macOS automatically adds recently used apps to the right side of your Dock — the section separated by a thin divider line, just left of the Trash. You can turn this off entirely in System Settings → Desktop & Dock → uncheck Show recent applications in Dock. It takes about ten seconds and the change applies immediately.
Why does macOS add apps to the Dock you didn't put there?
The section is called "Recent Applications" and it was introduced to make frequently used apps easier to reach without pinning them permanently. macOS maintains a rolling list of your three most recently launched apps and displays them in that zone automatically.
Most people find it more confusing than helpful. The apps shift around as you work, so the Dock never looks the same twice, and they clutter the space between your pinned apps and the Trash — which is prime real estate.
How to turn off Recent Applications in macOS Sequoia (and Sonoma)
This is the same setting across macOS 14 Sonoma and macOS 15 Sequoia:
- Open System Settings (the grey gear icon)
- Click Desktop & Dock in the left sidebar
- Scroll down to the Dock section
- Uncheck Show recent applications in Dock
The recent apps section disappears instantly. No restart required.
If you can't find the setting, use the search field at the top of System Settings and type "recent" — it'll take you straight there.
What about the "Suggested and Recent" section in older macOS?
On macOS Ventura and earlier, the setting was in System Preferences → Dock & Menu Bar → Show recent applications in Dock. The option is identical, just buried slightly differently. If you're still on Ventura, it's worth updating — Sonoma and Sequoia reorganised System Settings in a way that's much easier to navigate.
How to stop apps you removed from reappearing
Removing the recent apps section stops macOS auto-populating that area, but it doesn't affect your pinned apps. Pinned apps — the ones you've deliberately added — stay until you right-click and choose Options → Remove from Dock.
The confusion usually happens when someone removes a pinned app, then launches it again, and it reappears in the recent section. Once you disable recent apps, that won't happen anymore. Any app you remove stays gone until you explicitly pin it back.
What if you want a cleaner, more controlled Dock overall?
Turning off recent apps is a good start, but the default macOS Dock still has limits: you can't group apps into folders, you can't get a dock on your second monitor, and you can't adjust spacing between icons beyond the single size slider.
If those things bother you, Dockish is worth a look. It replaces the macOS Dock with one that supports iPhone-style folders (drag one app onto another to group them), independent docks on every monitor, and proper size and spacing controls — all for a one-time $6.99 with a 7-day free trial. It also has a one-click option to hide the macOS Dock entirely, so you're not running both at once.
For most people, though, the System Settings toggle is all they need.
Does this affect Spotlight or the Applications folder?
No. Turning off recent apps in the Dock has no effect on Spotlight search (⌘Space), Launchpad, or anything in your Applications folder. It only controls what appears in that automatic strip at the right of the Dock. Every app you've pinned manually stays exactly where it is.
Will this setting survive a macOS update?
Yes, in practice. System preferences like this persist across updates. The one exception is if you do a clean install rather than an upgrade — in that case, macOS resets to defaults and the recent apps section will reappear. Just go back to System Settings → Desktop & Dock and uncheck it again.
Common questions
Why does my Mac Dock keep showing apps I didn't add?
Those are recent applications — macOS adds the three most recently launched apps automatically to the right side of the Dock. Go to System Settings → Desktop & Dock and uncheck Show recent applications in Dock to stop this permanently.
How do I remove the divider line on the right side of the Dock?
The divider line separates your pinned apps from the recent apps zone and from the Trash. You can't remove the Trash-side divider in stock macOS. Turning off recent applications removes the middle section, which leaves a cleaner gap. If you want full control over dividers and spacing, a Dock replacement like Dockish lets you add or remove dividers wherever you like.
Does hiding recent apps make my Mac slower to launch apps?
No. The recent apps section is just a display preference — it has no effect on how quickly apps launch, how they cache, or anything performance-related. Turning it off is purely cosmetic.
Originally published at appish.app
