Dock Disappeared on Mac? Try These 12 Fixes

Written by

Ojash

Reviewed by

Hashir Ibrahim

Last updated: July 27, 2024

Expert verified

Recently, I ran into a problem: my Mac Dock disappeared. This was really frustrating because I use the Dock all the time to open my daily apps. So, I started looking for ways to fix it. After trying out different things, I found some really quick and easy methods to get the Dock back. In this guide, I’m going to share these tips with you, so you can easily restore your Dock if it ever disappears.

How to Fix Disappearing Dock on Mac

If your Dock disappeared on Mac, there are several ways to get it back. Below, I have shared some tried and tested troubleshooting tips to restore the Dock on your Mac.

1. Exit the Full-Screen Mode

The first thing to do is exit the full-screen mode if you’re using it. A window in full-screen mode covers your Dock. Due to this, your Mac Dock keeps disappearing visually from your screen.

To exit full-screen mode and restore the Dock, follow these steps:

1. Move your cursor to the top of the screen.
2. A navigation bar will appear and you’ll see the red, yellow, and green buttons.

3. Hover your mouse over the green button, and a drop-down menu will appear. Choose Exit Fullscreen. Simply clicking the green button also exits the full screen.

This will exit the full-screen mode, and your Dock will reappear.

2. Try the Hotkeys

If you accidentally press the hotkeys Option ⌥ + Command ⌘ + D, it can cause the Dock on your Mac to disappear. This is because this hotkey toggles the Dock’s auto-hide feature.

To make the Dock visible again, simply press Option ⌥ + Command ⌘ + D once more.

This action will revert the setting and ensure the Dock remains constantly visible on your screen.

3. Check Dock Settings

The next thing to check is the automatic hiding setting if your Dock disappeared on Mac. Move your mouse to the bottom of the screen and see if the Dock appears. If it does, it means your auto-hide settings are on.

Follow these steps to check Dock settings on Mac:

1. Click the Apple icon and select System Settings.

2. Select Desktop & Dock in the Settings window.

3. Toggle off the Automatically hide and show the Dock switch.

4. This will make your Dock visible on your screen.

You can also access the auto-hide settings by right-clicking the Dock. Right-click the Dock and select Turn Hiding Off to stop the Dock from hiding automatically.

4. Force Quit and Restart Your Dock

If your Dock has disappeared on your Mac, it could be due to a temporary error in the operating system. A quick solution to try is to force quit and restart the Dock.

Follow the steps below to force quit and restart your Dock to fix the Dock disappeared on Mac issue:

1. Press the Command ⌘ + Space keys to open Spotlight. Type Activity Monitor and press Enter.

2. Choose the CPU tab in Activity Monitor.

3. Search for Dock in the search bar.

4. Select the Dock program and click the x icon in the top toolbar.

5. Choose Force Quit in the pop-up to quit the Dock app.

6. Lastly, restart your Mac to enable the Dock again.

5. Restart Your Mac

Restarting your Mac can often resolve issues like a disappearing Dock because it resets the system’s state, clearing temporary glitches and system errors. Here’s how to restart your Mac:

1. Click the Apple menu and select Restart.

2. If you have any open applications with unsaved work, you’ll be prompted to save your changes. Close any open apps or save your work, then click Restart.

3. You can also restart your Mac using a keyboard shortcut: Press Control ^ + Command ⌘ + Power Button (or Eject/Touch ID button) simultaneously.

This will immediately restart your Mac without saving your work, so use this method with caution.

4. If your Mac is frozen or unresponsive, you can force a restart. To do this, press and hold the Power button for about 10 seconds until the Mac turns off, then press the Power button again to turn it back on.

6. Look for Software Conflicts

Software conflicts on a Mac, particularly when multiple apps compete for the same system resources, can cause the Dock to disappear on your Mac. This happens because the operating system may become unstable under such conflicts.

If your Dock disappeared on Mac, check for software conflicts by following these steps:

1. Open Activity Monitor via the Utilities folder in your Applications.

2. Look for apps with high CPU usage or memory consumption in the Activity Monitor. Click the CPU tab to find resource-intensive programs.

