Introduction

DockMaster Pro is a powerful, customizable multi-row Dock replacement for macOS. It replaces the native macOS Dock with a feature-rich overlay that supports multiple rows, sections, workspaces, themes, and much more.

Built with Swift and SwiftUI, DockMaster Pro is designed to be fast, lightweight, and beautiful.

Installation

1. Download the latest version from the Releases page.
2. Choose the appropriate architecture: Universal (recommended), Apple Silicon, or Intel.
3. Unzip the downloaded file.
4. Drag DockMaster Pro.app to your Applications folder.
5. Open the app from Applications. If Gatekeeper blocks it, right-click and select Open.

System Requirements

• macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or later
• Apple Silicon (arm64) or Intel (x86_64)

Permissions

DockMaster Pro requires the following permissions to function properly:

• Accessibility — Required to control the Dock process and manage other applications.
• Apple Events — Required to launch and interact with other applications.

Grant these permissions in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility.

Quick Start

1. Launch DockMaster Pro from Applications.
2. Grant Accessibility permission when prompted.
3. The app will automatically replace your native Dock with the DockMaster overlay.
4. Click the menu bar icon to access settings and workspace switcher.
5. Right-click on any dock icon to access context menu options.

Dock Layout

Customize the dock appearance from Settings:

• Position — Bottom, Left, or Right edge of the screen.
• Icon Size — 32px to 128px.
• Max Rows / Columns — Control the grid layout.
• Margin — Distance from the screen edge.
• Auto-hide — Hide when not in use, show on mouse proximity.

Sections

Organize your apps into logical groups:

• Click the + button in Settings to add a new section.
• Drag apps from Finder or Launchpad into any section.
• Right-click a section header to rename or delete it.
• Drag section headers to reorder them.

Workspaces

Create multiple workspaces, each with its own dock layout:

• Open the menu bar extra and select Workspace Switcher.
• Create new workspaces and assign unique dock layouts.
• Bind workspaces to macOS Spaces for automatic switching.
• Assign keyboard shortcuts for instant workspace switching.

Themes

Customize the dock appearance with themes:

• Choose from 3 built-in themes: Dark, Light, and Minimal.
• Edit colors, corner radius, blur intensity, shadows, and icon padding.
• Export themes as .dmtheme files to share with others.
• Import themes by dragging .dmtheme files onto the app.

Quick Search

Press Option + Space to open the search panel:

• Search for installed applications.
• Search for files, documents, and bookmarks.
• View recent items when the search field is empty.
• Use arrow keys to navigate, Enter to open.

Animations

Choose from a rich set of animations:

• 20 hover styles — Bounce, Shake, Pulse, Flip 3D, Glitch, Tada, Heartbeat, and more.
• 8 launch animations — Scale, Fade, Slide, Pop, and more.
• 7 quit animations — Shrink, Fade, Dissolve, and more.

Animations respect the macOS Reduce Motion accessibility setting.

Troubleshooting

App doesn't open

DockMaster Pro is a menu bar app (LSUIElement). It won't show a window on launch. Look for the icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen.

Gatekeeper blocks the app

Right-click the app and select Open from the context menu. Alternatively, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.

Dock doesn't appear

Make sure you've granted Accessibility permission. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility and ensure DockMaster Pro is enabled.

App crashes on launch

Check the Console app for crash logs. Search for "DockMasterPro" to find relevant entries. Common causes include corrupted preferences — try deleting ~/Library/Application Support/DockMasterPro/ and restarting.