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
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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?