3. Select the app(s) you don’t need or the ones causing conflicts, and quit them by clicking the small x in the top bar.

4. This should free up RAM on your Mac and resolve the Dock disappearance issue.

7. Update Dock and macOS

If your Dock disappeared on Mac, it might be due to not having the latest software update. Apple regularly releases updates to improve system performance and fix bugs. Missing these updates can sometimes lead to issues like the Dock disappearing. So, its best to update your Mac to the latest macOS version.

Follow the steps below to update your macOS:

1. Navigate to the Apple menu > System Settings.

2. Click General and select Software Update.

3. Wait for your Mac to check for any available updates.
4. If updates are available, click Update Now.

5. Restart your Mac when the update process is complete. The Dock should reappear on your Mac screen.

8. Restart the Dock With Terminal Command

Another efficient method to restore your Dock is by restarting it using a Terminal command. This approach is particularly useful for addressing temporary glitches and restoring the Dock to its normal functionality.

Here’s how to use a Terminal command to restore Mac Dock:

1. Click the magnifying glass icon in the menu bar to open Spotlight Search.

2. Type Terminal to launch the Terminal app.

3. Type the following command and press Enter:

killall Dock

4. Your Dock should restart, and the issue should be resolved.

9. Reset the Doc’s PLIST file

If the Dock on your Mac has disappeared due to corrupt files, one solution is to reset the Dock’s preference file. Keep in mind that doing this will remove any customizations you’ve made to the Dock, such as added apps or size adjustments. This step sets the Dock back to its default state.

Follow these steps to reset the PLIST file of the Dock:

1. Navigate to Finder, click Go in the top menu, and select Go to Folder.

2. Enter the following path in the window that appears and press Enter.

~/Library/

3. Open the Preferences folder.

4. Look for a file named com.apple.dock.plist and drag it to the Bin. Alternatively, you can right-click the file and select Move to Bin.

5. Restart your Mac for the changes to take effect and Dock to reappear.

10. Clear Cache and Temporary Files

Over time, your Mac collects cache and temporary files, which can lead to system issues, like the Dock disappearing. When you remove the cache and delete temporary files on your Mac, it frees up space and system resources. This makes your Mac run more smoothly and avoid software conflicts, potentially fixing issues with the Dock.

Follow the steps below to clear your Mac’s cache and temporary files:

a. Clear Your Mac’s Cache

1. Launch Finder on your Mac.

2. Click Go in the menu bar and choose Go to Folder.

3. Type the following path in the text box and press Enter.

~/Library/Caches/

4. Select all files present in the Caches folder. Right-click the selected files and select Move to Bin.

5. This will clear the cache on your Mac, and if the cache is interfering with the Dock’s performance, it should resolve.

Alternatively, you can use MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup feature to remove junk files on your Mac. Here’s how to use it:

1. Download and install MacKeeper on your Mac.
2. Open MacKeeper and click Safe Cleanup in the left sidebar.

3. Tap the Start Scan button.

4. This will scan your Mac for junk files. Select the files you want to delete or click Check All.

5. Tap the Clean Junk Files button.

6. The junk files on your system will be deleted, and you’ll get a Cleaning Completed notification. Click Rescan if you want to repeat the process.

7. Check if your Dock appears after cleaning cache files.

b. Remove Your Mac’s Temporary Files

1. Open Finder, head to the Go menu, and click Go to Folder.

2. Type the following path in the text box and press Enter:

/private/var/folders

3. Now, locate the folder labeled com.apple.dock and drag this folder to the Bin or right-click it and select Move to Bin.

11. Create a New User Account

Creating a new user account on your Mac can fix a disappearing Dock issue. A new account starts with default settings, which helps eliminate conflicts or corrupted settings in your old account.

Follow the steps below to create a new user account on Mac:

1. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen and choose System Settings.

2. Click Users & Groups in System Settings.

3. Click the Add User button

4. Enter your administrator’s name and password and tap Unlock.

5. Enter the required information, including the user’s name, account name, and password, and click Create User.

6. Log out of your current account and log in to the newly created account to see if the Dock reappears.

12. Reset the PRAM or SMC

Resetting the PRAM (Parameter Random Access Memory) or SMC (System Management Controller) can resolve the Dock disappeared on Mac issue. They reset certain hardware and software settings that may be causing the issue.

