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I don't want the dock that is at the bottom of the screen. I don't want to hide it but completely remove it. How can this be done? If not possible, why not?

Jonik
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sagarkothari
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7 Answers7

13

Your best bet is to leave it there so you won't mess with other services but shrink it to super small size using the following terminal command:

defaults write com.apple.dock tilesize -int 1

see below for example .. that's wicked small.

alt text

then pin it to one side with the following terminal command:

defaults write com.apple.dock pinning -string start

then hide it. It should be totally out of the way at that point unless you mouse all the way over in the extreme bottom left hand corner.

Gareth
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Bryan Schuetz
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4

You can remove Dock.app, change its permissions, or disable the launchd plist that opens it:

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.Dock.plist

To revert the changes, replace unload with load or remove the entry in /var/db/launchd.db/com.apple.launchd/overrides.plist manually.

It also disables Mission Control, full screen windows, the Notification Center sidebar, the application switcher, Launchpad, Dashboard, and it makes desktop backgrounds gray.

This would increase the delay before the Dock is shown to 2 seconds:

defaults write com.apple.Dock autohide-delay -float 2; killall Dock
Lri
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2

There is a program called: Dock Disabler (Source)

The Dock isn't perfect but disabling the Dock entirely will break certain features (eg. Expose in Tiger and Panther)

Chealion
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2

As you mentioned in a comment, you just want a full screen app. In that case, see this answer to do that.

Community
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RCIX
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2

What do you mean by "my application"? If it's a third-party application with a full screen mode, file a bug report with the developer. If you're developing your own application, use CGDisplayCapture. If you're trying to maximise everything, try using your Mac like Apple wants you to. It sounds obnoxious, but it'll be easier for you in the long run.

If, however, you really do want to bend the OS X UI to breaking point (not that far, admittedly), follow Bryan's advice. Better still, stick it in an AppleScript, along with code to reverse it, and stick it in the Script menu. Then just select that item to switch between normal and hidden-away-really-small-in-the-bottom-left mode. And don't forget to ask the developer for a full-screen mode!

Benjamin Dobson
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To the best of my knowledge, you cannot disable the dock. Even quitting the dock process results in it auto-magically restarting.

You cannot disable the dock because it is an integral part of OS X.

Why do you want to remove it? What benefit do you believe you'll get from removing it?

EvilChookie
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Theoretically anything is possible I suppose, the Dock application is in /System/Library/CoreServices so for starters you could pull it out of there I suppose.

But I don't think Finder will like that, and you also will lose the Expose feature, and maybe Dashboard too. I can't imagine why disabling/removing it would be preferable to simply hiding it.

Bryan Schuetz
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