. January 12th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Michael Zhao

done and done January 12th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Dave

Here's a great way: go to System Preferences and click on Desktop and Screensaver. Uncheck "Translucent Menu Bar." April 18th, 2008 at 9:34 pm