Skip to main content
The Menu API allows you to create native application menus with various menu item types including labels, links, checkboxes, radio buttons, and separators.

​
Creating a Menu

use Native\Desktop\Facades\Menu;
use Native\Desktop\Menu\Items\Label;
use Native\Desktop\Menu\Items\Link;
use Native\Desktop\Menu\Items\Separator;

$menu = Menu::make(
    Label::make('File'),
    Link::make('/settings', 'Settings')->accelerator('CmdOrCtrl+,'),
    Separator::make(),
    Label::make('Quit')->accelerator('CmdOrCtrl+Q')
);

$menu->register();

​
label

Set the label for the menu.
​
label
string
required
The label text for the menu
$menu->label('File');

​
add

Add a menu item to the menu.
​
item
MenuItem
required
A menu item instance (Label, Link, Checkbox, Radio, or Separator)
​
return
self
Returns the Menu instance for method chaining
use Native\Desktop\Menu\Items\Label;

$menu->add(Label::make('Settings'));

​
register

Register the menu with the application. 
$menu->register();

​
Label

A standard clickable menu item. 
use Native\Desktop\Menu\Items\Label;

$item = Label::make('Settings', 'CmdOrCtrl+,');
​
label
string
required
The text label for the menu item
​
accelerator
string
Optional keyboard shortcut (e.g., “CmdOrCtrl+Q”)
A menu item that navigates to a URL. 
use Native\Desktop\Menu\Items\Link;

$item = Link::make('/dashboard', 'Dashboard')
    ->openInBrowser(false);
​
url
string
required
The URL to navigate to
​
label
string
required
The text label for the menu item
​
accelerator
string
Optional keyboard shortcut

​
openInBrowser

Set whether the link should open in the system browser.
​
openInBrowser
bool
default:"false"
Whether to open in browser
$item->openInBrowser(true);

​
Checkbox

A menu item with a checkbox. 
use Native\Desktop\Menu\Items\Checkbox;

$item = Checkbox::make('Enable notifications', true);
​
label
string
required
The text label for the menu item
​
checked
bool
default:"false"
Whether the checkbox is initially checked
​
accelerator
string
Optional keyboard shortcut

​
Radio

A menu item with a radio button. 
use Native\Desktop\Menu\Items\Radio;

$item = Radio::make('Dark mode', true);
​
label
string
required
The text label for the menu item
​
checked
bool
default:"false"
Whether the radio button is initially selected
​
accelerator
string
Optional keyboard shortcut

​
Separator

A visual separator between menu items. 
use Native\Desktop\Menu\Items\Separator;

$item = Separator::make();

​
Common Menu Item Methods

All menu item types support the following methods:

​
id

Set a unique identifier for the menu item.
​
id
string
required
The unique identifier
$item->id('settings-item');

​
label

Set the label text.
​
label
string
required
The label text
$item->label('Settings');

​
sublabel

Set a secondary label text.
​
sublabel
string
required
The sublabel text
$item->sublabel('Configure application');

​
icon

Set an icon for the menu item.
​
icon
string
required
Path to the icon file
$item->icon('/path/to/icon.png');

​
accelerator

Set a keyboard shortcut.
​
accelerator
string
required
Keyboard shortcut (e.g., “CmdOrCtrl+Q”)
$item->accelerator('CmdOrCtrl+,');

​
hotkey

Alias for accelerator().
​
hotkey
string
required
Keyboard shortcut (e.g., “CmdOrCtrl+Q”)
$item->hotkey('CmdOrCtrl+,');

​
tooltip

Set a tooltip for the menu item.
​
tooltip
string
required
The tooltip text
$item->tooltip('Open settings');

​
enabled

Enable the menu item. 
$item->enabled();

​
disabled

Disable the menu item. 
$item->disabled();

​
visible

Set the visibility of the menu item.
​
visible
bool
default:"true"
Whether the menu item is visible
$item->visible(false);

​
checked

Set the checked state (for Checkbox and Radio items).
​
checked
bool
default:"true"
Whether the item is checked
$item->checked(true);

​
event

Set a Laravel event to dispatch when the menu item is clicked.
​
event
string
required
The event class name
$item->event('settings.opened');
Add a submenu to the menu item.
​
items
MenuItem...
required
Variable number of menu items
$item->submenu(
    Label::make('Preferences'),
    Label::make('About')
);

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us