The macOS Dock is an iconic piece of Apple design, giving you instant access to your favorite applications, running software, and the Trash bin. However, on smaller devices like a 13-inch MacBook Air, the Dock consumes a massive amount of incredibly valuable vertical screen real estate. If you need every available pixel for your massive Excel spreadsheets or complex video editing timelines, you can instruct macOS to automatically hide the Dock when you are not actively using it.
How Auto-Hide Works
When the auto-hide feature is enabled, the Dock completely vanishes, sliding off the bottom edge of your screen and instantly giving you back an extra inch of vertical space. It only reappears when you physically drag your mouse cursor to the very bottom edge of the display, summoning the Dock upward on demand.
How to Enable Auto-Hide via System Settings
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your menu bar.
- Select System Settings… from the dropdown menu.
- In the left sidebar, scroll down and click on Desktop & Dock.
- At the very top of the right-hand panel, locate the toggle switch labeled Automatically hide and show the Dock.
- Click the switch to turn it on.
The moment you click the switch, the Dock will immediately slide off the screen. To test it, simply slam your mouse cursor to the absolute bottom of your display, and the Dock will smoothly animate back into view.
The Instant Keyboard Shortcut
If you prefer to toggle the Dock on and off rapidly depending on the specific app you are using, diving into the System Settings menu every time is tedious. Fortunately, macOS includes a hidden, system-wide keyboard shortcut to instantly trigger the auto-hide command.
Simply press Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + D simultaneously.
The Dock will instantly vanish. Press the exact same three keys again, and the Dock will instantly lock back into its permanent, visible position. This allows you to instantly maximize your screen space without ever touching your mouse.