Hiding icons from dock while keeping the application open...

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Level 1

29 points

Hiding icons from dock while keeping the application open...

I am wanting to keep the application "Stickies" open so I can have a homework list on my desktop, but I absolutely hate the dock icon as it looks out of place. Is there a way to remove the icon, but still keep the application open??

I found this, but this thread was from 2007 so not sure if it still works for OSX Mavericks... I tried it and couldn't get it to work.

"Open your Application.bundle with the Context Menu > Show Package. Then open the folder Contents. When you have an plist editor, open the document info.plist and make the entry LSUIElement, typ:Number(integer) and Value:1.

When you not have an plisteditor, open the file info.plist in an Texteditor and write these lines into:
<key>LSUIElement</key>
<integer>1</integer>

Save the changes and dublikate the Application. At the next start, the dockicon and the menubar should not appear."

So if someone knows of a way or could help me with the above method that would be greatly appreciated. 🙂

Thanks

MacBook Air, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), null

Posted on Jan 31, 2016 1:06 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

rw5373

Level 1

16 points

Feb 19, 2017 2:29 PM in response to - Corza -

This works in El Capitan:

1. quit the application you want to hide from the dock

2. Go to your applications folder and right control-click on the app you want to hide from the dock

3. Click on "Show contents"

4. Open the "Contents" folder

5. Open the file Info.plist with TextEdit (right click -> "Open with...")

6. At the bottom of this preference file are 2 lines which say:

</dict>

</plist>

7. Just before these two lines type the following:

<key>LSUIElement</key>

<true/>

8. Save and close the file

9. Re-open the app - the dock icon should no longer be visible

To reverse the change - repeat as above, but removing the 2 lines you added.

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Answer 2

Jan 31, 2016 6:44 AM in response to - Corza -

My advice to you is learn to live with that Stickies application icon appearance in your Dock. OS X applications are signed, and tampering within the application bundle can render an application inert. Then, you will have to re-install OS X to restore that original application. Do not believe that everything you read on the Internet is true, exhaustively researched, tested, or has no consequences.

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Answer 3

Lee Moon

Level 1

146 points

Feb 19, 2017 3:11 PM in response to - Corza -

I'm not sure if this works on an App icon or not, but I've done it over the years with folder icons.

As an alternative to hiding the Stickies app icon in the dock, you might want to change the icon to something more pleasing. A quick google search revealed some nice looking alternate icons. You can "get info" on the Stickies app and paste the new icon over the original. Not sure if changing an icon on an alias of the Stickies icon and launching the alias will result in the dock showing the new icon or not. That way you can keep the original Stickies info intact and play with the alias icon.

Just a thought.

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