MacBook Air M5 Dock freezes and magnification fails with Downloads.

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Level 1

91 points

MacBook Air M5 Dock freezes and magnification fails with Downloads.

I am using two MacBook Airs, an M1 and an M5. They are both running Mac OS 27.0.1, but the Dock, configured in the same way in the Settings, behaves differently.

On the M5, when I click on the "Downloads" icon in the Dock (configured as "Display as Folder" and "View content as Automatic"), the content of the folder is display, but the Dock "freezes" graphically. If I move the mouse over the other icons the "Magnification" animation is not played.

While the content of Downloads is still on the screen, if I move the mouse elsewhere and click, the Dock magnifies the icon in correspondance with the position of the mouse. The only way to unfreeze the mouse is to go back over the Dock.

In the attached screenshot you can see the text cursor while I am typing this post and the way the dock is displayed. On the M1 MBA, the Dock does not "freeze" while displaying the content of the Downloads folder. It reacts to the mouse hovering the other icons and "retracts" if I press ESC or click elsewhere.

Does it happen to you too? Is there a solution? It is quite annoying.

[Edited by Moderator]

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 27.0

Posted on Sep 28, 2026 4:16 PM

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Answer 1

LordThistle Author

Level 1

91 points

Sep 28, 2026 4:56 PM in response to LordThistle

The MBA M5 is new (three days). I have installed basically nothing on it - one text editor, one terminal.

I have rebooted several times, disabled magnification, etc.

This bug was present with Mac os 27.0 and persisted after I upgraded to 27.0.1.

I have already reported the bug.

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Answer 2

Top-ranking reply

neuroanatomist

Level 9

70,195 points

Sep 28, 2026 4:43 PM in response to LordThistle

Have you rebooted your Mac? If not, that's the first step. If that does not help, then see if the problem is present when you boot in safe mode. That process performs some system cleanup and clears caches, and also disables 3rd party extensions that may cause problems.

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

If that does not correct the issue, test in a new user account. A newly-created user account will have all settings at default, and if the issue does not occur in that new account then it provides guidance on what may need to be changed to correct the issue.

Add a user or group on Mac - Apple Support

Once the testing is complete, the new account can easily be deleted.

Delete a user or group on Mac – Apple Support

Those steps will help to isolate the problem.

It might help to download and run EtreCheck, written by a long-time forum member. The free version is fine. Post the full report using the Additional Text button. No personal information is revealed.

Personally, I cannot replicate the issue you describe on my 16" M4 Pro MacBook Pro running macOS 27.0.1. My normal settings match yours (display as folder, view content Automatic), and mousing over and/or clicking on the Dock is normal with no freezes or unusual behavior. That suggests a conflicting 3rd party extension or a corrupt preference file, the above steps will help sort that out.

EDIT: In fact, I can replicate it. Perhaps I misunderstood the steps the first time through. To be clear:

Click on the Downloads folder
Move the cursor off the folder, the expected behavior is that the Open in Finder option remains but the Dock magnification goes away.
Click on something, and the Open in Finder also disappears.

That's what happens on macOS Tahoe 26.7.1.

Cursor moved:

Folder clicked:

However, in macOS 27.0.1, the Dock magnification does not disappear.

Cursor moved:

Folder clicked:

Even with Dock magnification off, the "Trash" label remains and it should not. It's like the cursor is not fully 'leaving' the Dock

You can certainly try the steps above (I have not), but this appears to be a bug. Bugs can be reported to Apple here:

Feedback - macOS - Apple

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