Apple optimized iOS 11+ for all us iPad folks! This time around, Apple decided to place its energy and effort into making an excellent iPad user experience. That means that iOS 11+ includes a lot of unique “for iPad only” features. That’s the reason Apple tagged iOS 11 as “A giant step for iPhone. A monumental leap for iPad.”
The foundation of these iPad-only updates is the iPad Dock
This new Dock transforms your iPad into something a lot more productive and a heck of a lot more user-friendly. For Mac users, this Dock looks very familiar–it’s your Mac’s central station, allowing quick access to your favorite and frequent Mac applications. And now, it’s available on your iPad from any screen, in both portrait and landscape mode. Your Dock follows you!
Quickly flick up from screen bottom to reveal the Dock or swipe up more from the bottom to reveal the App Switcher. Or double press Home to show the App Switcher.
With a quick tap, you open and switch to all your favorite apps instantly
Adding your favorite apps is easy–just tap that app and drag into your Dock. You can even add folders to the Dock–just drag a folder down in the same way as an app. With folders, you access a bunch of apps, all through your Dock without taking too much Dock real estate!
Want to remove an app from your Dock?That’s easy too! Just tap it, drag it, and drop it into your new location or folder.
Ready, Set, Go with iCloud and Handoff
And with iCloud and Handoff enabled, your iPad Dock works across devices to show the apps last used on your iPhone, Mac, or any other device signed in with your unique Apple ID.
Apple designed your iPad Dock with intelligence, so it even suggests apps, like ones you recently used on your iPad. All these recommended apps appear on the right side of the Dock, just next to all your favorite apps.
Don’t See Your Dock?
Opened an app and now the dock’s not showing? Quickly swipe or flick from screen bottom towards screen center to make your Dock visible.
Some users have noticed that their iPad dock simply disappears from the main screen. If you are having this issue on your iPad/iPad Pro after updating to iOS 11, there is a temporary workaround that can help until Apple fixes the issue.
Tap on Settings > General > Multitasking & Dock. In the Dock section below, Disable “Show Suggested and Recent Apps”. This should fix your issue but then you lose an important functionality of the dock.
Don’t Want to See Your Dock?
And if the Dock’s getting in the way of your app experience, a quick swipe down on the Dock hides it temporarily, so you get the best out of your app and your iPad. The dock should hide when any App is open, excepting when you swipe up from the bottom.
We discovered however that if you’re using an app (like many game apps) that requires swiping from anywhere near the bottom of the screen, you often inadvertently bring up the dock!
Reader Wes had this additional tip for folks that don’t want to see the Dock on their Home Screen(this works for some, not for others)
First, remove any apps from the dock by holding on them for a few seconds and dragging them onto the screen
Swipe right until you see the widgets screen
Press your home button and as the screen starts to slide left to the home page, swipe with your finger right to left
It might take more than few tries to get this right
When you get it right, the dock shouldn’t show up on your home screen
Want the Option to Disable the Dock in Apps? Consider Submitting Feedback
If you really don’t like the iPad Dock and find it’s getting in the way of game-play, please think about letting Apple know. The best way to give Apple your user experience and feedback is via their feedback site.
So consider letting Apple know about your issues with the iOS 11 Dock.
Has Your iPad Dock Moved?
A few of our readers find that their iPad Docks move to other places on-screen, usually in the middle of the screen but occasionally in the top or lower 1/3 of the screen. And that makes using (and working with) your iPad a real pain!
Our readers discovered that their iPad’s Dock often moves when playing apps and games that play embedded videos OR when playing iPhone-only (meaning no iPad version is available) apps and games on their iPads in landscape mode. What’s happening here is that these apps and game change your iPad’s screen resolution, causing display problems
If Your iPad’s Dock Moved or Floats Around, try these tips (one at a time)
Flip your iPad’s screen orientation–so if you’re viewing in landscape mode, try portrait or vice-versa
Restart the iPad or forced restart it (press and hold both home and power buttons until the Apple logo appears on-screen)
Reset your Home Screen’s layout. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout. This action sets your Home Screen back to default, so removes any customizations you made
Go into Settings > General > Multitasking & Dock and turn gestures off, then restart
Updating your iOS to the latest-released version helped some users fix their iPad Dock’s problems
Reset your iPad’s Settings by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings. Performing this action sets things like accessibility settings, wallpapers, and WiFi passcodes back to defaults
Remove any apps from your Dock that play embedded videos. Instead, place those apps in a folder on your Home Screen and launch them from there (not the Dock)
Make sure you also turn off “display recent apps” in Settings > General > Multitasking & Dock
Avoid using iPhone-only apps on your iPad
Identify and isolate the particular app(s) that’s causing your problems and check if there is an iPad version for it. If not or if you’re already using the iPad version, contact the app developer and make them aware of the problem
Swipe up past the dock, and you find the App Switcher, your iPad’s multitasking interface PLUS control center. If swiping up isn’t your game, double press the home button.
iPad Dock Features
Want to disable the Dock showing your most recently used apps?
Look at the option under General > Multitasking and disable Show Recents. When disabled, only apps that add to the dock show up.
Adding and Removing App icons from your Dock
As you work with different apps, the dock gets populated with appropriate app icons. Since there is only so much real estate available for you on the new dock, you manage which app icons you want to keep on the dock and the ones that you want to remove.
To remove a dock icon, press and hold the app icon on the dock for a quick second and drag it out of the dock to your iPad main screen.
Adding the app icons into your dock works the same way as well. Drag an app icon and drop it on the dock to get it added. When the app icon is in a folder on the main screen, this feature doesn’t work. The app icon needs to be separate on the main screen to be added to the dock.
Similarly, you can drag and drop the app icons on the dock to rearrange it in the order that you would like. The thing to keep in mind is that if you press for too long, the app deletes functionally with the ‘x’ next to the app icon shows up. You will need to press the Home button to exit out of it.
To move an app to a new location or to the Dock, tap the app icon until it pulses, then drag it to a new location, including the dock.
If you press too long, your apps enter deletion mode Second, to make the apps shake, you need to tap/hold one for a longer time.
Quick Peek of Your Latest Files from the iPad Dock.
You can work with different types of files on your iPad using the new Files App. After you have opened up the Files app, it will show up on your iPad dock at the bottom of the screen.
Now, let’s say that you have moved on to another app such as Notes to do some editing, here’s an easy way to use the Dock to get back to the files that you were working on using the Files App.
Press and Hold the Files App icon on your iPad Dock for a quick second. It automatically brings up the files that you were working on. Tap on it and it will take you to the document.
We definitely think that Apple is going to be adding more bells and whistles to the ‘peek’ functionality as iOS 11 gets ready for the general release.
Use Your iPad Dock icons to Start Multitasking
To use this feature, your iPad has to be enabled to use multitasking.
To turn Multitasking features on or off on your iPad, go to Settings > General > Multitasking, then do the following
Allow Multiple Apps: Turn off if you don’t want to use Slide Over or Split View
Persistent Video Overlay: Turn off if you don’t want to use Picture in Picture
Gestures: Turn off if you don’t want to use Multitasking gestures to see the app switcher, return to the Home screen, and more
Now in order to test this iPad Dock function, open an app on your iPad. In this example, we open up the Photos app by tapping on the Photos app icon on the dock.
