macOS missing features: what's still not there, and what finally arrived
Every Mac user has a short list of “why can’t macOS just…” complaints. Some of the classics have quietly been fixed in recent versions, while others are still missing in macOS 27. This page sorts them out, feature by feature, and links to a full guide for each.
We checked every item on macOS 27.0.1, against the settings that actually exist on the system and Apple’s macOS 27 user guide.
Finally built in (you may not need an app anymore)
| Feature | Where it is now | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Clipboard history | Spotlight: Command-Space, then Command-4 | Clipboard history on Mac |
| Window snapping | Drag to an edge, or Window > Move & Resize (halves and quarters) | Mac window snapping |
| Battery charge limit | System Settings > Battery, info button next to Charging (Apple silicon, macOS 26.4+) | Battery charge limit |
| Hiding app icons in the menu bar | System Settings > Menu Bar > Allow in the Menu Bar | Hide menu bar icons |
If you installed an app years ago for one of these, it’s worth checking whether the built-in version is now enough. Fewer apps means fewer updates and a calmer menu bar.
Still missing in macOS 27
Free disk space in the menu bar
macOS shows free space in System Settings, in Finder’s status bar and in Get Info, but not in the menu bar or Control Center. There’s no built-in Storage module. Most people only notice the disk is full when something fails.
Fill the gap: a menu bar app that shows the number all the time. Our own app, SweepBar, shows free space in the menu bar and warns you below a threshold you set. Full guide: show free disk space in the menu bar.
Uninstalling an app with everything it left behind
Dragging an app to the Trash removes only the app. Its settings, caches, containers and background helpers stay in your Library folders, and helpers of deleted apps can keep running.
Fill the gap: our app Doff finds and removes them, to the Trash so you can undo. Full guide: completely uninstall apps on a Mac.
CPU temperature and network speed
There’s no temperature readout in degrees anywhere in macOS, and no network speed in the menu bar. Activity Monitor shows CPU load and network rates in a window; powermetrics reports thermal pressure, not degrees.
Fill the gap: Stats (free, open source) or iStat Menus (paid). Full guide: CPU temperature and network speed in the menu bar.
Window thirds and saved layouts
Built-in tiling covers halves, quarters and full screen. There are no thirds, no custom sizes and no saved layouts.
Fill the gap: Rectangle (free, open source). Full guide: Mac window snapping.
A one-click “keep awake” switch
macOS can be kept awake with settings or the caffeinate command, but Control Center has no keep-awake control.
Fill the gap: caffeinate -i in Terminal, or a menu bar app such as Amphetamine (free). Full guide: keep your Mac awake.
Tucking menu bar icons away (without turning them off)
The new Menu Bar settings can turn an app’s icon off completely, or show system items only “When Space Allows”. There’s no built-in way to collapse icons behind one button and reveal them on demand.
Fill the gap: Ice (free, open source) or Bartender (paid). Full guide: hide menu bar icons.
Coming from Windows?
A few translations that help in the first week:
| On Windows | On a Mac |
|---|---|
| Win+V clipboard history | Command-Space, then Command-4 |
| Snap windows with Win+Arrow | Fn-Control-Arrow (Globe-Control-Arrow) |
| Task Manager | Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities) |
| Storage settings | System Settings > General > Storage |
| System tray | The right side of the menu bar |
How we keep this page honest
Features change with every macOS release. Each guide on this site says which macOS version it was checked on. When a new version adds one of the missing features, we update this page and the guide, and we’ll say so even when it makes one of our own apps less necessary.
Looking for apps for the gaps above? See the best Mac menu bar apps, by job.
Questions
Does macOS have clipboard history now?
Yes. It's in Spotlight: press Command-Space, then Command-4. You can turn it off in System Settings > Spotlight with Results from Clipboard.
What can't macOS do that Windows can?
As of macOS 27, there's no built-in way to show CPU temperature, network speed or free disk space in the menu bar, and built-in window tiling has no thirds. Most other long-standing gaps, such as clipboard history and window snapping, are now built in.
Are these features available on older Macs?
Some depend on hardware or version. The built-in battery charge limit, for example, needs a Mac with Apple silicon and macOS Tahoe 26.4 or later. Each linked guide notes its requirements.