HiddenMe
HiddenMe is a great menu bar utility that provides users the option to hide desktop icons without having to enter commands into Terminal. The price is reasonable, but I didn't feel that I could provide a perfect score due confusion about a free and pro version both being available.
- DESIGN
- EASE OF USE
- PRICE
HiddenMe for macOS is a simple, but effective way to increase your productivity with a single click.
In a world where first impressions are everything, it’s no surprise that people want to make sure their desktop is looking its best. One way to do this is to hide their icons. While it may seem like a small thing, hiding icons can give the impression of a clean and organized desktop. It can also help people focus on their work, as they’re not constantly being distracted by the various icons on their screen.
No matter how hard I’ve tried, I always end up having numerous icons on my desktop. Sometimes they are simply shortcuts to applications and sometimes they are folders of images I’ve saved from various sources. Whatever the cause, icons are forever present on my desktop and even though it can be a staging area for some people, for me, it can be a huge distraction so utilizing HiddenMe is a big help for my personal productivity.
Overview
HiddenMe is a menu bar utility that hides users’ desktop icons with a single click. It helps to hide cluttered desktops from view so they aren’t a distraction or in the way. While Desktop Stacks now Stage Manager — both features of macOS — help to clean up the desktop view, they don’t remove or hide icons completely. HiddenMe does. It toggles the icons between hidden and viewable through the use of a single mouse click or even a keyboard shortcut. The app utilizes MASShortcut, a modern API and user interface for recording, storing, and using system-wide keyboard shortcuts.

Features
- Multiple Display support (pro version only)
- Use a shortcut to hide your desktop icons
- Use a solid color as the background
- Mission Control layer is overridden by default, No flickering!
- Single click to hide/unhide, and Right-click for the menu. (Enable from Preferences).
Developer Info
HiddenMe was created by Appersian, a development group based out of Iran. They have a website located at Appersian.net, but it does not include much information on the company. In fact, it appears broken. When you go to the website, the first thing you will see is a message that reads, “Nothing Found.” Just below that, you will see that the group offers development services for iOS, macOS, Android, UI/UX, and the web.
There is a large portfolio of 15 apps included on this page, too. There are four team members listed on the site but not all of them are still listed as employees of Appersian on their LinkedIn profiles. This is a little confusing if you are trying to research the company like I was.
Privacy Policy
According to the Mac App Store, HiddenMe does not collect any information from this app. Unfortunately, access to the full privacy policy is not available at the link provided in the Mac App Store.

Pricing and Availability
There is a little confusion about the pricing of HiddenMe. Some sources show it as a ‘free app’ with a paid pro version available as an in-app purchase, but when you go to the Mac App Store, it shows the app as a $1.99 one-time purchase. There was an update two weeks prior to the publishing of this article that lists “Now a universal app!” as its only feature. I am assuming other sources of information just haven’t been updated yet.
The big difference between the two versions is supposed to be that the pro version gives users access to support multiple displays. The free version does not. The app is currently on version 3.1 and received its last update 2 weeks ago (according to the App Store).
User Experience
I’ve found HiddenMe to be extremely useful on a daily basis — especially on my work computer. Throughout my work day, I work as a content editor and I end up juggling many different project tasks. I will download creative elements and then put them together inside a website CMS environment.

Because of the fast pace, I end up shifting files from my Downloads folder to my desktop as I complete tasks. Then, at the end of the day, I will sort out all the files that have piled up on the Desktop.
Before I have a chance to clear the desktop, I will usually keep the files hidden using HiddenMe so they are a distraction for me. I will sometimes want to pause what I’m doing to clean up those files, but that pulls me away from the task at hand. So, keeping them hidden is a huge help to me.
I love the simplicity of the utility app and how easy it is to use. There are a few options for customizing HiddenMe — such as changing the background color of the desktop when you hide the icons or double-clicking the desktop to reveal the hidden icons — that help make it more personalized per user. Users even have the option to hide the icons upon launching the app.

Conclusion
I didn’t have any issues with the operation or function of HiddenMe, but I do wish the developer and background information was more updated. HiddenMe is a great tool to use to improve your desktop organization and your personal productivity. The app is easy to use and can be customized to fit your needs. It can help you focus by temporarily hiding your cluttered desktop. Give it a try today and see how much more productive you can be!
For more information, visit appersian.net, Facebook, or Twitter.