Via the Dock you can easily and quickly access your favorite apps, folders and files. Not only are your favorite apps shown, your recently used apps are also displayed, these can be found on the right side of the Dock. With a Terminal Command you can ensure that you are placed more or just less recently used apps in the dock.
The biggest advantage of the Dock is that it is always in the foreground and that you can quickly switch between the macOS apps. If you have an iMac or use your Mac in combination with an external screen, it pays to place more recently used apps in the dock, because you just have more space. We explain how you can adjust this.
Recently used apps in Dock
The “Recently used apps in the Dock” function automatically shows shortcuts on the right side of the Dock to the apps that you recently opened on your Mac. The advantage of this is that you can restart it quickly, even if they are not standard in the dock. By default, the function shows three apps in the dock, but with a terminal command you can adjust this number.
Recently used in use
Before you can adjust the number, you must of course also have switched on the function on your Mac.
- Open  ▸ System settings
- Navigate to ‘desktop and dock’
- Switch on the option ‘Tone recommended and recent apps in Dock’
Adjust number of recent apps in Mac Dock
- Open terminal via apps â–¸ Utilities
- Copy the command below (command⌘ + C)
- Stick the command in an empty window (command⌘ + V)
- Press enter To carry out the command
$defaults write com.apple.dock show-recents -bool true; defaults write com.apple.dock show-recent-count -int 5; killall Dock
After performing the command above, the number of three is adjusted to five. Do you find this too little? Then in the command above you can adjust the 5 to any desired number. Use 3 to change the number to the standard values.