Remove Recent Apps from iPad Dock

If your iPad’s Dock is showing a group of recently used apps on the right side, you can remove that section to keep the Dock clean and show only your pinned apps. This guide walks you through the quick settings change that removes the recent apps from the Dock on iPadOS 15 and later.

What You’ll Need

An iPad running iPadOS 15 or later (the steps are the same on all newer versions).
No other tools or apps are required—this is a built-in setting.

Step-by-Step

Open the Settings app. Tap the gray gear icon on your Home Screen or in your App Library.
Tap “Home Screen & App Library” in the left sidebar (on iPadOS 18, it may be listed as “Home Screen & App Library” or just “Home Screen” depending on your version).
Find the “Dock” section. Scroll down until you see the heading “Dock” with two toggle switches below it.
Turn off “Show Recent Apps in Dock”. Tap the toggle so it turns gray/white (off position). The recent apps section immediately disappears from your Dock.
Exit Settings. Press the Home button (if your iPad has one) or swipe up from the bottom edge to return to the Home Screen. Your Dock now shows only the apps you’ve pinned.

That’s it. The change is instant and permanent until you turn the setting back on. If you later want to see recent apps again, just repeat the steps and toggle it on.

Common Mistakes

Looking in the wrong Settings section: The Dock settings are not under “General” or “Display & Brightness”. They’re specifically under “Home Screen & App Library”.
Confusing “recent apps” with “suggested apps”: The setting is labeled “Show Recent Apps in Dock”. Some older iPadOS versions had a separate “Show Suggested Apps in Dock” toggle—make sure you’re turning off the correct one (recent, not suggested).
Thinking the toggle is in the Dock itself: You cannot remove recent apps by long-pressing them in the Dock. The only way is through Settings.
Forgetting to scroll down: The Dock section is below “Multitasking & Gestures” and “Notification Center”. If you don’t scroll, you might miss it.

Tips

Use the App Library instead: If you remove recent apps from the Dock, you can still access recently used apps by swiping left on the Home Screen to open the App Library—recent apps appear at the top of the “Suggestions” folder.
Keep your Dock minimal: With recent apps removed, your Dock will only show the apps you’ve pinned. You can add or remove pinned apps by dragging them in or out of the Dock.
Check for iPadOS updates: If you can’t find the setting, make sure your iPad is updated to iPadOS 15 or later. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check.
Restart if it doesn’t apply: In rare cases, a settings change might not take effect immediately. A quick restart (press and hold the top button + volume up, then slide to power off) usually fixes that.

Troubleshooting

The toggle is already off, but recent apps still show in the Dock.
This can happen if the iPad is still running an older iOS version (pre-iPadOS 15). Check your software version in Settings > General > About. If you’re on iOS 14 or earlier, the setting doesn’t exist—you’ll need to update to iPadOS 15 or later to get it.

The setting turns off, but recent apps reappear after a restart.
This is usually a temporary glitch. Try toggling the setting off again, then restart your iPad. If it persists, try turning off “Show Suggested Apps” as well—sometimes both toggles need to be off to fully clear the Dock.

I don’t see the “Dock” section at all.
Make sure you’re in the correct Settings page. Go to Settings > Home Screen & App Library. If you don’t see a “Dock” section, your iPad may be running a very old version of iPadOS. Update to the latest version.

The recent apps section is there, but it’s empty.
That’s normal—it only shows apps you’ve used recently. If you haven’t used any apps yet today, it might be blank. Once you open a few apps, it will populate again unless you turn off the setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does removing recent apps from the Dock delete any app data?

No. This setting only hides the recent apps section from the Dock. It doesn’t delete apps or their data. Your apps remain on the Home Screen and in the App Library.

Can I still see recently used apps somewhere else?

Yes. The App Library (swipe left on the last Home Screen page) shows a “Suggestions” folder with recently used apps. Also, the App Switcher (swipe up from the bottom and hold) shows all your open apps, which are typically the ones you’ve used recently.

Will this affect the multitasking Dock on iPad?

No. The Dock still works the same for multitasking—you can drag apps from the Dock to the side to use Split View or Slide Over. The setting only removes the recent apps section, not the pinned apps or the Dock’s functionality.

Is this setting available on all iPad models?

Yes, as long as the iPad supports iPadOS 15 or later. That includes iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air (2nd generation and later), iPad (5th generation and later), and iPad mini (4th generation and later).

Can I remove the recent apps from the Dock on an iPhone?

No. This setting is iPad-specific. On iPhone, there’s no recent apps section in the Dock—the Dock only shows your pinned apps. So there’s nothing to remove.

What if I want to bring back the recent apps later?

Simply go back to Settings > Home Screen & App Library > Dock and turn on “Show Recent Apps in Dock”. The recent apps section will reappear immediately.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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