---
title: "The bar"
description: "Modes, pinned shortcuts, the fisheye, widgets and the settings that shape the bar."
canonical: "https://smabar.com/docs/the-bar/"
lang: en
---

# The bar

> Modes, pinned shortcuts, the fisheye, widgets and the settings that shape the bar.

Canonical HTML version: https://smabar.com/docs/the-bar/ · Language: en · Publisher: smabar (https://smabar.com)

---

The bar has two zones: shortcuts on the left, widgets on the right, a draggable divider between them. Everything on it is configured in Settings, which the gear at the right end opens.

## Position, width, behaviour

Under Settings › Bar you choose the edge (top or bottom), the width (a content-sized pill or the full screen width) and how the bar deals with your windows:

- **Reserve** keeps a strip of screen for the bar, so maximised windows stop above it. The default.
- **Float** reserves nothing; the bar sits above or below your windows depending on the stacking setting.
- **Autohide** slides the bar off the edge and brings it back when the pointer touches the edge.

The stacking setting decides whether the bar stays above your windows or behind them. Behind is the desktop-widget mode: the widgets live on your desktop and windows cover them.

Three layouts exist: **split** (one row, both zones side by side), **rows** (shortcuts and widgets in two rows) and **solo** (one zone visible, a layer button toggles the other).

## Shortcuts

Settings › Shortcuts pins things to the bar: installed applications, folders, single files, and websites. A website shortcut takes its icon from the site itself; smabar never asks a third-party icon service. Separators group shortcuts. Labels can be hidden, shown next to the icon, or below it; icon and label sizes are sliders.

## The fisheye

Moving the pointer along the shortcuts magnifies the tile under it and, a little less, its neighbours. Settings › Design has the scale and how many neighbours join in; set the scale to one to switch the effect off. The hover peek, which shows a widget's flyout after a short hover, has its own switch and delay.

## Widgets

Every widget is a plugin, including the bundled clock, system info, media and todos. A widget shows a tile on the bar; most also have a flyout that opens on click or hover, and some send popups. Settings › Widgets lists what is installed, lets you reorder, enable and remove widgets, and opens the Community Store. Widgets from the store are installed only after you confirm what they need.

## Themes

Settings › Design picks the theme and lets you adjust colours, the accent, the fonts and the opacity of the bar and its flyouts on top of it. Themes are explained on their own page: [Themes](https://smabar.com/docs/themes/).