Mac

How to hide the Dock automatically on a Mac

Photo of Abu Bakar Saadat

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Published 4 October 2026 · Checked 4 October 2026

Device: MacBook Pro · Software: macOS Tahoe 26

Publisher: Saadat Rafiq

2 min read3 steps

26macOS 26
Screenshot from the guide: How to hide the Dock automatically on a Mac

You are viewing the macOS 26 version of this guide, recorded on macOS Tahoe 26 (MacBook Pro) on 4 October 2026. It is kept as it was and not updated. See the macOS 27 version.

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-hide-the-dock-automatically-on-a-mac/ · Checked 4 October 2026 · MacBook Pro · macOS Tahoe 26

In this guide
  1. Open System Settings
  2. Click Desktop & Dock in the sidebar
  3. Switch on Automatically hide and show the Dock
  4. Good to know
  5. Sources
Quick answer

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.

3 of 3 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device
Mac
Shown on
macOS Tahoe 26 (MacBook Pro)
App
System Settings
Real screenshots
3 of 3 steps
Checked
4 October 2026
Sources
1 official, linked below

Step by step

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Steps
Also include
  1. Mac screenshot: Open System Settings
    Tap the picture to see it full size

    Open System Settings

    Click the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen and choose System Settings.

  2. Mac screenshot: Click Desktop & Dock in the sidebar
    Tap the picture to see it full size

    Click Desktop & Dock in the sidebar

    It is below Appearance. You may need to scroll down in the sidebar.

  3. Mac screenshot: Switch on Automatically hide and show the Dock
    Tap the picture to see it full size

    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.

What we saw on our device

  • Click Desktop & Dock in the sidebar: On our MacBook Neo it was visible without scrolling.
  • Switch on Automatically hide and show the Dock: On our MacBook Neo it was off, so click the switch to turn it on.

About this guide

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.

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.

Sources

Links checked in October 2026. Menus and features can change after software updates. These steps match the version named at the top.

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