Utilities • Feb.10, 2019

Apple updates macOS pretty frequently, you know. Every year, you get some cool features too, like the Dark Mode in macOS Mojave.

HyperDock 1.8.0.1 Mac Crack Free Download Torrent HyperDock Crack adds the much-awaited features to the Dock. Just move your mouse over the Dock to select individual application windows and tabs, and use mouse clicks to quickly open new windows and more. Mac users often criticize Windows, but Microsoft’s operating system has many interesting features that work.

However, there’s something in macOS that Apple hasn’t really updated in the past decade — Dock.

Despite being the central element for navigation, macOS dock still lags. If you’re a normal user, the dock would be pretty smooth.

When you are a professional, there are more reasons to hate the dock than to love it.

Let’s have a look at where the default macOS dock falls behind.

Why is the default macOS Dock not enough?

Let’s consider things one by one.

First, as we said, Apple has brought no major changes to the dock in the last decade. On the other hand, Windows and Linux have made the launch-systems quite awesome. Windows, for instance, gives you an overview of the PC via the Start Menu.

The default dock on macOS has no window management features. Of course, you can use multi-finger gestures to move between full-screen windows. However, when you have too many windows on the screen, the Dock doesn’t help.

We also think the UI of the dock is pretty basic. Today, we need more control in handling multiple windows and applications. It’s great to have features like app progress icons, badges and activity. When I’m running 10 apps and 20 windows, that can be quite helpful.

Customization isn’t the best part about macOS dock. You can make a few changes to the way it looks, but it is not enough. Sometimes, you need a dock that blends in with your other UI and stuff, right? Well, Apple is not offering that now.

These are reasons for people to think of removing the dock from macOS.

A word on removing Dock from Mac

Ever thought of getting rid of macOS dock completely?

Unfortunately, that’s not possible. You can hide and rearrange the dock, but complete removal is not going to happen. This is because the dock is linked to some native functions in macOS. Removing the dock would tamper those features as well.

However, some of the dock replacement apps manage to hide the macOS dock so well. When you are using these apps, the old dock won’t bother you.

You basically have two options:

One, you can customize the macOS dock to suit your convenience.

Two, you can use a dock replacement app for an all-new experience.

Let’s talk about customization first.

Top tips to customize the macOS Dock

So, there are a few ways to customize how the dock looks and performs. Sometimes, this would be better than going for a fully-fledged dock replacement. Let’s check out some of the popular tips.
Getting Started: macOS has a few built-in utilities to customize the dock. You can access these settings by going to System Preferences -> Dock.

Size & magnification
You can adjust the display size of the dock. There is also an option to enable the Magnification effect. It also lets you choose how much it zooms into the icons.

Position on screen
You can arrange the dock at the right, left or bottom portion of the screen. If you are moving from something like Ubuntu, you may like the left position for Dock.

Auto-hide Dock
If the dock is distracting you all the time, you can enable Auto-Hide feature. This way, the dock will be hidden upon no activity. You can move the cursor to the bottom of the screen to reopen the dock.

Icon management
By default, dock shows the most-used apps on the bar, right? Well, you can remove individual icons from a context menu. Or, just hold the icon and put it on the Trash icon. Simple enough, isn’t it?

Miscellaneous
Dock Preferences also lets you change a few things like Minimizing Effect, double-click action on windows and what all icons are shown on the dock.

If you think these customization tips can solve your issues, you don’t need a dock replacement app. However, if you need more control over how the dock looks and performs, let’s continue.

Top apps to replace Dock on Mac

These apps basically replace the default dock on macOS.

This way, these apps can offer a rather new way to manage your windows, icons and more.

Shall we have a look at them?

The pick: uBar 4

uBar is the best choice when you want a complete dock replacement app for macOS. It’s quite rich when it comes to features and offers a revamped navigation experience as well. If you are looking for some radical change from what the default macOS dock offers, uBar is a great choice. It offers the perfect blend of cooler features and maximum control.

Getting started

It’s really easy to get started with uBar 4 on your Mac. Once the installation is done, you can open uBar and see the brand-new taskbar at the bottom of the screen. Yes, the basic design resembles the Windows task-bar you have seen before. However, uBar is cleaner and minimalistic.

By default, uBar would show the running apps on your Mac. You can click on the icon to move to the correct window as well. Depending on the application, uBar can offer Window Previews as well. It’s a feature you’d have missed while shifting from Windows to macOS, right?

On the left side of the taskbar, you can see a uBar icon as well. This feature is aimed to resemble the Start Menu in Windows. You can access a variety of material using this UI, such as applications, files and some part of system controls as well.

