Getting started

macOS Dock, custom Dock, or both?

Choose the right Dockset setup and use apps and widgets together without duplicating everything.

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Pick a setup

You do not have to replace the Dock you already know. Dockset can manage your macOS Dock, show its own custom Dock, or use both together.

Setup	Choose it when…
macOS Dock only	You want named app layouts and Apple’s familiar Dock behavior.
Both	You like Apple’s Dock and want a separate place for widgets or project tools.
Custom Dock + auto-hide macOS Dock	You want apps, widgets, folders, and links in your main Dock.

Change this in Settings → Dock setup. Your saved profiles remain available when you change setups.

Use macOS Dock only for familiar app layouts

Save a profile for work and another for personal use, then switch from the menu bar, with a keyboard shortcut, or automatically with a Focus mode. Apple’s Dock still handles its normal app interactions.

Choose this if you mainly want a different row of pinned apps for each activity. Dockset widgets belong to custom Docks; they are not inserted into Apple’s Dock. Learn about saved macOS Dock layouts.

Two saved macOS Dock layouts: Work keeps Slack, Zed, Linear, and Xcode together; Personal keeps Messages, Music, Obsidian, and Discord together.

Menu bar: open Dockset and choose a saved macOS Dock profile.
Keyboard shortcut: assign a shortcut to each profile in Settings → Shortcuts.
Focus mode: connect a profile to a Focus to switch automatically when that Focus turns on.

Use Both to add a widget companion

Keep everyday apps in Apple’s Dock and use the custom Dock for a Focus Timer, Calendar, and a project folder. This lets you try widgets without moving all your apps.

Select Both in Dock setup.
Choose a profile for the macOS Dock. Select No profile to leave its current layout as it is.
Choose a separate profile under Custom Dock.
Put the custom Dock on another edge or display, or enable auto-hide if space is tight.

The selections are independent. A Work custom profile can sit beside an Everyday macOS profile; their names do not need to match.

Both: a custom Dock for Focus Timer and Calendar, with everyday apps in the macOS Dock. The custom Dock sits on the left; the macOS Dock stays at the bottom.

Use a custom Dock as your main workspace

Choose Custom Dock + auto-hide macOS Dock when you want apps and widgets in one place. Combine an editor, browser, project folder, and Focus Timer for work, then switch to music and personal apps afterward.

This auto-hides Apple’s Dock while Dockset runs. It does not remove or disable it: Apple’s Dock can still appear when you reach its screen edge.

A custom Dock with Zed, Safari, a project folder, and Focus Timer in one place.

Build a custom Dock step by step.

Keep each Dock useful

Avoid duplicates. If an app is easy to reach in Apple’s Dock, use the custom Dock for a widget or project shortcut instead.
Separate their edges. A bottom macOS Dock and a right-side custom Dock make their roles easy to recognize.
Check running apps. An app can appear because it is open, even if it is not pinned. The custom Dock’s Show running apps setting controls this.
Choose the right profile. The menu bar lists macOS and Custom Dock profiles in separate sections.

New to Dockset? Start with installation and your first profile.