Multitask Using Your Dock
Get the iPad Dock by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.
Drag another app icon, in this example; we are going to drag and drop Firefox icon onto the Photos main screen.
This action opens up the new Firefox session as a split view right along with your Photos screen. You can write a note using the Notes app and simply invoke your browser to research a topic alongside all from the new dock.
Please note that you can use the split view functionality only on the iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation), iPad Air 2, or iPad mini 4, and reader John says it works on his mini 3 too! Awesome. Let us know if it’s working on any other devices—the more, the merrier.
Need Another Way To Open a Multitask Session?
Press your home button and find an app’s icon on the home screen. Long-press on an app icon until it floats (not wiggles.) To open a float or split view, tap a different app’s icon (in the Dock, App Switcher or elsewhere) to launch it. Release the floating app, and it switches to Slide-Over or Split-Screen Mode.
Summary
These three features in the new iPad Dock show a lot of promise when it comes to features such as drag and drop and long press for additional information.
Based on how the Files app long press works on the dock, it is very much possible that other apps including third-party apps can be extended to support this feature.
For example, when you long press on the Mail icon on your dock, it could show you the latest e-mails that have arrived or show you a shortcut to open a new e-mail draft. Although the iPad still doesn’t quite support the concept of 3D Touch, some of these features in the iOS11+ iPad Dock suggest that there is more to come for making the iPad users happy!
For most of her professional life, Amanda Elizabeth (Liz for short) trained all sorts of folks on how to use media as a tool to tell their own unique stories. She knows a thing or two about teaching others and creating how-to guides!
Her clients include Edutopia, Scribe Video Center, Third Path Institute, Bracket, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Big Picture Alliance.
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First, close all your open apps by double pressing the Home Button and then swiping up towards the top of your screen to close them-do this for all apps until all you see is the Home Screen.
Then restart your iPad.
Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn all restrictions off, if any are on.
Next, visit Settings > General > Multitasking and disable Show Recents.
Finally, try adding an app to your iPad’s Dock. Make sure you are staying within the range of 11-15 total apps on your Dock–depending on model (iPad mini is 11 while iPad Pro 12.9 is 15.)
If your Dock is already full, you need to remove an app before you can add another.
Your website refers to “Minus Button” on app but this never appears, only the X for delete. I wish to remove the annoying Scrabble app from the Home Page Dock, but not delete the entire app. How do I do this ? Thank you. I have tried dragging the app to main home screen, but this still does not make it disappear from the Dock.
Yes, but how disable the dock from popping up within apps? If i’m In a game and move finger from low to high the dock appears… I don’t want that. Help please.
It’s also a good idea to send feedback to your game/app developer and let them know you’d like them to turn off the Dock from showing when playing games in Full Screen.
How do u shut the docking feature off completely as it has cost me a ton of money because it interferes in the middle of gaming cause game to shut off an having me loss all my earn stuff
It’s horrible an if I can’t shut off will be the reason for me to get rid of ipad an switch to a windows base product
We’ve all been there with our kids! Let’s try and clear out some settings. First, close all open apps by pressing the Home button twice and then swiping up off the top of your screen all app previews–do this one by one for each and every app until none remain.
Then on your iPad, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings. This removes any personalized features, like accessibility settings, wallpapers, and clear out your WiFi passcodes. But it does not remove any data.
Finally, perform a restart by pressing the power button and sliding off. Wait 20-30 seconds and power back on. See if your iPad’s Dock is now in its usual place at the bottom of the screen!
If this issue perists, let us know.
SK
It should place your iPad Dock back to the bottom!
There we go again. I upgraded ios and have to now spend hours to figure how to get rid of this dock feature that i don’t want!
Terrible! And guess what! I am not the only one. Not by far.
HOW DO I GET RID OF THE DOCK?
The stupid dock is not compatible with words with friends. Every time you go to put a letter on the board that stupid menu shows up. My mom has something similar to Parkinson’s and her hands shake. This menu crashes her game EVERY time she chooses a letter. Fix this
Please, fix the problem of the dock at bottom of screen interfering with game play. When Playing Churchill Solitaire, if card stack extends downward to bottom of screen, invariably one MUST abandon the game because there is no way to move cards from stack, all that one moves is the irritating dock! I have had to abandon many of the most exciting games I can recall, because that stupid dock is in the way. Fix this HUGE ERROR. Make the dock removable during game play
We hear you adn certainly you are not alone! A lot of gamers are super frusrated by the appearance of the iPad Dock. Please consider submitting your feedback to Apple on fixing this issue for game play!
Apple says that iOS 12 (releasing later this year–publically in the Fall) is focusing on user experience so it’s more important than ever to submit your user experience requests!
How can I disable the dock popping up constantly when I play a game such as Word. I go to the bottom to get my letters and the doc pops up and is in the way. Hate it.
Sadly, right now there is no way to disable the Dock on an iPad using iOS 11 (any versions.) Yet, this is certainly a feature request we hear a lot, especially from Gamers! Please consider sending your feedback to Apple and asking for this feature in a new iOS release.
You are not alone! Many people would love to see this option–the sooner, the better!
I hate the dock so much. It’s annoying me to death, I just want it gone.
Used your link to tell Apple what I thought, and didn’t mince words.
I’ll give them about 4 weeks to give me an option to get rid of it. If they don’t, I’m ditching my iPhone and iPad mini, and getting Samsung replacements.
– iPhone user since December 2006
The dock keeps appearing if I touch the screen within an inch or so of the bottom. This is extremely annoying in an app like Words with friends where you need to constantly touch the bottom of the screen to get letters. How can I get the dock to stop appearing in an app?
You are not alone! I have that problem too and it drives me bananas, especially when deep in a game. And it impacts my score, which I really despise. Anyway, enough ranting. As of now, there is no way to stop the Dock from appearing. We’d love to see a toggle like iOS has for turning off Control Center’s Access Within Apps, for the very reason you describe.
Definitely provide Apple your feedback and request for this feature via this link: Feedback – iPad – Apple.
I know a lot of gamers (and plenty of other folks that don’t like seeing that constant Dock on-screen) that really really want to see this option for hiding the iPad Dock.
Hi,
I’ve turned off all the allow multiple apps in settings, and show recent apps and suggestions but I am still getting the Facebook app appearing at the right hand side of my dock, uninvited, with a little alarm clock on it. How do I make it go away please?
Sorry to hear you’re having issues with your iPad Dock. It sounds like Facebook is in-process or in the queue for an app update. So first let’s update that app by going to the App Store App and tapping Updates. If you see Facebook listed, update it now (if connected to a good and stable WiFi or Cellular signal.) Once the app is updated, see if it disappears from your Dock. If not, double press Home and swipe it up off the top of the screen to fully close. Then restart your iPad. Hopefully, Facebook should no longer be there!
If after all that, Facebook is still hanging around your Dock, double-check that Show Recents is toggled OFF. If it is, tap on the app and drag it off the Dock to a new place on a home screen or in a folder.
If that didn’t help, let’s delete and then reinstall your FB app. Since all your FB data is stored on FB’s servers, you don’t lose any data. The best way to delete an app is via the Settings app.
Once deleted and reinstalled, it should not appear automatically in the Dock.
Hope something here works for you. Keep us posted if you can.
