How to permanently remove unwanted, persisting icons from dock?

Give this a try: boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and test to see if the problem persists. Reboot normally and test again.

NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 3 - 5 minutes as it's doing the following; 

• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed

• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)

• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically

• Disables user-installed fonts 

• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files

Go System Preferences >> Docks >> General tab and near bottom, par phrase from Memory, something about " Keep in Dock Recently opened Applications" and uncheck the box

Even after reading through that, I am still not entirely sure what it is, or does. That posting is under OSX Server. Branching off to some other info, it does suggest something to the effect of syncing user profiles with a server. If that is the case, then it is possible that explains your icons continuing to come back.

You delete them, but then a sync with your user profile settings somewhere else restores them? Make any sense to you? Have you ever, or do you now, have something like that enabled? I am just making wild guesses, but chasing down why the "MCXMenuExtraTool" is enabled on your system, and what it does, would be next on my list of troubleshooting.

ok. well since this is a managed device, you may want to reach out to the company's IT person. i doubt they would install some "eye candy" to change the dock. but maybe they have something running in the background that could be inadvertently causing this issue.

So, an issue that predates Monterey then. Still talking out my behind on this one, but the October 17, 2021 date may well be correct for Version 14.0 of "MCXMenuExtraTool". It could be that earlier versions have been on your system, causing the problem, for "a year at least".

Unless you know what that app is, why it is running, and know you need it, I would take it out of the applications that run at startup. If it is a mission critical app, that you must have, then I would dig in to find out where the profile is that it insists upon applying to your system, overriding your local settings. Unless you can turn that off, or change the profile at its source, you are chasing your tail with the deleted icons continually coming back to life, it seems.

"Go System Preferences >> Docks >> General tab and near bottom, par phrase from Memory, something about " Keep in Dock Recently opened Applications" and uncheck the box"

I considered that as well. However, in his screenshots, the persistent icons are not located in the Recently Opened Applications area of the dock. That would be to the right of the divider, where Messenger is. Yes?

Judging from the very Modified Dock , which was performed by some Third Party Application that pre-dates the upgrade to Monterey - it has carried through to Monterey.

Modifying the OS via Third Party Application is a risky business and unintended consequence may follow.

Hi j____t____,

In your example screenshots, the 3rd example shows the "Remove from Dock" option. Typically, clicking on it is all that is required to accomplish what you are wanting. Once done, why yours would keep returning after reboot is an interesting issue.

Looking at your last screenshot, what is the MCXMenuExtraTool you have launching? Just a shot in the dark thinking of what might be causing your issue.

i see that it's news, podcasts and TV that keep reappearing on your dock.

i haven't seen anyone suggest this. and i can't guarantee it will work. but it's how i permanently removed my excess dock icons. after startup, just try and drag each of them off the dock and over on an empty part of the desktop, then drop them there when the word "remove" pops up over top of the icon. do they then reappear after startup?

your reply has me a little puzzled.

P. Phillips wrote:

Judging from the very Modified Dock

i don't see modifications on their dock. what am i not seeing?

which was performed by some Third Party Application

i modified my dock without using any third party software and have no issue with removed icons reappearing.

Modifying the OS via Third Party Application is a risky business and unintended consequence may follow.

i would strongly agree with that statement. :)

you're welcome. but i need to ask, is P. Phillips correct? did you modify your dock using some third party app?