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Set Dock to a specific monitor

[MacBook Pro 14" (M1 Max) MaxOS Monterey 12.3.1]


Hi Apple Community…I have a question about placing the dock explicitly on an external monitor.

I have 3 external monitors connected to my MacBookPro. Two either side and one above the laptop (see image below).

The issue is if I set the preferences for the Dock at the “Bottom” it goes onto the laptop screen (and is very small) - but I want the dock on the monitor right above the laptop (currently set as the Main Display)….is this possible?


MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 12.3

Posted on Apr 23, 2022 12:05 AM

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Posted on Apr 23, 2022 12:49 AM

if one place ones mouse curser in the bottom of one of ones connected monitor for a few sec the dock will move to that monitor

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7 replies

Apr 23, 2022 7:22 AM in response to Renato Iannella

Do you have System Preferences -> Mission Control -> [X] Displays have separate Spaces enabled?


You should be able to drag your mouse off the bottom edge of a screen where there is no monitor under it. It does not work if you drag off the bottom edge of a monitor that has another monitor directly under the cursor.


So in your picture, you need to drag your cursor off the bottom edge, of the upper center monitor, in that gap between bottom monitor and the left or right monitors to move the dock to the upper center monitor.


But the Dock is going to move to whatever monitor you drag the cursor off the bottom edge of a monitor into a void.


NOTE: I keep my dock on the left side of my 32" 4K monitor, and I'm with Luis in that I do not use my dock all that much throughout the day. Yes I use it, but it is just a few times a day, and I work from home on my Mac, so I'm spending 10-12 hours a day either working, or just surf'in the web and such.


Command-Tab is used a lot more than the dock. Or in my case I have my open windows arranged on my screens so that there is almost always a corner of an App's window visible on the screen, my windows are arranged is a specific pattern, so I know exactly where to click my mouse to bring up the app. I even use the utility "Moom" to reposition my windows to where I want them (there is also the utility Stay that does more or less the same thing).


Moom and Stay are also useful when you add or remove monitors because you disconnect your laptop and take it somewhere in that you can have profiles for different monitor setups and Moom or Stay can place and size your windows according to the current monitor setup as you change locations.

Apr 23, 2022 5:48 AM in response to Renato Iannella

It seems od to have what would amount to the Dock in the middle of your overall screen… I am not sure if it can be done, but I can’t help but ask why… it makes it much harder to hit, since your cursor would no longer “bump” into an edge and stay there.


The Dock is something that imho does not need to be visible all the time. Did you consider putting it on one side and hiding it? I know this is not what you were asking but I do think it is better to have out of the and yet easily accessible if needed. In your setup this would be best achieved on the side.

Apr 23, 2022 6:53 AM in response to Renato Iannella

I have to ask: why is the Dock so important? I work all day long and never touch - or even see - the Dock. I have it hidden and even augmented the delay before it shows, so it does not pop up accidentally if I move the cursor to the edge. I literally do not see it.


Just a few suggestions: command-tab to switch to another application; command-` to switch windows in the same application. I do not even use the Dock to launch applications; command-space and type Sa for Safari, etc.


Not what you were asking for, I know, but perhaps my pet project to deemphasize the role of the Dock...

Set Dock to a specific monitor

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