Compared to Windows, with its dedicated weather data in the taskbar, the Weather app on the Mac has always been a bit of a sham. Yes, you can open the app to get a similar experience to the iPad app, and yes, you can add a Weather widget to your macOS Desktop. But it’s just not the same as having a dedicated weather widget in the menu bar, so you can check it at a glance.
In the past, you had to use third-party apps to make this possible, which meant ensuring apps wouldn’t misuse your location data. But finally, Apple has an official solution. A new update in macOS Sequoia 15.2 Beta 3 (which is currently available in developer beta, and will roll out to the public at large sometime in December) finally adds a full-fledged Weather app to the Mac Menu bar. This is a great day indeed for Weather nerds like myself.
At time of writing, you’ll need to update to the developer beta for macOS Sequoia 15.2 Beta 3 to access this feature. First, ensure you’re signed up for Apple’s Developer Program, then update from System Settings > General > Software Updates > Beta Updates > macOS Sequoia Developer Beta. However, I would recommend you wait for either the public beta or the official release, to ensure your device remains stable.
Credit: Khamosh Pathak
With the update installed, again open System Settings. Here, go to Control Center, scroll down until you see the Menu Bar Only subheading, and from the box next to Weather, switch to Show in Menu Bar.
Credit: Khamosh Pathak
Voila, you now have a weather widget that sits right in your Mac’s menu bar. Without clicking, you’ll see the temperature and an icon for conditions. Click the Weather icon and the pop-out menu will show a detailed weather view. Here, you can see the forecast by hour and the high and the low for the day. You can also monitor the temperature for other cities that you’ve added to the Weather app (simply open Weather, search for a city in the box in the upper-right corner, and click the Add button next to the search bar).
Credit: Khamosh Pathak
As with Apple’s other default features, there is no customization here. The widget picks up weather based on your location by default, and the locations in the dropdown mirror the ones in the Weather app. You’ll need to visit the Weather app to add more cities to your list or change their order (just drag and drop a city to reorder it).
But honestly, what Apple is offering is more than enough for me. To have a solid, reliable weather widget on top of the Mac’s screen, one that doesn’t drain the battery or send out location signals to third-party servers, is a dream come true.
However, if you’re looking for more features like a detailed hourly forecast, customizable icons, and sun or moon phases, check out third-party apps like Forecast Bar and MenuBar Weather. However, note that each third-party app will have its own privacy policy.