In short, uBar is offering a navigation experience that is quite different from that of macOS dock. Interested in the best part? uBar can practically hide the default macOS dock. Throughout our testing, we did not find the default dock popping up.

Altogether, it feels really easy to install and get started with uBar 4.

Window management

uBar 4 is the best shot when you want to manage multiple windows from multiple apps. This is where one of the best features of uBar comes in handy.

Window Grouping refers to the option of bundling multiple windows from a single app. For instance, if you have two windows open in Chrome, both of them will be displayed side-by-side.

Window Previews are also helpful here. This is something we’ve missed in the default macOS dock for long. You can place the cursor on an application window name to see what’s going on.

So, you can click on one window to jump straight into that.

There are also a few other cool things when it comes to window management. For instance, uBar shows a few icons to represent the state of the window. You can see a hatched red background if an application isn’t responding.

Similarly, uBar supports a few keyboard shortcuts as well. For instance, you can hold Shift button and press on a window to instantly close it. These keyboard shortcuts can be quite handy once you master it. Last but not least, you get features like App Progress, App Flashes and App Activity.

It feels really easy to manage multiple windows and apps when you have uBar.

Customization

uBar is undoubtedly the most customizable dock replacement app for Mac. You can change almost anything from the interface. Most importantly, you can configure uBar in two ways — as a task bar or as a dock. You just have to change a few settings to enable each of these modes.

Customization is available in almost every sector of the app. Generally, you can change how uBar appears on the screen. For instance, you can enable Window grouping, change the position of the task bar, enable or disable pinning and adjust the size of the task-bar.

You can also choose between different themes and color schemes. It’s wonderful that you can change even the accent color of the dock. uBar also lets you decide which elements are present on the bar. For instance, you can remove the clock and battery bar if you want more space for window management.

Last but not the least, you can also decide which entries appear in the menus. It’s great if you just want the most important entries in the menu. As far as customization is concerned, uBar can do everything Dock does. It also does more than what Dock hasn’t managed to do.

Additional features

There are a few additional features in uBar that we loved.

• Multi-Monitor Support is great when you have multiple displays connected to the Mac. Each display will have its own uBar, where the respective windows will be available. It’s a great way to take care of the apps conveniently.
• The Dock-Less Mode is easy to enable and disable. It practically removes dock from the macOS view, meaning that you can focus on what uBar has to offer.
  
• uBar comes with a built-in Clock and Calendar. You can hover over the icon to view both these things in an easy manner. In the long run, you will save a lot of time.

All these features go well with the minimal UI and design of uBar, which is great.

What could be better

There aren’t many flaws or bugs in uBar. However, we think the following aspects could be better.

It’d be great to have some pre-sets for uBar customization. Now, changing from taskbar to dock will require a few clicks. It would be great to get that done in a single click.

While the UI is great and cool, it’s surely a transition from the native design philosophy of macOS. At times, you may feel a little out of place.
Apart from these, everything’s perfect.

Availability & pricing

uBar is available for Mac devices running macOS 10.10 or later. You can try uBar free of cost for 14 days.

Personal license of this dock replacement app is available for $30 while you can get the Commercial one for $50. uBar is also available on Setapp.

Verdict

We still believe that uBar is the best dock replacement app for macOS devices. It’s a complete transition to something that looks like Microsoft Windows, but the features are worth it. By upgrading to uBar, you can enhance your overall productivity for sure. We think that’s something that matters.

Also great — ActiveDock

If you are looking for something different, ActiveDock is a great consideration. Unlike uBar, ActiveDock does not feel like transitioning towards the Windows User Interface. Instead, ActiveDock works as if your default macOS dock is on steroids. In other words, this dock replacement app brings some of the cool features we’ve always wanted in the default dock package.

Compared to uBar, ActiveDock focuses on how you can arrange different resources on the dock. You will be able to create folders and groups on the dock, for instance. You can bring in files and apps inside the groups for quicker access. There is also a start-menu-like system, where you can find the apps and other locations in your Mac.

ActiveDock is more customizable than the other dock replacement apps we have covered here. You will be able to change almost every aspect of the dock. For instance, you can change the icons present on the dock as well as the background colors and stuff. There are also a number of ActiveDock themes you can check out for the best performance.

Coming to Window Management, ActiveDock checks all the boxes. You have window previews and the whole management endeavour is pretty smooth. Despite being a third-party program, ActiveDock gels well with the macOS system. It should be noted, however, that ActiveDock is creating another dock and not making changes to the existing dock.

Long story short, ActiveDock is great if you need a dock replacement app that resembles the default dock. In this case, you are getting a lot of features in a simple package as well. We’d recommend this if you can’t handle such a steep shift we found in uBar.