How do you completely remove this horrible and extremely intrusive ipad dock..permanently? It’s on my screen blocking my awesome well paper n apps…i swear this is the last time i ever buy n ipad smg Tab s3 COMING SOON
I like it. Great article.
The only thing I am not fond of is the screenshots – I think it should automatically save to your photos, and the home button to unlock, I miss the swiping.
But thanks for showing me how to disable the recent apps! Since that was a pain lol.
I like the dock display, however I have an issue whereby it moves offscreen to the left, hiding some icons. The only way to get it back is to reset the iPad. Happening with a lot of apps, including ones that came preinstalled.
I hate the new dock. I5 has caused me so many problems when it completely disappears. The only way to get it back is to turn off iPad and restart. It was a terrible idea and it should have been an option someone could do, not a default. These are the updates I hate.
I have an iPad mini we’re the icon dock is on the left of the screen and when rotating from lportrait to landscape the dock is partly hidden how do I get the dock in the centre of the screen
Sorry to hear about your problems with the Dock on your iPad Mini. It must feel very frustrating to only see part of the Dock! First, try a forced restart by pressing and holding both the Power and Home buttons and maintain this hold until you see the Apple Logo on-screen.
If that doesn’t do the trick, reset all your settings. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings. This doesn’t remove or erase any of your data but does return any personalized settings like wallpaper, accessibility, and so forth to defaults. Also, it removes any stored WiFi passcodes so be sure to have these available to re-enter.
Like Donna below, my dock keeps moving to the middle of the screen and the only way I can find to get it back to the bottom is to switch off and then restart my iPad (which is really inconvenient). Is there a way I can fix it to the bottom?
Sorry to learn about your problems with the iPad Dock moving to the middle of your screen. Let’s try disabling Show Recent Apps and see if that makes a difference. Go to Settings > General > Multitasking and Dock > and turn off Show Recent Apps. Then do a forced restart by pressing and holding the Power and Home buttons until you see the Apple Logo on-screen, then release those buttons.
If you haven’t updated to iOS 11.2, considering doing so now. And if possible, update via iTunes instead of Over-The-Air (using Settings > General > Software Update.) iTunes updates are more stable and less prone to cause errors during updating and later use.
A final thought is to write down what app you’re currently using when this problem appears. It may be an app that’s causing this unusual Dock behavior so taking note of that app(s) might point you in the right direction. If you notice the problem occurring a lot on one or two apps, see if there is an update for those apps in the App Store. If not, think about deleting or offloading those apps to test your theory. Offloading apps keeps your app data and documents but removes the app itself, so later you can re-install the app and conenct to all your previous data.
Keep us posted. And let us know if you have any luck.
You can turn off seeing what apps you are using the most on the right hand end of the dock by going to Settings >General >Multitasking & Dock > and TURN OFF Show Suggested and Recent Apps. Then you will only see the apps that you personally put on the dock. Hope this helps.
Just purchased first Apple device iPad Pro 12.9” 2nd gen 2017 [have all Samsung] but see there is no back and forward arrow keys and no DEL keys on the keyboard which are an absolute must. Are they hidden somewhere please. Cannot believe that a company such as Apple could overlook these. Samsung have the best keyboards of anyone on their devices and especially tablets. Also I am reading complaints about the dock at the bottom. Can I just say I am a huge fan and just love it.
Sorry about your issues with your iPad Pro keyboard. Now there should be a delete button—it’s in the top right corner of your keyboard.
The arrow keys are a different story. iPhones used to have them in earlier iOS version but no longer with iOS 11. However, for whatever reason Apple chose not to add functionality on the iPad for arrow keys.
Instead of the arrow keys, You swipe with two fingers on the keyboard to move the cursor around. Give it a try! It’s actually a pretty nice feature.
Additionally, double tap your fingers on the keyboard and it selects the current word. If you double tap but keep prssing your fingers down on the screen on the second tap, you can select additional text.
It takes time to get used to. But once you get it down, it’s simple!
If you decide you really don’t like Apple’s keyboard, try a third-party option like ProType, Tempest, PadKeys, Gboard, and others. There is a good chance that A 3rd-party keyboard for iPad includes the arrow keys.
Like many others, I hate the new Dock on my iPad Air. Hopefully Apple will listen and make it optional, rather than mandatory.
In the meantime, though, can you help me figure how to get rid of a Google Map icon that pops up on my Dock with a little clock in the corner? This occurs even if I haven’t used the app in days. Sometimes it disappears on its own, only to reappear again. Sometimes it goes away for a day or two. It’s driving me crazy!
Sorry to hear about your issue with Google Maps on your iPad Air. I’m guessing that your Google Maps app needs an update, hence, why you see that little clock–that’s the update icon. To get rid of it, try updating your apps via the App Store, when connected to a stable and strong WiFi network.
We also recommend turning off Show Recent Apps under your Dock Settings. Go to Settings > General > Multitasking & Dock > Show Recents and toggle this setting off. It’s on by default and often toggles on after an iOS update.
What a horrible idea…. sorry… I’m trying to work out how to disable or remove it…. I have set up an iPad for my son using my account but with limited things on it…. (and I need my account on there so I can access some things) and now whatever I open on my phone pops up on the iPad in the dock….. I can’t find anything on how to remove or disable it…..
Most of the times a simple restart does the trick. Press the power or side button and slide off. Wait 20-30 seconds and power your device back on.
See if the Dock is now working. If not, try a forced restart by pressing and holding both the POWER AND THE HOME buttons, maintain this hold until the Apple Logo appears on-screen, then release.
See if your Dock now shows up.
If not, let’s check your Dock Settings.Go to Settings > General > Multitasking & Dock and toggle all these setting on.Then check again–if no change, perform another restart.
Once you get your Dock back, go back to your Multitasking & Dock Settings and make any changes to reflect what you want.
If you are referring to your iPad Dock, there is currently no option to completely remove it. You can have a blank Dock (a gray bar with with no apps in it.) To delete your Dock apps, either move them to one of your Home Screens or delete those apps entirely ( press and hold the apps in the Dock until they wiggle, then press the red delete button.)
Dock on iPad most annoying . When iPad turned in vertical position it blocks icons on page. Swiping down does not remove dock at all. You need to make this removable by user. Horrible “ improvement”!!!
I have been trying for weeks to avoid accidentally triggering it, but several apps, games, and videos I use have functions near the bottom of the screen. When I reach for them, out pops the unwanted Dock. When I try to put it away, my app thinks I have given it a command, so I am forced to make continuous corrections. Because of this flaw, working with OS 11 is awkward and time-consuming.
Yup, quite a few folks feel the same way. At this time, there is no “off” toggle for the iPad Dock. But it certainly is a feature many folks would like to see in upcoming iOS 11 releases. The best way to provide Apple your experience and requests for changes to their UX is via their product feedback site.
Consider sending in some info. It’s one of the best ways to get data to Apple’s Development Team.
Thanks for your question about the Dock. Could you let us know what symbols you’re seeing on your docked apps. I’m not exactly sure what you’re describing.
If you’re referring a number—that indicates new messages, emails, or other notifications for new things within the app itself. If you’re seeing an exclamation point, that means the app has not sucessfullly connected to the internet to download the latest and updated information.
