Dock bar showing recent apps

Question

Level 1

5 points

Dock bar showing recent apps

MacBook Pro 13 with M1 chip, Big Sur 11.2.3

In Settings, Dock & Menu Bar, I have the "Show recent applications in Dock" unchecked, but it still shows a LOT of recent apps. In my Dock, I have the apps I have open or pinned to the Dock, then my Downloads and Application folder, then over 30 recent apps, followed by the trash. It really clutters my dock and I'd really like to get rid of all the recent apps. Apple support was very nice, they couldn't find any issues so they asked me to upgrade from 11.2.1 to 11.2.3 but that didn't resolve it.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.2

Posted on Mar 29, 2021 3:30 AM

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Answer 1

dominic23

Level 10

84,018 points

Mar 29, 2021 5:37 AM in response to BillKunneke

They have finder icon attached to it.

Quit all applications.

Force Quit Finder.

Click on Desktop.

Press command +option +esc keys together.

Force Quit window will appear.

Finder will be shown highlighted.

Click the "Relaunch" button.

Does it help?

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Answer 2

Owl-53

Level 10

102,187 points

Mar 29, 2021 4:19 AM in response to BillKunneke

On the Dock Icon of unwanted Apps Right Click and a Pop up Menu appears - Click to not show in dock. I realize it is configured not to show in dock as per Dock Preferences but sometimes it happens by error.

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Answer 3

BillKunneke Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 29, 2021 5:34 AM in response to BillKunneke

I feel like an idiot. It was a massive pile of finder windows and previews. Thanks for all who looked and responded.

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Answer 4

BillKunneke Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 29, 2021 5:05 AM in response to Owl-53

The only option when I right click is to open. I think you are thinking of the Apps on the left side of the Dock, these are the Recent Apps that show up on the right side, right of the Application folder. On the right, I can right click and choose to show/not show in the Dock.

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Answer 5

BillKunneke Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 29, 2021 5:14 AM in response to BillKunneke

To be clear, this is my Dock:

The section on the right is what I'm trying to eliminate, it takes up a large portion of my dock.

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Answer 6

Owl-53

Level 10

102,187 points

Mar 29, 2021 5:17 AM in response to BillKunneke

" Recent " looks like alias for documents pinned to Dock, to me. Just Drag them out of the Dock

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Answer 7

BillKunneke Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 29, 2021 5:20 AM in response to Owl-53

I can't drag them out and I didn't pin them to the Dock. I literally have no control over these things appearing and can't get rid of them. Been using MacBooks for about 10 years, this is a new.

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