Dock gets stuck

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Level 1

88 points

Dock gets stuck

Posting here because I'm not sure where to post bugs.

The dock keeps getting stuck and has been doing so in the last handful of Big Sur updates. What I mean is that I use the keyboard command Option+Command+D to hide and show the dock when I need to access it, and when I begin to get a bunch of applications open, a point will come where the keyboard shortcut no longer works. It seems to be once I get Cinema 4D and a few Adobe apps open alongside a couple of browsers and mail, like Safari, Mac Mail and Firefox etc. Closing a few applications will make the keyboard shortcut for the dock work again. This has been really frustrating me for the last few months.

Posted on Oct 9, 2021 7:31 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 9, 2021 8:35 AM in response to benekk

When the problem happens, does the Dock still unhide by moving the cursor there? (Assuming it is hidden at the time)

I know about this shortcut but I find it of little use. You know you can keep the Dock hidden and it will just pop up by moving the cursor there, no need to keep hiding and unhiding.

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Answer 2

Oct 9, 2021 10:41 AM in response to benekk

I don't know why this happens, sorry.

I hardly ever touch the Dock, and I keep it always hidden, so if this is a general bug I would not be the most likely fellow to bump into it. The Dock might cease to work and I would not even notice it.

Normally, I would have suggested to do

killall Dock

in the Terminal, and I am sure that would solve the issue when it arises (though not the cause, obviously).

What puzzles me is why, after being stuck, it seems to revive. That I can't explain. I don't think the number of open applications is relevant. Maybe there is one specific application causing it?

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Answer 3

benekk Author

Level 1

88 points

Oct 9, 2021 8:52 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Yes, the dock will still pop up when hovering the cursor at the bottom of the screen, but personally I don't really use this method to show/hide the dock because it has a delayed response and I find it a bit clumsy, doesn't feel nice with the Wacom pen – plus it doesn't keep the dock open. I prefer to just show/hide the dock so that I can drag files onto apps and just see what I'm doing really…

I can't imagine too many users would ever come across this bug as it does seem to be specific to having lots of apps open and also using the keyboard shortcut hide/show the dock. I imagine most users use the 'drag cursor to the bottom of the screen' method. I currently have 17 apps open whilst I write this – this never used to happen before, but now it just seems that once I get my usual programs open for a day's work, the dock no longer works. Annoying!

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Answer 4

benekk Author

Level 1

88 points

Oct 9, 2021 11:46 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Yeah, I thought that it might be one specific app, but so far I've noticed it reviving itself after closing different apps – who knows.

I've tried in the past to do away with the dock, but no matter what, I keep finding myself reaching for Alt+Cmd+D !

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Dock gets stuck

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