I hate the dock function. I don’t want it to constantly remind me what I am using the most. Enough already! Can you please quit constantly cramming more ADHD thought-up crap to my iPad and iPhone. So much for Steve Jobs idea of keep it simple…
Switch on my pad, tap an icon on the dock, stare in bafflement as something completely different opens. Yes, in spite of all my attempts to stop it (at the expense of half the functionality on my pad) the damned dock inserted a completely unwanted icon just as I tapped. This is the sort of behaviour that makes me despise Microsoft – what were Apple thinking? And it’s UGLY.
HOW DO I GET RID OF THIS STUPID DOCK ? I have an iPad mini 4 The dock is a total WASTE OF SPACE ON AN ALREADY SMALL SCREEN , if I had my way I would return this device for a full refund. I regret the day I purchased this “device”
The downward swipe does NOT work to get rid of this stupid waste of space. STOP TRYING TO FIX WHAT ISNT BROKEN. It’s NOT convenient !
Yes, there are quite a few folks out there that would like the option to completely remove or hide the Dock. Sadly, at this time there is no option for doing so. However, that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be. Your best bet to reach Apple’s attention (especially it’s product development department,) is to provide product feedback using Apple’s feedback site.
Please provide this feedback. Apple does look into issues, especially if multiple people report it.
Stop with the stupid gadgets and stay with USEABLE devices for ordinary users. I despise the dock. It opens sites I did not want just when I am trying to go to the one I want. The location is ridiculous.
Thanks for the great, easy to understand article. I love the dock. It does remind me of the Mac. Here’s my question…my dock on my iPad Pro used to always stay on, except while in an app. Just today, it started hiding itself, even outside of apps. It’s counterintuitive to have to swipe up to get to the items you want to use all the time (via dock). I don’t know why it suddenly started hiding. Anyone know how to make it stay on outside of apps?
If I understand your question, you want the Dock to perpetually be at the bottom of the screen. Unfortunately, this is not an option to-date. The Dock slides down when you are actively using an app, to bring it back swipe up from the bottom.
The new dock only lasted a few days, I have done loads of searches to find away to get it back but found nothing. I’d rather have the old dock than no dock.
I HATE the new dock. I liked the picture of my kid as my wallpaper now that is obscured. How do I get rid of this thing….I don’t care that Apple’s engineers love it, I DO NOT.
I look through all these comments and see people complaining about the new dock. Has it not occurred to anyone that this is a decent attempt to unify how the iOS and MacOS work? The dock is a welcomed change, as now instead of having only 6(?) favorite items, I can now have access to my most well used apps.
People, if you want change, don’t complain on a comment thread. Why don’t you complain to Apple? Then maybe they’ll do something about it. I mean, the chances they’ll revert the Dock change is less than 0%, but hey, at least you made a meager attempt.
Like many others here, I hate the new dock. Gets in the way and is really annoying.
Not keen on the new keyboard either, nothing wrong with the old one.
Want rid of the DOCK!!!
More docking complaints. I have removed all aps from the dock and now have an empty annoying gray blob that does not swipe down. I want it gone please. And i want my keyboard uncluttered – how do it back to just one character per key? And why can I not stop having to select a network. I have chosen, asked not to ask, and have renewed lease so many times. I simply want to control my wifi signal – i want to use mine.
I hate the dock. I don’t want to see that stupid dock. When I’m reading something on safari that cloying dock pops up when all I want is to scroll down. Please please find a way to turn off that maddening dock.
Hate the dock! Please get rid of it. It is frustrating to have this stuff forced on users. Why not give us the option to turn it off if we don’t like it?
Hate the dock! Please get rid of it. It is frustrating to have this stuff forced on users. Why not give us the option to turn it off if we don’t like it?
I HATE this dock on my iPad!!!! Please give relief here with a patch that will allow users the ability to enable or disable this feature…..someone needs to evaluate the choices of the design architecture team….they are not in touch with real life users. SO frustrating!!! UGH!!!!
Big big big mistake…. just updated and now have the HORRIBLE dock on my iPad. I need to get rid of it – when and how can I do this? Is there a way to “undo” the update?
Thanks
I used to be able to go to the top of a webpage by hold my finger at the top center of my screen. This is no longer the case. How do you go to the top of a page now?
Thanks
Am I the only one disturbed by the fact there are no labels on any of the icons on the new dock? I’ve put folders down there, and now have little clue, other than recognizing a really tiny icon inside one, to know what it contains.
Dear Apple,
In case you didn’t notice…THE WHOLE SCREEN ON AN IPAD IS A DOCK. The dock is great on the iMac where you want to access stuff quickly among a sea of stuff but since the screen on an iPad is so small, I can easily access any app I want right on the screen faster than I ever can on a dock..which now BTW takes up a huge portion of my screen and makes it look cluttered( looks like a white Band-Aid). Who do you get to test this stuff out??? I am NOT upgrading my phone..can you imagine that on a tiny screen..you’d have nothing but dock! How absurd! Please make it so we can completely opt out of the dock.
Yes, a lot of people would like an option to completely remove the iPad Dock–so you are not the only one frustrated with this change. It’s unlikely that you’ll see the Dock on iPhones since as you point out there screens are a lot smaller! Perhaps the next version of iOS 11 will include a toggle to remove the dock. Who knows?
Upon further reflection, the dock on an iPad is redundant at best, just visual clutter and consuming screen real estate at worst. It can’t be resized like an iMac (to make it less obtrusive) as far as I can tell. The iPad itself is one large dock. Anyone is free to rearrange icons as they see fit to group frequently used apps together, so the dock adds nothing.
Jeff, Not sure if there is a setting to prevent an app from showing up in the dock. You can only drag the apps out of your dock and clear them out. Similarly, you can add new apps by dropping them into the dock. The one think you can try is to Tap on Settings > Search for “Multitasking & Dock” in the Settings search field. Once you locate it, Turn off the “Show Suggested and Recent Apps”. That should help!
I do not believe there is a way to get rid of the Dock altogether. It should only appear when you swipe up–but it always appears when swiping up Control Center. I’ll look into this more and if there is a way to disable it, I’ll let you know. And if you find a way, please let me know so I can share that info with others.
I am trying to setup my ios 11 and I am on the iPad Analytics page and the dock is in the way of the continue button, how do I move the dock or remove it?
Zazme, We have seen this issue being reported by some users. Here is a convoluted workaround that seems to be working for the time being. We are pretty sure Apple will take care of this in the future beta releases.Getting stuck on the setup process because of the dock permanently blocking the way to click the boxes is not fun. Try this out. This is a tip from a regular reader.
Open an app by holding down the app and dragging it to the right hand side of screen where you can access the “share” icon. You can access your safari app.
Open any website on Safari and used the share icon to select the “Add to Home Screen.” Once you accept and hit “add.” It will exit you out of the setup screen process. Good luck and Thank you for the comment.
I tested this on out 12.9 iPad Pro. And I was able to move apps within each folder, without they leaving first. A recent iOS update released for iPad Pros and some other model iPhones and iPads. Take a look under General > Software Update and see if any update is available for your iPad Pro.
If no update is available, do a forced restart by holding both power and home at the same time. Release when you see the Apple logo.
Another suggestion is to use your Dock as a “middle man.”
