How to Move the MacBook Dock to Another Side

This guide shows you how to relocate the Dock on your MacBook from its default position at the bottom of the screen to the left, right, or back to the bottom. Changing the Dock’s location can free up vertical screen space, especially on smaller MacBook displays, or simply match your personal workflow. No special tools or downloads are needed—everything is done through System Settings.

What You’ll Need

• A MacBook running macOS Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, or a later version (the steps are nearly identical across recent versions).
• Access to your user account with permission to change system settings (your standard login is fine).

Step-by-Step

1. Open System Settings. Click the Apple menu (the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen) and select System Settings. On older macOS versions (Catalina and earlier), this is called System Preferences.
2. Go to Desktop & Dock. In the sidebar of System Settings, click Desktop & Dock. This section controls both the wallpaper and the Dock settings.
3. Find the Dock section. Scroll down in the main pane until you see the Dock heading. It contains options like size, magnification, and position.
4. Locate the “Position on screen” setting. Look for a row labeled Position on screen with three small icons: a left-aligned rectangle, a bottom-aligned rectangle, and a right-aligned rectangle. These represent Left, Bottom, and Right.
5. Click your desired position. Click the icon for Left or Right to move the Dock to that side. The Dock will immediately slide to the new location—no restart is needed.
6. Move it back to the bottom (optional). If you prefer the classic bottom placement, return to the same setting and click the Bottom icon. The Dock will snap back.
7. Adjust for the new orientation (optional). After moving the Dock to the side, you may want to tweak the Size slider or enable Magnification so icons remain easy to see in the narrower vertical space.

Common Mistakes

• Clicking the wrong icon. The icons in the “Position on screen” setting are small; double-check that you clicked the one that matches the side you want. The selected icon will be highlighted.
• Looking in the wrong settings pane. Some users search for “Dock” in the search bar and end up in “App Exposé” or “Mission Control” settings. Make sure you are in Desktop & Dock.
• Expecting the Dock to auto-hide after moving. Moving the Dock does not enable auto-hide. If you want the Dock to disappear when not in use, you must also check the Automatically hide and show the Dock checkbox in the same settings area.
• Dragging the Dock manually. You cannot drag the Dock to a new side by grabbing it with your mouse. The only way to change its position is through the setting described above.

Tips

• Use keyboard shortcuts for quick access. After moving the Dock to the left or right, you can still use Control + F3 (or Fn + Control + F3 on some keyboards) to focus the Dock, then use arrow keys to navigate.
• Combine with auto-hide for maximum space. If screen real estate is your goal, move the Dock to the side and enable Automatically hide and show the Dock. The Dock will slide out when you move your cursor to that edge.
• Consider your dominant hand. If you are right-handed, the right side may be more natural; left-handed users often prefer the left. Test both for a day to see which feels better.
• Resize icons after moving. Side placement makes icons appear slightly smaller because the Dock is narrower. Use the Size slider to increase icon size if needed.
• Use the trackpad gesture to reveal the Dock. If you enable auto-hide, move your cursor to the side where the Dock is located and it will slide out. You can also use the hot corner (set in Mission Control settings) to trigger it.

Troubleshooting

The Dock didn’t move after clicking the icon. This is rare but can happen if the settings window lost focus. Click the icon again, or close System Settings and reopen it. If the problem persists, restart your Mac—this usually resets the Dock’s position.

The Dock moved but icons are cut off. When the Dock is on the side, it may not have enough vertical space if you have many apps. Try reducing the number of items in the Dock (right-click on an app icon and select Options > Remove from Dock) or increase the screen resolution temporarily to see if that helps.

The setting is grayed out. This can happen if you are in a restricted user account or if Screen Time restrictions are enabled. Check with your system administrator (or the person who set up the Mac) to ensure you have permission to change Desktop & Dock settings.

After moving, the Dock doesn’t respond to clicks. Sometimes the Dock’s process can glitch. Open the Terminal app and type killall Dock (then press Enter). This restarts the Dock without losing your apps or settings. Your Dock will disappear for a second and then reappear in the new position.

I can’t find “Desktop & Dock” in the sidebar. If you’re on an older macOS version (Catalina or earlier), look for Dock in System Preferences. In Big Sur and later, it’s always under Desktop & Dock. If the sidebar is collapsed, click the sidebar icon at the top to expand it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move the Dock to the top of the screen? No, macOS only allows the Dock to be positioned on the left, bottom, or right. The top is reserved for the menu bar.

Will moving the Dock affect my app layouts or windows? No, moving the Dock does not rearrange your windows or change how apps behave. It only changes where the Dock sits.

Does the Dock position reset after a restart? No, your chosen position is saved and will persist across restarts until you change it again.

Can I have two Docks on different sides? No, macOS only supports a single Dock. You cannot have multiple Docks displayed simultaneously.

Is there a keyboard shortcut to change the Dock position? No, there is no built-in keyboard shortcut. You must use System Settings. However, you can create a custom shortcut using Automator or third-party apps, but that is beyond the scope of this guide.

Why does my Dock look different after moving it? When the Dock is on the side, it uses a different visual style—it becomes a slim strip rather than a rounded rectangle. This is normal and is designed to save space. Magnification and size settings still apply.

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