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I don't want the dock that is at the bottom of the screen. I don't want to hide it but completely remove it. How can this be done? If not possible, why not?

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    What? Remove the dock?!?! Why would you want to do something like that? That's like disabling the taskbar on Windows! Aug 4, 2009 at 23:56
  • @musicfreak - It's not perfect and scales horribly. asktog.com/columns/044top10docksucks.html this question sorely needs some cleaning up.
    – Chealion
    Aug 5, 2009 at 0:08
  • @musicfreak, hence why I use Emerge Desktop on windows; the taskbar is totally useless to me.
    – Phoshi
    Sep 1, 2009 at 18:45
  • My comment was actually made tongue-in-cheek. ;) Sep 1, 2009 at 18:58

7 Answers 7

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Your best bet is to leave it there so you won't mess with other services but shrink it to super small size using the following terminal command:

defaults write com.apple.dock tilesize -int 1

see below for example .. that's wicked small.

alt text

then pin it to one side with the following terminal command:

defaults write com.apple.dock pinning -string start

then hide it. It should be totally out of the way at that point unless you mouse all the way over in the extreme bottom left hand corner.

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You can remove Dock.app, change its permissions, or disable the launchd plist that opens it:

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.Dock.plist

To revert the changes, replace unload with load or remove the entry in /var/db/launchd.db/com.apple.launchd/overrides.plist manually.

It also disables Mission Control, full screen windows, the Notification Center sidebar, the application switcher, Launchpad, Dashboard, and it makes desktop backgrounds gray.

This would increase the delay before the Dock is shown to 2 seconds:

defaults write com.apple.Dock autohide-delay -float 2; killall Dock
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There is a program called: Dock Disabler (Source)

The Dock isn't perfect but disabling the Dock entirely will break certain features (eg. Expose in Tiger and Panther)

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  • is it safe? if i install your source to mac, it wont make affect ot os. Because it's nt my mac. i am on job. Aug 5, 2009 at 0:12
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    If its not your system, you shouldn't be making changes to core services or installing software that modifies the OS. The vast majority of companies really don't like that. Aug 5, 2009 at 12:36
  • Disabling the Dock also disables cycling through apps via command-tab. It did for me anyway.
    – Kent
    Mar 11, 2011 at 17:51
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As you mentioned in a comment, you just want a full screen app. In that case, see this answer to do that.

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What do you mean by "my application"? If it's a third-party application with a full screen mode, file a bug report with the developer. If you're developing your own application, use CGDisplayCapture. If you're trying to maximise everything, try using your Mac like Apple wants you to. It sounds obnoxious, but it'll be easier for you in the long run.

If, however, you really do want to bend the OS X UI to breaking point (not that far, admittedly), follow Bryan's advice. Better still, stick it in an AppleScript, along with code to reverse it, and stick it in the Script menu. Then just select that item to switch between normal and hidden-away-really-small-in-the-bottom-left mode. And don't forget to ask the developer for a full-screen mode!

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To the best of my knowledge, you cannot disable the dock. Even quitting the dock process results in it auto-magically restarting.

You cannot disable the dock because it is an integral part of OS X.

Why do you want to remove it? What benefit do you believe you'll get from removing it?

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  • i want my application in full screen. there should a button at the bottom to on/off dock. Aug 5, 2009 at 0:01
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Theoretically anything is possible I suppose, the Dock application is in /System/Library/CoreServices so for starters you could pull it out of there I suppose.

But I don't think Finder will like that, and you also will lose the Expose feature, and maybe Dashboard too. I can't imagine why disabling/removing it would be preferable to simply hiding it.

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  • hiding - it re-appear when i dont require. so i need to close it. I want full screen for my apps. Aug 5, 2009 at 0:02
  • Because your mousing up to the edge of the screen and it's sliding back on the screen? You could change the position and pin it to the top of the screen so its REALLY hidden Aug 5, 2009 at 0:10
  • Actually in 10.5 you can't pin it to the top of the screen anymore Aug 5, 2009 at 0:14
  • and i am using mac 10.5.7 Aug 5, 2009 at 0:19

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