1) Drag the icon you want to move to the dock
2) Then navigate to your new location and pull the app from the dock to that place
So there is no longer a way to open an app in slide-over that is not in the dock, correct? Any app we open in slide over must already be in the dock. This is disappointing because it means I have to crowd my dock with apps.
You are correct in that you are no longer able to swipe from the top of your screen to reveal split screen apps. However, these multitasking gestures still work on iOS 11, including:
Return to the Home screen: While using an app, pinch four or five fingers together on the screen.
See the app switcher: Swipe up with four or five fingers or double-click the Home button. Then swipe right or left with one finger to find and open a different app.
Switch apps: Swipe left or right with four or five fingers to switch to a previously used app.
How many Favorites will fit on the dock of the 12.9″ iPad Pro? Also, is the Recent/Handoff section of the dock fixed at exactly three apps? Or can you drag the divider to the left to allow more in this area (assuming you haven’t completely filled the Favorites side)?
Thanks!
Rick, Great observations. We are hoping that this will continue to evolve and will have some features that will let users customize the dock further including being able to drag the favorites slider. So, far on 11B1, we have only seen the three apps with no feature to work around it. Thanks for your comment. We will continue to update the post as we uncover additional features.
Paul Barth says
I can’t add apps to my Dock. I have IOS 12.1.3.
SK says
Hi Paul,
First, close all your open apps by double pressing the Home Button and then swiping up towards the top of your screen to close them-do this for all apps until all you see is the Home Screen.
Then restart your iPad.
Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn all restrictions off, if any are on.
Next, visit Settings > General > Multitasking and disable Show Recents.
Finally, try adding an app to your iPad’s Dock. Make sure you are staying within the range of 11-15 total apps on your Dock–depending on model (iPad mini is 11 while iPad Pro 12.9 is 15.)
If your Dock is already full, you need to remove an app before you can add another.
Hope this helps,
Sam
Rita Wale says
Your website refers to “Minus Button” on app but this never appears, only the X for delete. I wish to remove the annoying Scrabble app from the Home Page Dock, but not delete the entire app. How do I do this ? Thank you. I have tried dragging the app to main home screen, but this still does not make it disappear from the Dock.
SK says
Hi Rita,
Try grabbing the app from the Dock and then moving into a folder on your Home Screen–this should work.
Nuff81 says
Yes, but how disable the dock from popping up within apps? If i’m In a game and move finger from low to high the dock appears… I don’t want that. Help please.
SK says
Hi Nuff,
Unfortunately, at this time (with iOS 11.4) you cannot completely disable the Dock, even when you’re in an app.
Please consider sending Apple your feedback and ask for this feature to be added for the dock in an update.
It’s also a good idea to send feedback to your game/app developer and let them know you’d like them to turn off the Dock from showing when playing games in Full Screen.
Sam
Tony says
How do u shut the docking feature off completely as it has cost me a ton of money because it interferes in the middle of gaming cause game to shut off an having me loss all my earn stuff
It’s horrible an if I can’t shut off will be the reason for me to get rid of ipad an switch to a windows base product
David Campbell says
My child has moved my dock to an un wanted place on my screen I want to get it back to the bottom but don’t know how
SK says
Hi David,
We’ve all been there with our kids! Let’s try and clear out some settings. First, close all open apps by pressing the Home button twice and then swiping up off the top of your screen all app previews–do this one by one for each and every app until none remain.
Then on your iPad, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings. This removes any personalized features, like accessibility settings, wallpapers, and clear out your WiFi passcodes. But it does not remove any data.
Finally, perform a restart by pressing the power button and sliding off. Wait 20-30 seconds and power back on. See if your iPad’s Dock is now in its usual place at the bottom of the screen!
If this issue perists, let us know.
SK
It should place your iPad Dock back to the bottom!
Lagrange says
There we go again. I upgraded ios and have to now spend hours to figure how to get rid of this dock feature that i don’t want!
Terrible! And guess what! I am not the only one. Not by far.
HOW DO I GET RID OF THE DOCK?
Barbara says
The stupid dock is not compatible with words with friends. Every time you go to put a letter on the board that stupid menu shows up. My mom has something similar to Parkinson’s and her hands shake. This menu crashes her game EVERY time she chooses a letter. Fix this
Ro says
Please, fix the problem of the dock at bottom of screen interfering with game play. When Playing Churchill Solitaire, if card stack extends downward to bottom of screen, invariably one MUST abandon the game because there is no way to move cards from stack, all that one moves is the irritating dock! I have had to abandon many of the most exciting games I can recall, because that stupid dock is in the way. Fix this HUGE ERROR. Make the dock removable during game play
SK says
Hi Ro,
We hear you adn certainly you are not alone! A lot of gamers are super frusrated by the appearance of the iPad Dock. Please consider submitting your feedback to Apple on fixing this issue for game play!
Apple says that iOS 12 (releasing later this year–publically in the Fall) is focusing on user experience so it’s more important than ever to submit your user experience requests!
SK
Lue Baty says
How can I disable the dock popping up constantly when I play a game such as Word. I go to the bottom to get my letters and the doc pops up and is in the way. Hate it.
Elizabeth says
Hi Lue,
Sadly, right now there is no way to disable the Dock on an iPad using iOS 11 (any versions.) Yet, this is certainly a feature request we hear a lot, especially from Gamers! Please consider sending your feedback to Apple and asking for this feature in a new iOS release.
You are not alone! Many people would love to see this option–the sooner, the better!
SK
Bad Kitty says
I hate the dock so much. It’s annoying me to death, I just want it gone.
Used your link to tell Apple what I thought, and didn’t mince words.
I’ll give them about 4 weeks to give me an option to get rid of it. If they don’t, I’m ditching my iPhone and iPad mini, and getting Samsung replacements.
– iPhone user since December 2006
Namjm says
The dock keeps appearing if I touch the screen within an inch or so of the bottom. This is extremely annoying in an app like Words with friends where you need to constantly touch the bottom of the screen to get letters. How can I get the dock to stop appearing in an app?
SK says
Hi Namjm,
You are not alone! I have that problem too and it drives me bananas, especially when deep in a game. And it impacts my score, which I really despise. Anyway, enough ranting. As of now, there is no way to stop the Dock from appearing. We’d love to see a toggle like iOS has for turning off Control Center’s Access Within Apps, for the very reason you describe.
Definitely provide Apple your feedback and request for this feature via this link: Feedback – iPad – Apple.
I know a lot of gamers (and plenty of other folks that don’t like seeing that constant Dock on-screen) that really really want to see this option for hiding the iPad Dock.
Cheers,
Liz
Larry says
Why my iPad message in the “dock”shows 2 messages, but nothing there when you open ap ?
Elizabeth says
Hi Larry,
Try restarting your iPad and see if those ghost messages go away.
If not, go to Settings > Messages and toggle off iMessage, wait 20-30 seconds, then toggle it back on to reactivate.
Liz
Liz says
It’s ok, I fixed it by turning off Handoff on my iPhone as well as my iPad.
Liz
SK says
Ah yes, that makes sense!
Liz
Liz says
Hi,
I’ve turned off all the allow multiple apps in settings, and show recent apps and suggestions but I am still getting the Facebook app appearing at the right hand side of my dock, uninvited, with a little alarm clock on it. How do I make it go away please?
