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decsousa
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Keep Dock on external monitor with vertical display arrangement on MacBook Air M5

I have a MacBook Air M5. When I connect it to an external monitor and arrange the displays with the monitor above and the laptop below, the Dock stays on the laptop screen. However, if I arrange the displays side by side, the Dock appears on the external monitor. How can I keep the Dock on the external monitor while arranging the displays vertically, with one above the other? I don’t want to use a side-by-side layout.

Posted on Sep 15, 2026 6:56 AM

2 replies

WheelieNick
User level: Level 9 (74,110 points)

Sep 15, 2026 10:04 AM in response to decsousa

Hi there

Please try this


macOS triggers the Dock to appear on a specific screen when you push your cursor against an exposed bottom edge that doesn't bleed into another display. [1]


  1. Go to System Settings > Displays.
  2. Click on Arrangement.
  3. Drag the upper external monitor slightly to the left or right so it no longer aligns perfectly with the MacBook screen below it.
  4. Leave a few pixels of the bottom edge of the top monitor hanging over with "empty space" next to the laptop screen instead of overlapping it.
  5. Move your mouse down into that exposed non-overlapping bottom edge on the upper monitor, and push firmly against it to summon the Dock


JulyIGHOR
User level: Level 1 (147 points)

Sep 15, 2026 7:55 PM in response to decsousa

In addition to WheelieNick's answer, if you want stop the Dock jumping screens, you can use DockLock app, and arrangement steps are still required

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256357245