The Elusive Launcher
The Ubuntu desktop features a prominent Dock (often positioned on the left side of the screen) that provides quick access to your favorite applications and shows which programs are currently running. Depending on your installation choices or if you are using a smaller screen, Ubuntu might be configured to automatically hide the Dock when a window touches it or when the mouse is moved away. While this auto-hide feature maximizes your available screen real estate for your active applications, it can be frustrating if you rely on seeing the Dock at a glance to check for notification badges or if the slide-out animation feels too slow for your workflow.
Pinning the Dock Permanently
To ensure your application shortcuts are always visible and stop Ubuntu from automatically hiding the Dock when you are working, you must disable the auto-hide behavior in the appearance settings.
Click on the system menu in the very top-right corner of the screen (where the network and power icons are) and select Settings from the drop-down menu. In the left-hand navigation sidebar of the Settings window, click on Appearance (or Ubuntu Desktop in newer versions like 22.04+). Scroll down until you find the section dedicated to the “Dock.” Look for the toggle switch labelled Auto-hide the Dock. If the switch is colored (usually orange or green), the feature is active. Click the toggle to turn it Off. The Dock will immediately slide out and lock into place permanently, regardless of how large your application windows become.