Possible in MacOS to single-click application-icon (in dock) creates new window (doesn't open minimized windows)?

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Level 1

8 points

Possible in MacOS to single-click application-icon (in dock) creates new window (doesn't open minimized windows)?

I consistently have many Chrome windows minimized in my dock (typically one Chrome window per desktop window). I often want to quickly create a new Chrome-window by clicking the Chrome icon in my dock. This, of course, instead opens the last previous Chrome window that I was using. If I wanted to use that particular window then I would have navigated to it. Is there a way to make it where each time I click the Chrome icon in the dock it creates a new window instead of shoving me to the last previous window I used?

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013), macOS High Sierra (10.13.6)

Posted on Sep 24, 2018 3:16 PM

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Answer 1

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,210 points

Sep 24, 2018 5:14 PM in response to amurp18

Are you sure?

Yes, he is.

Here is an excerpt from the Human Interface Guidelines section about the Dock. Notice how the phrasing describes how the developer should make their Dock icons work, not how macOS makes them work.

Activate a window when the user clicks your app’s icon in the Dock. If your app is already running with open windows, activate the front open window or the last minimized window. If your app isn’t already running or is running without any open windows, open your main window or a new document window.

These are guidelines, not requirements, but Apple suggests developers follow them so that all Apps work similarly and users are not surprised by non-standard behavior.

If you don't like the behavior of the Chrome Dock Icon, ask Goolag to fix it.

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Answer 2

amurp18 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 24, 2018 4:37 PM in response to BobTheFisherman

Yes, I believe you are right; that is currently as close as I'll get with Mac. It requires a right-click then click on "new window".

Notice how, on your Windows computer, if you double-click the Chrome shortcut icon that is on your desktop (not within the taskbar) it opens a blank new window, and if you double click that shortcut icon again it does not open any minimized chrome windows you have, instead it opens a brand new blank window, and you can continue to double click that shortcut icon on the desktop and it will always open a new blank window. This is what I am looking for on Mac. I'll send them feedback about this. Thanks for talking it out.

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Answer 3

dialabrain

Level 10

136,103 points

Sep 24, 2018 3:55 PM in response to amurp18

I'm sure if you wanted Chrome to do it you would have to talk to Google. If you want Safari to do it I would have suggested you send feedback to Apple. Feedback - macOS - Apple

What you want is not a feature of macOS and the Dock.

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Answer 4

Sep 24, 2018 4:01 PM in response to amurp18

I think what you are asking is not possible or logical. The icon is the last open window in the browser not the browser itself. If you want the browser to open with a blank window you would have to open the browser at a blank window then minimize that window to the dock. Clicking on this icon will then open the browser with a blank window. Hopefully I understood what you are wanting.

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Answer 5

Sep 24, 2018 4:29 PM in response to amurp18

I am at this minute using Windows and Chrome and right clicking a Chrome icon on the task bar brings up a menu that includes "New window." And I have Chrome configured to open with a blank window so the effect is the same as you are asking for. Double clicking the Chrome icon only opens the same window I was last viewing.

I admit I have not tried this in Safari nor with Chrome on my MacBook Pro.

So I just tried this on my Mac with FireFox and here is what I observed. I opened a site in FireFox then minimized Firefox to the dock. Right clicking the dock icon brings up a menu containing "New Private Window". Clicking on this menu item opens a blank FireFox window. This may be as close to what you want as you can get.

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Answer 6

Sep 24, 2018 4:45 PM in response to amurp18

Now I understand. The double click starts a new instance of the browser.

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Answer 7

amurp18 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 24, 2018 3:47 PM in response to dialabrain

Are you sure? It seems like the request my single-click is making is toward the Mac software since I'm not yet inside the chrome application when I click. However, the Chrome scenario is just an example. The same scenario and question could be made about Safari acting in the same exact way. Do you know if Safari is able to act as I'm requesting Chrome to act? (e.g. I have many minimized Safari windows, but I want a new window; so I click the safari icon in the dock, and it of course instead opens up the last minimized safari window I was using)

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Answer 8

amurp18 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 24, 2018 4:08 PM in response to BobTheFisherman

Yes, I think you are close to understanding my situation. Simply every time I click the Chrome icon (or Safari, or Pages, or any icon that has the ability for multiple windows) I'd like it to open a default new window; not open a previous window I have minimized. It's a very similar feature to how Microsoft icons have always worked on their desktop. On Microsoft WindowsOS I can double click the Chrome icon (or Explorer icon, or Firefox icon etc.) as many times as I want and it keeps creating blank new windows for each double-click.

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