Because of Apple's restrictions. The API used to turn off the Touch Bar is private and Apple only allows use of public APIs for apps to be published on the App Store.
In most cases, yes. Hide My Bar turns the Touch Bar off, so a strip that flickers, blinks or strobes goes dark instead of distracting you. It does not repair the hardware — but if the flickering is the problem you actually have, switching the strip off solves it.
This matters because Apple does not replace the Touch Bar on its own: the whole top case goes with it. Users consistently report quotes of $350 to $500. Hide My Bar is $4.99, and free for 10 days so you can confirm it works on your Mac before paying anything.
Being straight about the limits: a few users whose damage is physical, usually at the very edge of the strip near the power button, report some flickering remaining there. The free trial exists so you find that out at no cost. You can read what people say in the comments on our video.
This app has been notarized by Apple. It means Apple has scanned our app for malicious content and also checked for code-signing issues and approved it.
On top of that we use Sparkle’s EdDSA signature to ensure that the updates you download are the ones we published, without any alteration.
In order to simulate keys pressed for Brightness, Volume and so on, you need to give the app the accessibility permissions. Go to System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> Privacy -> Accessibility -> Check Hide My Bar.
To be able to use the Function Keys (F1, F2, etc...) with Hide My Bar, you must change your Touch Bar configuration to either App Controls or Expanded Control Strip.
To do so, go to System Preferences -> Keyboard. Next to Touch Bar shows, select Expanded Control Strip. Note that App Controls would work as well.
Next, click on Hide My Bar's icon (in the menu bar) -> Preferences -> Hot Keys and check Double tap ^Control next to Function Keys. You can choose any keys available.
It is working well alongside Karabiner, BTT and many others. However some users reported issues using it with GoldenChaos
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