ActiveDock is available for macOS and is priced at $49.99 for a lifetime license. You can get a one-year license for $19.99 as well.

Other options we considered

Now, let’s have a look at some other dock replacement or dock customization apps we considered. Though they didn’t make it to the top position, you can count these apps on for dedicated needs.

HyperDock is one of the coolest dock replacement apps in the market for sure. The best part about this app is that it does not remove your dock. Instead, it makes changes to your existing dock. For instance, it brings the much-awaited Window Preview feature to the default lock. This makes HyperDock the best choice when you don’t want to leave the good-old dock.

It’s true that HyperDock does not have many features. You have the basic things cleared for managing many windows and popular apps like iTunes. HyperDock can also show you quick details from Calendar app. If you ask us, this app makes it really easy to live with the default dock. Nevertheless, you end up paying an amount that could actually buy you a fully-featured tool.

HyperDock is available for macOS and costs $9.95.

Do you know that you can customize the function of dock using Terminal commands? Well, the Dockey app for macOS brings all these features into a simple UI. Dockey is not the typical dock replacement app we have covered above. It just lets you make changes to the dock in a few clicks. For instance, you can change the position and animation style of the dock.

As far as advanced dock preferences are concerned, Dockey gets the job done. Once you have changed the settings, you can save them and everything will come into effect. It’s pretty great that you can even adjust the animation delay and animation speed in the package. If you are looking for a rather polished dock in your Mac, Dockey should do the job.

Dockey is available for macOS and is completely free to use.

Overflow 3 is not a dedicated dock replacement app for Mac. Instead, we are looking at a visual launcher for macOS devices. It has been designed to help you easily launch programs and other content you want. Since you have the complete freedom to set things up, you will have a custom-made place to start everything. For instance, you can add your favourite apps as well as some important files.

Flexibility is the reason why you should consider something like Overflow 3. Once set up, you will have one centralized place to focus on. If you use multiple apps and files for work, you can add everything into one page in Overflow 3. Because the designs can be customized in the long run, you have complete control also. In addition, Overflow 3 comes with full keyboard support and URL compatibility.

Overflow 3 is available for macOS. You can try it for free, but the license costs $14.95.

The final verdict

We have talked about more than a few ways to deal with your under-efficient macOS dock. You can either move into a better dock replacement app like uBar or ActiveDock, for a smoother performance. On the other hand, if you need more control over how the default dock behaves, we’d recommend HyperDock or Dockey.

Unless you’re a big fan of Launchpad, you’d agree when we say that Dock is the center of navigation in macOS. It’s the first place you go to after starting up the Mac, you know. But, this does not mean that the Dock is perfect. Despite Apple’s continuous upgrades to the feature, there are a few downsides that may bother you. It’s exactly the point why we have sought some of the best Mac Dock customize app.

You have two choices here. You can use these apps and the Mac Dock side by side. Alternatively, you can go ahead and hide the dock. As of now, it is not possible to permanently disable the Mac dock. The maximum you can do is prevent it from showing up every time you open something. Either way, these Dock replacements will be worth your time.

Read: Best Weather Apps for Mac

Mac Dock Replacements app

1. DockShelf

DockShelf is one of the earliest dock replacements for Mac. It claims to let you create multiple docks when one is not enough. In many ways, that’s true too. You can have multiple sub-docks to keep things better organized and easy to access in the long run.

By default, DockShelf is placed at the left side of the screen. There are three different sections, for Places, Notes, and Apps. Hovering on the section icons will open up the sub-docks. For instance, you can find the usual apps in the Apps section. Unlike the traditional dock, DockShelf lets you keep extra links and even files for easy access.

Customization, however, isn’t the strong point of DockShelf. We found it really hard to customize the dock, even to find the Settings. You have to add/remove apps/places to the dock from the small interface. We do believe other Dock alternatives perform better than that. DockShelf offers a set of additional features such as Smart Folders and Desktop Docks.

Pros

• Basic and Intuitive
• Supports multiple docks

Cons

• Hard to Customize
• Rudimentary UI

DockShelf isn’t the dock for everyone. There are downsides, but it’s the best way to get started. You would know how to live without the traditional dock. Of course, there are additional features that can turn out pretty useful.

Check Out DockShelf ($4.99, free demo)

2. ActiveDock

ActiveDock is meant to be a better version of what Apple offers in macOS. It does not bring a big UI overhaul to the scene, though. You have an improved dock with amazing features and customizability. You can do a lot of things in ActiveDock: especially things you were not able to do in the traditional dock. To simply quote the developers, it’s the same dock, but better.

are the two awesome features we found in ActiveDock. In this dock, you can hover over the icon to see the current window. Even better, you can choose how to arrange the particular window. Simply click on the desired layout, and boom: everything is cleaned up. We loved the two features a lot.

