Safari does not bring back minimized window from the dock

Hi, tmatsoukas,

Thanks for stopping by the Apple Support Communities. It looks like you are having trouble accessing minimized windows in Safari and occasionally in Mail as well. We're happy to help!

To get started with troubleshooting, quit both Safari and Mail: Quit apps on Mac - Apple Support. Then, restart your Mac: Log out, sleep, restart, and shut down Mac - Apple Support. Once your Mac is back on, open each app again, while holding shift. Test to see if the issue continues.

Should the issue continue after this, please start the computer in safe mode and test for the issue there, using the steps in How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support.

If you are still experiencing trouble with the minimized windows, don't hesitate to respond back.

Cheers!

Thanks so much for following up, tmatsoukas,

Since the issue occurs with other apps and persists, we would recommend next creating a back up of your Mac: Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support, then reinstalling the macOS software: How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support.

Should you continue to have trouble after that, please get in touch with Apple Support directly. You can do that here: Get Support.

Have a great day.

tmatsoukas wrote:

• This happens frequently for me on Safari (but I have also seen in it in mail.app): I minimize a window and send it to the dock but then safari cannot access it.

The spot on the dock looks empty

• Rolling the mouse over the spot shows the name of the window but the window does not respond to clicks

• Under Window on the menu bar I can see the minimized window but cannot bring it back to life

It is especially frustrating when this is a web form because I cannot go back to continue to edit it.

I don't know what triggers this behavior but today it happened to me at least twice.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/69c296d7-c855-4193-90ac-03b48fe3711a

You got some bigger issue here, or a bug in Big Sur I have seen before. Third party modifications I would assume could cause the issue if no insight.

You can file a bug report here—Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback

That right side of the Dock is not where things go by default.

Do you have the Safari icon in your Dock where you would expect. amongst the apps..(?) If not fix it there, either drag the icon from the Applications folder or Control click>options>Keep in Dock

Control click the Dock icon you see the minimized.

Full screen mode/Tabs and Mission Control really eliminates any need for minimized

Use Mission Control on your Mac - Apple Support