How to hide the Dock automatically on a Mac
2 min read · 3 steps · Updated 4 October 2026
Open System Settings, click Desktop & Dock, and switch on Automatically hide and show the Dock. The Dock then hides when you are not using it. To show it, move the pointer to the edge of the screen where the Dock is located.
- Device
- Mac
- Shown on
- macOS Tahoe 26
- App
- System Settings
- Path
- System Settings › Desktop & Dock
- Real screenshots
- 3 of 3 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 1 official, linked below
On a small laptop screen the Dock takes a strip of space that windows could use. Hidden, it stays out of the way and slides in when the pointer reaches its edge.
The screenshots show System Settings on macOS Tahoe 26.
Step by step
Open System Settings
Click the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen and choose System Settings.
Click Desktop & Dock in the sidebar
It is below Appearance. You may need to scroll down in the sidebar.
Switch on Automatically hide and show the Dock
It is in the Dock group, below Minimize windows into application icon. In the picture it is off.
Good to know
A smaller Dock is another way to gain space: drag the Size slider at the top of the same page.
The Dock can also sit at the side: how to move the Dock to the side of the screen on a Mac.
In short: System Settings, Desktop & Dock, Automatically hide and show the Dock.
Links checked on 3 October 2026. Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.