Software Alternatives & Startups

Notchless.app VS ShellNewHandler

Compare Notchless.app VS ShellNewHandler and see what are their differences

Notchless.app

Find menu bar icons hidden behind the MacBook notch, open any menu bar app from your keyboard, and give frequent tools their own shortcuts.

Rating
0 reviews
ShellNewHandler

SourceForge.net: ShellNewHandler details page

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, ShellNewHandler seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 2 times since March 2021.

social mentions
0 vs 2
Mac popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Notchless.app
ShellNewHandler
Website notchless.app sourceforge.net
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Notchless.app 5 features
ShellNewHandler 0 features
  • Solves notch annoyance
    Effectively hides or masks the MacBook notch by creating a customizable black bar or wallpaper extension, making the notch blend seamlessly into the menu bar area so it becomes visually unnoticeable during everyday use.
  • Lightweight and simple
    The app is designed to be minimal and focused on a single task, so it doesn't consume significant system resources or clutter your Mac with unnecessary features, making it easy to install and forget.
  • Customizable appearance
    Users can often adjust settings such as color, opacity, or style of the notch cover to better match their desktop theme or personal preference, offering some degree of personalization.
  • No physical modification needed
    Since it's a software-based solution, users don't need to apply physical accessories or stickers to their screen, avoiding potential damage or residue on the display.
  • Quick setup
    Typically requires minimal configuration, allowing users to download, install and start using it within minutes, which is ideal for people who want a fast fix without deep customization needs.

Possible disadvantages

  • Cosmetic-only fix
    The app only visually disguises the notch rather than solving any underlying hardware limitations, meaning the screen real estate taken by the notch is still unusable in that area.
  • Potential compatibility issues
    Depending on macOS version updates or specific MacBook models, the app might face compatibility problems, requiring updates or causing malfunction after system upgrades.
  • Limited functionality
    Since it focuses solely on hiding the notch, it lacks additional productivity features that some competing menu bar or notch utilities might offer, such as extended shelf space or drag-and-drop utilities.
  • May not suit all wallpapers
    When trying to blend the notch with dynamic or complex wallpapers, the cover might look inconsistent or noticeable, reducing the seamless effect especially with lighter or patterned backgrounds.
  • Reliance on third-party app
    Users must trust and rely on a third-party developer for something as visible as their menu bar, which could raise minor concerns about long-term support, updates, or security.

No features have been listed yet.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Notchless.app
ShellNewHandler

Overall verdict

  • Notchless.app appears to be a niche macOS utility designed to visually mask or hide the notch on modern MacBooks by creating a customizable black bar or wallpaper overlay, making it a decent lightweight solution for users bothered by the notch's appearance.

Why this product is good

  • Provides a simple, non-intrusive way to visually hide the notch on newer MacBook models
  • Lightweight utility that likely has minimal impact on system performance
  • Offers customization options for how the notch area is displayed or concealed
  • Free or low-cost solution compared to alternative workarounds
  • Easy to install and use without technical expertise required

Recommended for

  • MacBook Pro or MacBook Air users with notch displays who find the notch distracting
  • Users who prefer a cleaner, uninterrupted screen appearance
  • People who work with full-screen apps or media where the notch is more noticeable
  • Users looking for a free or affordable cosmetic fix rather than hardware changes
  • Mac users who want a quick software-based solution without modifying system settings extensively

Overall verdict

  • ShellNewHandler is a niche, lightweight utility hosted on SourceForge designed to give users more control over the Windows 'New' context menu (the ShellNew menu). It can be considered good for its specific narrow use case, but it is an older, minimally maintained tool that may not suit all users, especially those on modern Windows versions.

Why this product is good

  • Provides direct control over customizing the Windows right-click 'New' menu, allowing users to add or remove file type entries
  • Lightweight and free, without bundled bloatware typical of some other free utilities
  • Simple and focused in scope, making it easy to understand for its specific purpose
  • Open distribution via SourceForge allows transparency and no-cost access

Recommended for

  • Power users who want to declutter or customize the Windows New context menu
  • IT administrators managing standardized desktop environments across multiple machines
  • Users comfortable with older utility-style tools and Windows registry-related tweaks
  • Not recommended for casual users seeking modern, actively supported software with regular updates

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Notchless.app
ShellNewHandler
100% 100%
Mac
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Notchless.app and ShellNewHandler. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Notchless.app 0 mentions
ShellNewHandler 2 mentions

Tracking Notchless.app since Jul 2026.

  • I recently got libreoffice, but now the new option in right click looks like a mess. Can someone help me get rid of them please?
    Use Shell New Handler. Run the portable app and simply untick the items you don't want to appear in your new context menu. Source: about 4 years ago
  • This menu should be easy to add/remove programs to... Who is really creating Access Databases from this menu often enough to keep it here? (Not me!) Is there an easy way to edit this?
    I've always used ShellNewHandler for this. It's a really simple portable utility that allows you to remove most of the items from that menu. Tested it out on Windows 11 and it's still compatible. Source: over 5 years ago

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