Stop Dock Auto-Hide in macOS | Generated by AI
Question: How to make the macOS Dock not hide automatically in the latest version?
Answer:
In the latest macOS version (macOS Tahoe 26.x as of February 2026), follow these steps to stop the Dock from automatically hiding and keep it always visible:
- Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of your screen.
- Select System Settings (or System Preferences in much older versions).
- In the sidebar, scroll down if needed and click Desktop & Dock.
- Look for the option labeled Automatically hide and show the Dock (it may appear as a checkbox or toggle switch).
- Turn it OFF / uncheck the box.
The Dock will now stay visible permanently at the bottom (or side) of your screen.
Quick alternative method using keyboard shortcut (if enabled):
- Press Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + D
This toggles the auto-hide setting instantly. If it turns off auto-hide, you’re done.
If the setting keeps re-enabling itself:
- Go to System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts (or search for “shortcuts” in System Settings).
- Look for Turn Dock hiding on/off (usually under Mission Control or App Shortcuts).
- Uncheck or disable that shortcut to prevent accidental toggling (common cause of the issue coming back).
If the option is grayed out or doesn’t work properly:
This occasionally happens in certain betas or configurations (e.g., with Stage Manager or specific window tiling settings). Try:
- Turning Stage Manager off temporarily (System Settings → Desktop & Dock → Stage Manager)
- Restarting your Mac
- As a last resort, reset Dock preferences in Terminal:
defaults delete com.apple.dock && killall Dock(This resets many Dock settings to default — you can then turn auto-hide off again.)
These steps work consistently in macOS Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia, and Tahoe.
References:
- Change Desktop & Dock settings on Mac - Apple Support
- Apple Support Communities - Dock keeps auto-hiding on macOS Tahoe
- Apple Stack Exchange - Why does my dock’s “Automatically Hide” keep getting re-enabled?