MiniBar is a small always-on-top bar that shows what is playing and controls it:
cover, title, artist, progress, and play/pause/previous/next on hover. It reads the
media session Windows already knows about, so it works with any player that registers
one - Spotify, Tidal, YouTube Music in a browser, foobar2000 - with no account, API key
or plugin.
It uses about 7 MB of RAM, ships as a single ~300 KB executable with no runtime to
install, and does no GPU work between redraws. It never injects a DLL and never installs
a hook, so it is safe to run alongside anti-cheat software.
Three modes: a free-floating overlay that stays above fullscreen-windowed games and is
click-through until you hover it, a docked strip that reserves screen space, and a pill
that sits in the taskbar's empty space. The mouse wheel changes the player's own volume
in the Windows mixer, not the system volume.
Publisher’s description
What is MiniBar?
MiniBar is an open-source music player program for Windows from AceisX. It is written in C++.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit as Portable. It runs without installation (portable). It needs Windows 11 21H2 or newer.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (AceisX/minibar-now-playing-overlay) has 1 stars. Similar programs include Spotify, iTunes and FLAC.
Project description on GitHub: “Ultra-light now-playing overlay and mini player for Windows 11: Spotify, YouTube Music, Tidal or any media app. ~6 MB RAM, 0% GPU, no hooks, anti-cheat safe.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: MiniBar is an open-source music player tool for 64-bit PCs.
Is MiniBar safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
67B2352EA8DE719E3F59E0C897681B40C283E137C3D84CF49CA18F2E6835DFC7· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 1 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1.0Latest | August 22, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id AceisX.MiniBar -eProgram files (.exe): minibar.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- AceisX
- Category
- Music players
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/AceisX/minibar-now-playing-overlay
- Written in
- C++
- Requires
- Windows 11 (Windows 11 21H2+)
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 1.1.0
- Released
- August 22, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- September 24, 2026
- Versions listed
- 1
- GitHub stars
- 1
- GitHub forks
- 1
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- AceisX.MiniBar
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to MiniBar
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Frequently asked questions
Is MiniBar free?
Yes. MiniBar is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is MiniBar safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install MiniBar with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Which Windows versions does MiniBar support?
The installer requires Windows 11 21H2 or newer and is available for 64-bit.
Does MiniBar run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Can I use MiniBar without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to MiniBar?
Spotify, iTunes, FLAC, Mixxx and Sonic Pi. The alternatives page compares them.
