Modern versions of macOS feature a divided Dock. By default, the left side of the Dock contains the applications you have permanently pinned, while a small, segregated section on the far right displays up to three of your most recently used applications that are not pinned. Apple designed this to make it easy to quickly switch back to an app you just closed.
However, if you are a meticulous user who relies on muscle memory to click your pinned icons, this dynamic “Recent Applications” section can be incredibly annoying. It constantly resizes the Dock and shifts your permanent icons left and right as new recent apps appear and disappear throughout the day. It also creates a cluttered aesthetic if you prefer a minimalist workspace. If you want a static, predictable Dock that only shows exactly what you tell it to show, you should disable this feature.
Disabling the Recent Applications Section
You can turn off this dynamic section directly from the main macOS system settings, without needing to use terminal commands.
- Click the Apple Logo in the absolute top-left corner of your Mac’s screen.
- Select System Settings… from the dropdown menu (or “System Preferences” if you are running an older version of macOS).
- Scroll down the left-hand sidebar and click on Desktop & Dock.
- In the main panel, look under the “Dock” section at the top.
- Scroll down through the Dock options until you find a toggle switch labelled Show recent applications in Dock.
- Click the switch to turn it Off.
The change is instantaneous. The divider line on the right side of your Dock will vanish, and the three most recently used applications will disappear, shrinking your Dock down to only your permanently pinned items (and the Trash bin). Your Dock will now remain completely static and predictable, never changing size or shifting icons on its own.