The process for resetting the SMC and PRAM varies depending on the model of your Mac, but here are the general steps to follow:

To Reset the PRAM

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press the Power button to turn it back on.

3. Immediately press and hold the Command ⌘ + Option ⌥ + P + R keys.

4. Hold these keys for approximately 20 seconds or until you hear the startup sound twice.
5. Release the keys and let your Mac finish starting up.

To Reset the SMC

1. Power down your Mac.
2. Unplug the power cord, and wait for at least 15-20 seconds.
3. Plug the power cord back in, then wait approximately 5 seconds.
4. Press the Power button to turn on your Mac and see if the Dock problem is resolved.

6 Reasons Why Your Dock Disappeared on Mac

There are several reasons why the Dock might disappear on your Mac:

1. 🔄 Software Conflicts: Multiple applications trying to use the same system resources can cause the Dock to vanish.
2. 🕒 Outdated macOS: Not updating your macOS can lead to bugs, including the disappearance of the Dock.
3. ⚡ Temporary System Glitches: Sometimes, temporary errors in the operating system can cause the Dock to disappear.
4. 📂 Corrupt Files or Apps: Corrupted files, especially in user account settings, or malicious apps can lead to the Dock vanishing.
5. 🗑️ Cache and Temporary File Accumulation: Over time, accumulated cache and temporary files can cause system issues, affecting the Dock’s functionality.
6. 🔧 Corrupted Dock Preferences: Sometimes, the preference files for the Dock can become corrupt, causing it to disappear.

Tips to Prevent the Dock Disappeared Mac Issue

To prevent the Dock from disappearing on your Mac, follow these tips:

1. 🔄 Regularly Update macOS: I can’t stress enough how important it is to keep your macOS and apps updated. These updates often include fixes for the bugs that can cause big problems, like your Dock disappearing.
2. 🚦 Monitor Software Conflicts: Be cautious of installing too many apps that might conflict with each other, especially those that heavily modify the system. If you notice your Dock acting up after installing a new app, there might be a conflict.
3. 🗑️ Manage Cache and Temporary Files: Regularly clear cache and temporary files (using MacKeeper as I do) to prevent system overload and potential glitches.
4. 💾 Backup Regularly: Maintain regular backups of your system. This ensures you can restore settings in case of major issues.
5. ⚠️ Avoid Tweaking System Files: Refrain from modifying system files unless you’re sure about the changes; incorrect modifications can lead to system instability.
6. 🔒 Use Reliable Software: Only download and install apps from trusted sources to reduce the risk of malware and software conflicts.
7. 🛠️ Regular System Checkups: Perform regular maintenance checks using Disk Utility and other macOS diagnostic tools to keep the system running smoothly.

Fix Your Dock-Related Issues With MacKeeper

Problematic apps can often cause the Dock to disappear on your Mac. When apps or software conflict, they can disrupt your computer’s normal functioning, sometimes making the Dock disappear. The quickest way to get rid of such apps is by using MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller. It helps quickly remove faulty apps and their leftovers, preventing system issues.

Here’s how to uninstall faulty apps on your Mac using MacKeeper:

1. Download and install MacKeeper on your Mac.
2. Open MacKeeper and click Smart Uninstaller in the left sidebar.

3. Click Start Scan.

4. This will scan your Mac and show you a list of apps. Find and select the unused or conflicting apps and tap Remove Selected.

5. Click Remove again to confirm the deletion.

6. This will delete the selected apps and display a Removal Completed message on your screen. Click Rescan to repeat the process.

Bring Back macOS Dock Disappeared

If your Dock disappeared on Mac, it can be an inconvenient experience. Here are some tips to keep your Mac running smoothly to prevent similar issues in the future:

• Update your apps on Mac regularly to fix known bugs or system glitches.
• Monitor your Mac CPU, GPU, and RAM usage to identify resource-intensive or suspicious background programs.
• Kill background processes on your Mac to make sure no suspicious programs consume system resources.

Frequently Asked Questions