MAC TREAT #157: Turn On, Login, Dock Out

The Dock is among the most iconic features of OS X—having appeared in every release since the Kodiak public beta in 2000. Though it provides quick access to a user customizable set of applications and adds to OS X’s visual charm, it isn’t the most usable feature for all Mac owners.

For many creative professionals—especially those who spend the majority of their time in palette-heavy Adobe apps—the Dock can be a serious nuisance.

Like many elements of OS X, the Dock can be tweaked to suit an individual’s taste. This can occur from a variety of places, but most notably the “Dock” preference pane under System Preferences. Here, users can adjust the size, magnification and position of the Dock, or automatically hide and show the Dock by clicking the applicable checkbox.

However, what if you’re a fan of the Dock at all times except when it’s getting in the way of editing in Photoshop? You guessed it, there’s a quick shortcut enabling you to drop out the Dock with just a few keystrokes.

From anywhere in OS X, simply press Command-Option-D to hide it. To make the Dock pop back up just hover the pointer towards the bottom—or left or right if you’ve put it there—of your screen. If you’d like to make even more tweaks without opening System Preferences, check out the abridged version of the Dock preference pane by clicking the Apple logo in the top left, and selecting “Dock.”