OSX Quick Tip: Enable Transparent Dock Effect for Hidden Apps


quicktip.jpgOk, here’s a cool Dock trick or hack (whatever you want to call it) that is also incredibly useful if you keep lots of applications open.

When you activate this feature any application that you have hidden will become transparent in the Dock, making it clear which applications you have hidden, and which ones you still have open.

Here’s what you need to do.

Open the Terminal

To enable this feature copy and paste the following into the Terminal window:

defaults write com.apple.Dock showhidden -bool YES

Then reload the Dock by typing in the following:

killall Dock

The Dock should reload and the effect should be active.

If you want to turn this feature off later, you can do so by opening the Terminal and typing in:

defaults write com.apple.Dock showhidden -bool NO

Then relaunch the Dock again.

Tip thanks to OS X Daily.



Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a stalwart in the tech journalism community, has been chronicling the ever-evolving world of Apple products and innovations for over a decade. As a Senior Author at Apple Gazette, Kokou combines a deep passion for technology with an innate ability to translate complex tech jargon into relatable insights for everyday users.

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  1. When I re load my Imac Dock will I relaoad the @ sign on a spring Icon. It was at the bottom right of the dock. It took me to the Mac OS X website. I deleted it and would like to restore it to the dock..