Glossary
Simulated notch
A software-drawn pill at the top of a display that has no physical notch.
What it means
A simulated notch is a rounded black shape an app draws at the top-center of a screen, sized to look like the hardware cutout. To the rest of the software it behaves exactly like the real thing: same position, same proportions, same hover territory.
Why it matters
Macs without a notch — older MacBooks, iMacs, and most external displays — would otherwise be locked out of the entire category. Simulation makes the notch an interface idea rather than a hardware privilege.
How notchos does it
The display picker is automatic or explicit, multi-display aware, and notch-less screens get the simulated pill with everything working identically — no hardcoded coordinates anywhere.
Fair questions
- Does the simulated pill look identical to the real one?
- It is drawn from the same shape and theme system, at true proportion for the display it is on.
- Can I turn it off on an external monitor?
- Yes — per-tool enable switches and the display picker keep you in charge of which screens carry it.
Related terms
Twenty tools. One hover. $9.99, once.