Mac Dock Keeps Disappearing? Check Auto-Hide and Display Settings
Find out why the Dock is hidden, check the auto-hide and full-screen behavior, and troubleshoot multi-display setups safely.
When the Mac Dock disappears, the most common first check is Automatically hide and show the Dock. If that setting is on, move the pointer to the edge where the Dock is positioned. In a full-screen app, the Dock also hides until you move the pointer to its location.
Check the auto-hide setting
- Open Apple menu > System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
- Under Dock, turn off Automatically hide and show the Dock temporarily.
- Check whether the Dock stays visible. If it does, turn auto-hide back on and use the screen edge to reveal it.
If you use more than one display
Check which display is the main display and whether Displays have separate Spaces is enabled under Mission Control in Desktop & Dock settings. With separate Spaces on, Apple says the Dock is available on all displays; with it off, the Dock is available only on the main display. Seehow to make the Dock available across displays.
Still missing?
Restart the Mac and check the same setting again. If the Dock remains unavailable, note your macOS version, display arrangement, and whether the problem occurs only in full-screen apps before contacting Apple Support. Avoid deleting Dock preference files or running reset commands from unverified advice; those can remove custom Dock settings without explaining the cause.
Apple documents the auto-hide control in Desktop & Dock settings and how the Dock appears in full screen in its full-screen app guide. You can also review the Dock position and visibility settings.