SK says
Hi Liz,
Sorry to hear you’re having issues with your iPad Dock. It sounds like Facebook is in-process or in the queue for an app update. So first let’s update that app by going to the App Store App and tapping Updates. If you see Facebook listed, update it now (if connected to a good and stable WiFi or Cellular signal.) Once the app is updated, see if it disappears from your Dock. If not, double press Home and swipe it up off the top of the screen to fully close. Then restart your iPad. Hopefully, Facebook should no longer be there!
If after all that, Facebook is still hanging around your Dock, double-check that Show Recents is toggled OFF. If it is, tap on the app and drag it off the Dock to a new place on a home screen or in a folder.
If that didn’t help, let’s delete and then reinstall your FB app. Since all your FB data is stored on FB’s servers, you don’t lose any data. The best way to delete an app is via the Settings app.
Once deleted and reinstalled, it should not appear automatically in the Dock.
Hope something here works for you. Keep us posted if you can.
Cheers,
Liz
Ronnell says
How do you completely remove this horrible and extremely intrusive ipad dock..permanently? It’s on my screen blocking my awesome well paper n apps…i swear this is the last time i ever buy n ipad smg Tab s3 COMING SOON
Rose says
I like it. Great article.
The only thing I am not fond of is the screenshots – I think it should automatically save to your photos, and the home button to unlock, I miss the swiping.
But thanks for showing me how to disable the recent apps! Since that was a pain lol.
I like the new doc and update.
Doug Bobbett says
I like the dock display, however I have an issue whereby it moves offscreen to the left, hiding some icons. The only way to get it back is to reset the iPad. Happening with a lot of apps, including ones that came preinstalled.
SK says
Hi Doug,
This is not usual iPad Dock behavior. Please report it to Apple at this link: iPad Feedback at Apple.
And if your iPad is still under Apple Care (and maybe even if it isn’t), consider taking it into an Apple Store for them to look at.
SK
Rose says
I hate the new dock. I5 has caused me so many problems when it completely disappears. The only way to get it back is to turn off iPad and restart. It was a terrible idea and it should have been an option someone could do, not a default. These are the updates I hate.
Lloyd says
I have an iPad mini we’re the icon dock is on the left of the screen and when rotating from lportrait to landscape the dock is partly hidden how do I get the dock in the centre of the screen
SK says
Hi Lloyd,
Sorry to hear about your problems with the Dock on your iPad Mini. It must feel very frustrating to only see part of the Dock! First, try a forced restart by pressing and holding both the Power and Home buttons and maintain this hold until you see the Apple Logo on-screen.
If that doesn’t do the trick, reset all your settings. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings. This doesn’t remove or erase any of your data but does return any personalized settings like wallpaper, accessibility, and so forth to defaults. Also, it removes any stored WiFi passcodes so be sure to have these available to re-enter.
Cheers,
Liz
Ann Wilson says
Like Donna below, my dock keeps moving to the middle of the screen and the only way I can find to get it back to the bottom is to switch off and then restart my iPad (which is really inconvenient). Is there a way I can fix it to the bottom?
SK says
Ann,
Sorry to learn about your problems with the iPad Dock moving to the middle of your screen. Let’s try disabling Show Recent Apps and see if that makes a difference. Go to Settings > General > Multitasking and Dock > and turn off Show Recent Apps. Then do a forced restart by pressing and holding the Power and Home buttons until you see the Apple Logo on-screen, then release those buttons.
If you haven’t updated to iOS 11.2, considering doing so now. And if possible, update via iTunes instead of Over-The-Air (using Settings > General > Software Update.) iTunes updates are more stable and less prone to cause errors during updating and later use.
A final thought is to write down what app you’re currently using when this problem appears. It may be an app that’s causing this unusual Dock behavior so taking note of that app(s) might point you in the right direction. If you notice the problem occurring a lot on one or two apps, see if there is an update for those apps in the App Store. If not, think about deleting or offloading those apps to test your theory. Offloading apps keeps your app data and documents but removes the app itself, so later you can re-install the app and conenct to all your previous data.
Keep us posted. And let us know if you have any luck.
SK
Liz Bates says
Hi Eric,
You can turn off seeing what apps you are using the most on the right hand end of the dock by going to Settings >General >Multitasking & Dock > and TURN OFF Show Suggested and Recent Apps. Then you will only see the apps that you personally put on the dock. Hope this helps.
Liz
LBKCLB says
Just purchased first Apple device iPad Pro 12.9” 2nd gen 2017 [have all Samsung] but see there is no back and forward arrow keys and no DEL keys on the keyboard which are an absolute must. Are they hidden somewhere please. Cannot believe that a company such as Apple could overlook these. Samsung have the best keyboards of anyone on their devices and especially tablets. Also I am reading complaints about the dock at the bottom. Can I just say I am a huge fan and just love it.
Many thanks
LBKCLB
Elizabeth says
Hi There,
Sorry about your issues with your iPad Pro keyboard. Now there should be a delete button—it’s in the top right corner of your keyboard.
The arrow keys are a different story. iPhones used to have them in earlier iOS version but no longer with iOS 11. However, for whatever reason Apple chose not to add functionality on the iPad for arrow keys.
Instead of the arrow keys, You swipe with two fingers on the keyboard to move the cursor around. Give it a try! It’s actually a pretty nice feature.
Additionally, double tap your fingers on the keyboard and it selects the current word. If you double tap but keep prssing your fingers down on the screen on the second tap, you can select additional text.
It takes time to get used to. But once you get it down, it’s simple!
If you decide you really don’t like Apple’s keyboard, try a third-party option like ProType, Tempest, PadKeys, Gboard, and others. There is a good chance that A 3rd-party keyboard for iPad includes the arrow keys.
Hope this helps!
Best of luck,
Liz
Faye McIntosh-Janis says
Like many others, I hate the new Dock on my iPad Air. Hopefully Apple will listen and make it optional, rather than mandatory.
In the meantime, though, can you help me figure how to get rid of a Google Map icon that pops up on my Dock with a little clock in the corner? This occurs even if I haven’t used the app in days. Sometimes it disappears on its own, only to reappear again. Sometimes it goes away for a day or two. It’s driving me crazy!
SK says
HI Faye,
Sorry to hear about your issue with Google Maps on your iPad Air. I’m guessing that your Google Maps app needs an update, hence, why you see that little clock–that’s the update icon. To get rid of it, try updating your apps via the App Store, when connected to a stable and strong WiFi network.
We also recommend turning off Show Recent Apps under your Dock Settings. Go to Settings > General > Multitasking & Dock > Show Recents and toggle this setting off. It’s on by default and often toggles on after an iOS update.
Hope this helps!
SK
Nicole says
What a horrible idea…. sorry… I’m trying to work out how to disable or remove it…. I have set up an iPad for my son using my account but with limited things on it…. (and I need my account on there so I can access some things) and now whatever I open on my phone pops up on the iPad in the dock….. I can’t find anything on how to remove or disable it…..
Tammy says
Um, I like having the Dock visible and I’m swiping up from the screen bottom and the Dock does not re-appear. Help!
SK says
HI Tammy,
Most of the times a simple restart does the trick. Press the power or side button and slide off. Wait 20-30 seconds and power your device back on.
