App Modes in Unite Pro

App Modes: Normal, Sidebar, and Menu Bar

Every Unite app runs in one of three modes. The mode you choose determines how the app looks and how you interact with it. You can set the mode when creating an app and change it at any time by editing it.

Normal Mode

Normal mode is the default. Your app opens in a standard macOS window with a full toolbar at the top — back, forward, reload, home, and a URL bar. Tabs run along the top of the window just like a browser.

Best for:

• Productivity apps you work in for extended stretches (email, project management, documents)
• Sites where you frequently open multiple pages or links
• Anything that benefits from a full-sized, focused window

In Normal mode, you get:

• Full tab bar with support for pinned tabs
• Back/forward navigation
• Toolbar with URL bar and quick-access buttons
• All settings panes accessible from Preferences

Sidebar Mode

Sidebar mode adds a persistent panel on the left side of the window. The sidebar lists your open tabs and serves as navigation. The main content area is on the right.

Best for:

• Sites with many sections you move between frequently (news, dashboards, documentation)
• Multi-tab workflows where you want all tabs visible at a glance
• Users who prefer browser-style tab organization over a top tab bar

In Sidebar mode:

• The sidebar is resizable — drag its edge to adjust its width
• Tabs appear as a list in the sidebar with their page title and favicon
• You can pin tabs to keep them at the top of the list
• The sidebar can be toggled with a keyboard shortcut if you need more screen space temporarily

Menu Bar Mode

Menu Bar mode hides the app from the dock entirely and adds an icon to the macOS menu bar. Clicking the icon drops down a compact popover window containing the full app.

Best for:

• Quick-reference tools you dip in and out of (AI assistants, calculators, timers, dashboards)
• Utilities you want available without cluttering the dock or app switcher
• Apps you use briefly throughout the day but don't need a persistent window for

In Menu Bar mode:

• The app's icon appears in the menu bar (right side)
• Clicking the icon opens a popover; clicking outside or pressing Escape closes it
• The popover has a compact navigation bar inside
• A Convert to Window button in the popover opens a full window on demand, without permanently changing the app's mode

Tip: The AI Companion enhancement uses a similar pattern — if you're using ChatGPT or Claude as a menu bar app, combine it with the AI Companion enhancement for the best experience.

Switching Modes

To change the mode of an existing app:

1. Select the app in the Unite Pro sidebar.
2. Click Edit.
3. In the creation sheet, select the new mode.
4. Click Save.

The app rebuilds in a few seconds and reopens in the new mode.

You can also swap modes at any time within an app by going to the 'modes' menu in the menu bar.

Floating Window

Within Normal and Sidebar modes, you can make the window float above all other windows — useful for reference material you want to keep visible while working in another app. This is configured in the app's Appearance settings under the Window section.