See if the Dock is now working. If not, try a forced restart by pressing and holding both the POWER AND THE HOME buttons, maintain this hold until the Apple Logo appears on-screen, then release.
See if your Dock now shows up.
If not, let’s check your Dock Settings.Go to Settings > General > Multitasking & Dock and toggle all these setting on.Then check again–if no change, perform another restart.
Once you get your Dock back, go back to your Multitasking & Dock Settings and make any changes to reflect what you want.
SK
Donna says
My doc keeps moving around on my iPad. Sometimes it’s in the middle of the page. I would like to remove it.
SK says
Hi Donna,
If you are referring to your iPad Dock, there is currently no option to completely remove it. You can have a blank Dock (a gray bar with with no apps in it.) To delete your Dock apps, either move them to one of your Home Screens or delete those apps entirely ( press and hold the apps in the Dock until they wiggle, then press the red delete button.)
SK
Dave says
Dock on iPad most annoying . When iPad turned in vertical position it blocks icons on page. Swiping down does not remove dock at all. You need to make this removable by user. Horrible “ improvement”!!!
James says
The new Dock is a nuisance.
I have been trying for weeks to avoid accidentally triggering it, but several apps, games, and videos I use have functions near the bottom of the screen. When I reach for them, out pops the unwanted Dock. When I try to put it away, my app thinks I have given it a command, so I am forced to make continuous corrections. Because of this flaw, working with OS 11 is awkward and time-consuming.
Where is the off button?!
SK says
Hi James,
Yup, quite a few folks feel the same way. At this time, there is no “off” toggle for the iPad Dock. But it certainly is a feature many folks would like to see in upcoming iOS 11 releases. The best way to provide Apple your experience and requests for changes to their UX is via their product feedback site.
Consider sending in some info. It’s one of the best ways to get data to Apple’s Development Team.
SK
Laura says
What are the symbols that sometimes appear on the apps on the dock?
Elizabeth says
Hi Laura,
Thanks for your question about the Dock. Could you let us know what symbols you’re seeing on your docked apps. I’m not exactly sure what you’re describing.
If you’re referring a number—that indicates new messages, emails, or other notifications for new things within the app itself. If you’re seeing an exclamation point, that means the app has not sucessfullly connected to the internet to download the latest and updated information.
Are you seeing anything else?
Let us know and we’ll get you that info.
Cheers,
Liz
Eric Talley says
I hate the dock function. I don’t want it to constantly remind me what I am using the most. Enough already! Can you please quit constantly cramming more ADHD thought-up crap to my iPad and iPhone. So much for Steve Jobs idea of keep it simple…
Clare says
Switch on my pad, tap an icon on the dock, stare in bafflement as something completely different opens. Yes, in spite of all my attempts to stop it (at the expense of half the functionality on my pad) the damned dock inserted a completely unwanted icon just as I tapped. This is the sort of behaviour that makes me despise Microsoft – what were Apple thinking? And it’s UGLY.
Kim Sikorski says
HOW DO I GET RID OF THIS STUPID DOCK ? I have an iPad mini 4 The dock is a total WASTE OF SPACE ON AN ALREADY SMALL SCREEN , if I had my way I would return this device for a full refund. I regret the day I purchased this “device”
The downward swipe does NOT work to get rid of this stupid waste of space. STOP TRYING TO FIX WHAT ISNT BROKEN. It’s NOT convenient !
SK says
Hi Kim,
Yes, there are quite a few folks out there that would like the option to completely remove or hide the Dock. Sadly, at this time there is no option for doing so. However, that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be. Your best bet to reach Apple’s attention (especially it’s product development department,) is to provide product feedback using Apple’s feedback site.
Please provide this feedback. Apple does look into issues, especially if multiple people report it.
SK
Lois says
Stop with the stupid gadgets and stay with USEABLE devices for ordinary users. I despise the dock. It opens sites I did not want just when I am trying to go to the one I want. The location is ridiculous.
Lynn says
Thanks for the great, easy to understand article. I love the dock. It does remind me of the Mac. Here’s my question…my dock on my iPad Pro used to always stay on, except while in an app. Just today, it started hiding itself, even outside of apps. It’s counterintuitive to have to swipe up to get to the items you want to use all the time (via dock). I don’t know why it suddenly started hiding. Anyone know how to make it stay on outside of apps?
GORDIE says
Is it POSSIABLE to PIN the dock on the bottom of the scree??? IF SO HOW???
SK says
Hi Gordie,
If I understand your question, you want the Dock to perpetually be at the bottom of the screen. Unfortunately, this is not an option to-date. The Dock slides down when you are actively using an app, to bring it back swipe up from the bottom.
Consider reporting your experience and request to Apple’s Feedback site.
They actually do read these! And some improvements over the years are a direct result of user requests.
Cheers,
Liz
Linda says
The new dock only lasted a few days, I have done loads of searches to find away to get it back but found nothing. I’d rather have the old dock than no dock.
Harris Sondak says
I HATE the new dock. I liked the picture of my kid as my wallpaper now that is obscured. How do I get rid of this thing….I don’t care that Apple’s engineers love it, I DO NOT.
And my ipad updated without my consent!
2017: The year I came to DESPISE Apple.
Agnes Nano says
There must be an option to totally remove the dock.
Geraldine says
Please disable the dock. It is useless
Keanu says
I look through all these comments and see people complaining about the new dock. Has it not occurred to anyone that this is a decent attempt to unify how the iOS and MacOS work? The dock is a welcomed change, as now instead of having only 6(?) favorite items, I can now have access to my most well used apps.
People, if you want change, don’t complain on a comment thread. Why don’t you complain to Apple? Then maybe they’ll do something about it. I mean, the chances they’ll revert the Dock change is less than 0%, but hey, at least you made a meager attempt.
Debbie Crawford says
Hate the dock. Can we get rid of it??
Liz says
Like many others here, I hate the new dock. Gets in the way and is really annoying.
Not keen on the new keyboard either, nothing wrong with the old one.
Want rid of the DOCK!!!
Scott says
This unremoveable dock is terrible! The swipe up to dock is fine, but just sticking it in there and taking up screen space sucks bigly!
Deb says
Since I can’t remove the iPad dock, how can I add the 2 items I use most, volume and brightness?
Elizabeth says
Hi Deb,
Sadly, you cannot add these Settings to your Dock. However, these controls are available by default in your Control Center. Swipe up to access them.
Linda says
More docking complaints. I have removed all aps from the dock and now have an empty annoying gray blob that does not swipe down. I want it gone please. And i want my keyboard uncluttered – how do it back to just one character per key? And why can I not stop having to select a network. I have chosen, asked not to ask, and have renewed lease so many times. I simply want to control my wifi signal – i want to use mine.
Susan says
Hate the ugly dock! Visual clutter (and why grey??). Give us the option of getting rid of it.
Attila Simon says
No,no,no,no!!!
Make the dock disappear right now. I don’t need it!
It simply irritates me! I hate it!
M says
I hate the dock. I don’t want to see that stupid dock. When I’m reading something on safari that cloying dock pops up when all I want is to scroll down. Please please find a way to turn off that maddening dock.
Kurt says
Hate the dock, I want it gone.
JohnR says
The dock on ipad is painful. It interferes with apps in use. For example : Trying to move the bar on a video is interrupted by the beeping dock!
Awful, and yet we get told how wonderful it is. Hmmm….
Dlk says
Hate the dock! Please get rid of it. It is frustrating to have this stuff forced on users. Why not give us the option to turn it off if we don’t like it?
Dlk says
Hate the dock! Please get rid of it. It is frustrating to have this stuff forced on users. Why not give us the option to turn it off if we don’t like it?
Tabitha says
I HATE this dock on my iPad!!!! Please give relief here with a patch that will allow users the ability to enable or disable this feature…..someone needs to evaluate the choices of the design architecture team….they are not in touch with real life users. SO frustrating!!! UGH!!!!
Liz says
Big big big mistake…. just updated and now have the HORRIBLE dock on my iPad. I need to get rid of it – when and how can I do this? Is there a way to “undo” the update?
Thanks
Susan says
Can’t stand the new dock! Is always in the way. Cannot just send apps away in a “puff of smoke” like Apple says; they just come back.
Please fix quickly.
Taryn says
Hate, hateeeee the dock! please find a way to permanently remove this. Thank you
Herve AARON says
I use an app and it gets on the dock!how can I customize my dock with only the apps i use all thetime? This dock is notlogical!
Tim says
Please give us a way to remove the dock.
Sherwood says
I used to be able to go to the top of a webpage by hold my finger at the top center of my screen. This is no longer the case. How do you go to the top of a page now?
Thanks
Rick says
I hate the dock. Please give us the option to remove it.
Wade says
Am I the only one disturbed by the fact there are no labels on any of the icons on the new dock? I’ve put folders down there, and now have little clue, other than recognizing a really tiny icon inside one, to know what it contains.
David Strawn says
PLEASE find a way to get rid of this stinking dock. I need it like I need a third leg
Keith Sindelar says
Just want to Remove/Delete/Disable the DOCK band-aid from the bottom of all my screens.
Was not pleased with this annoying feature in iso 11.
Bridget Nadeau says
Dear Apple,
In case you didn’t notice…THE WHOLE SCREEN ON AN IPAD IS A DOCK. The dock is great on the iMac where you want to access stuff quickly among a sea of stuff but since the screen on an iPad is so small, I can easily access any app I want right on the screen faster than I ever can on a dock..which now BTW takes up a huge portion of my screen and makes it look cluttered( looks like a white Band-Aid). Who do you get to test this stuff out??? I am NOT upgrading my phone..can you imagine that on a tiny screen..you’d have nothing but dock! How absurd! Please make it so we can completely opt out of the dock.
Elizabeth says
Hi Bridget,
Yes, a lot of people would like an option to completely remove the iPad Dock–so you are not the only one frustrated with this change. It’s unlikely that you’ll see the Dock on iPhones since as you point out there screens are a lot smaller! Perhaps the next version of iOS 11 will include a toggle to remove the dock. Who knows?
Thanks for the comment,
Liz
Jonathan says
Upon further reflection, the dock on an iPad is redundant at best, just visual clutter and consuming screen real estate at worst. It can’t be resized like an iMac (to make it less obtrusive) as far as I can tell. The iPad itself is one large dock. Anyone is free to rearrange icons as they see fit to group frequently used apps together, so the dock adds nothing.
blackmoore says
split also works on minipad 2
so, retina and up?
Jeff says
How do I prevent apps from showing up in the dock?
SK says
Jeff, Not sure if there is a setting to prevent an app from showing up in the dock. You can only drag the apps out of your dock and clear them out. Similarly, you can add new apps by dropping them into the dock. The one think you can try is to Tap on Settings > Search for “Multitasking & Dock” in the Settings search field. Once you locate it, Turn off the “Show Suggested and Recent Apps”. That should help!
Thank you for your comment.
Jonathan says
I’m with Ron on this. I don’t want to see the dock at all. How can I get rid of it? It’s not a feature. It’s a bug.
Ron says
How do I get rid of the dock altogether on my Ipad? I tried swiping it down, but that works marginally. I do not want it at all.
Elizabeth says
Ron,
I do not believe there is a way to get rid of the Dock altogether. It should only appear when you swipe up–but it always appears when swiping up Control Center. I’ll look into this more and if there is a way to disable it, I’ll let you know. And if you find a way, please let me know so I can share that info with others.
Cheers,
Liz
John Holmes says
“… Please note that you can use the split view functionality only on the iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation), iPad Air 2, or iPad mini 4. …”
Works on a mini 3
Elizabeth says
Hi John,
That’s great news! We’ll update that info reflecting that it works on Mini 3 too! Awesome.
Cheers,
Liz
Femisapien says
Another way to get rid of the dock during setup process is to restart using power and home buttons. Worked for me.
Zazme Yakuza says
I am trying to setup my ios 11 and I am on the iPad Analytics page and the dock is in the way of the continue button, how do I move the dock or remove it?
SK says
Zazme, We have seen this issue being reported by some users. Here is a convoluted workaround that seems to be working for the time being. We are pretty sure Apple will take care of this in the future beta releases.Getting stuck on the setup process because of the dock permanently blocking the way to click the boxes is not fun. Try this out. This is a tip from a regular reader.
Open an app by holding down the app and dragging it to the right hand side of screen where you can access the “share” icon. You can access your safari app.
Open any website on Safari and used the share icon to select the “Add to Home Screen.” Once you accept and hit “add.” It will exit you out of the setup screen process. Good luck and Thank you for the comment.
Bummer Boy says
Hi,
When I try to move apps within a folder on the iPad Pro, they leave the folder. Why is this?
Thanks
SK says
Hi Bummer Boy,
I tested this on out 12.9 iPad Pro. And I was able to move apps within each folder, without they leaving first. A recent iOS update released for iPad Pros and some other model iPhones and iPads. Take a look under General > Software Update and see if any update is available for your iPad Pro.
If no update is available, do a forced restart by holding both power and home at the same time. Release when you see the Apple logo.
Another suggestion is to use your Dock as a “middle man.”
1) Drag the icon you want to move to the dock
2) Then navigate to your new location and pull the app from the dock to that place
Hopefully, a software update solved the issue.
Cheers,
SK
Peter says
So there is no longer a way to open an app in slide-over that is not in the dock, correct? Any app we open in slide over must already be in the dock. This is disappointing because it means I have to crowd my dock with apps.
SK says
Hi Peter,
You are correct in that you are no longer able to swipe from the top of your screen to reveal split screen apps. However, these multitasking gestures still work on iOS 11, including:
See the app switcher: Swipe up with four or five fingers or double-click the Home button. Then swipe right or left with one finger to find and open a different app.
Switch apps: Swipe left or right with four or five fingers to switch to a previously used app.
Hope this clarifies!
SK
FergyR says
How many Favorites will fit on the dock of the 12.9″ iPad Pro? Also, is the Recent/Handoff section of the dock fixed at exactly three apps? Or can you drag the divider to the left to allow more in this area (assuming you haven’t completely filled the Favorites side)?
Thanks!
SK says
Rick, Great observations. We are hoping that this will continue to evolve and will have some features that will let users customize the dock further including being able to drag the favorites slider. So, far on 11B1, we have only seen the three apps with no feature to work around it. Thanks for your comment. We will continue to update the post as we uncover additional features.