ActiveDock does not let you down when it comes to customization too. From background color to the icons in use, you can customize almost everything on the dock. You can also create Groups and Folders for better organization of your files, apps, and folders. Compared to DockShelf, ActiveDock is easy to set up, maintain and use on a regular basis.

Pros

• Better Window Management
• Ultimate customization options
• Support Groups & Stacks

Cons

• Nothing major

ActiveDock is the best choice if you want a better dock on Mac. It does offer a bunch of superb features in window management. For someone who tackles multiple windows almost every time, ActiveDock is a great upgrade.

Check Out ActiveDock ($19.99, free demo)

3. HyperDock

HyperDock is not technically a dock replacement, but it does magic. It brings many features that you haven’t seen in the traditional dock. In effect, you’re using a different type of dock on the Mac. One thing we loved about HyperDock is that it’s tightly integrated with your Mac. There is no need to worry about glitches even in macOS Mojave.

For instance, when you hover over the Calendar icon, HyperDock will show you the available events. In the same way, you can control media playback by hovering over the iTunes icon. When it comes to the standard windows, you get a clean preview and management options. As the developer says, the app is bringing many of the awaited features to macOS dock.

HyperDock too offers ample options for customization. Because you are dealing with the traditional dock, it cannot change color or anything. Still, you can add options for window management and dock items. Simply put, HyperDock can boost your dock’s functionalities like never before. The best part is that you would not even know when HyperDock is running.

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• Brings features to the Dock
• Easy to implement and use

Cons

• Lacks customization options
• Doesn’t have many features

If you ask us, HyperDock is the fine-line between customization and productivity. It brings the best experience to the existing dock. This is great when we consider the limitations of other choices. At the end of the day, HyperDock should satisfy everyone.

Check Out HyperDock ($9.95, but it has a limited free version too.)

4. uBar

uBar is perhaps the most popular and trustworthy Dock replacements for macOS. It is packed with a number of features that can redefine your macOS navigation experience. Window Previews, Pinning, Multi-Monitor Support are just some of the features included in the package. This Dock replacement is expected to enhance your productivity.

You can configure uBar as a dock or as a taskbar. When configured as a taskbar, this app resembles a good old Windows taskbar. The active apps are stacked on the bar. When you hover over the icon, uBar shows a preview too. The bar also contains a few extra sections like Calendar, Clock and shortcuts to Desktop, Trash etc. The bar menu seems to resemble the Windows Start menu in many ways.

If you ask us, though, the best part about uBar is customization. You can customize how this navigation app looks and performs. Just like you do in Dock, uBar can be placed on three sides of the screen. There is also a bunch of advanced customization when it comes to themes, Pinning etc. In short, uBar can your own in many ways.

Pros

• A Productive UI
• Advanced Window Management
• Plenty of Customization options

Cons

• Nothing Major

uBar is indeed one of the best alternatives to Dock. It offers ample space for customization and features. Thanks to multi-monitor support and window management, it would be useful for professionals as well. At the end of the day, we’d recommend it to everyone.

Check Out uBar ($30, 14-Day free trial)

Mac Dock Customize App

1. Dockey

Dockey isn’t a Mac dock alternative but more like Mac dock customize App. Nevertheless, it can improve the overall Dock experience in the long run. You can use Dockey to speed up and optimize the Dock. You will have to do these things otherwise using Terminal, which is hard. If you think the options given below aren’t that good, we’d recommend going for Dockey.

It’s a completely free app, which is easy to use. Simply launch the program, make the changes and save the Settings. Your Dock will be optimized in no time. Sounds awesome, right?

Check Out Dockey (free)

2. Replacement icons

Like most OS, macOS also allow you to install your own custom icons for favorite software and system components. However, find good icon packs for your macOS is a challenge. Fortunately, there are few artists who handmade replacement icons for macOS.

To change the application or system icon,

• Open the icon in Finder and press CMD + I to bring up Get Info pop-up menu.
• In the Get Info window that opens, you’ll see a thumbnail icon in the top left corner of the window.
• Click the thumbnail icon and Press CMD + c to copy the icon to the clipboard

Now, go to the Application folder on your Finder and select the application you want to personalize. Repeat the previous steps, i.e. press CMD + I to bring up Get Info pop-up menu. And this time, click on the thumbnail you want to change and press CMD + v to replace the icon.

Check Out Replacement icons and Mac Replacement Icons (Free)

The Bottom Line

Here you have seen four different apps that can be an alternative to the traditional dock on macOS. Most of the tools are freemium and you can check out the demo anytime. Coming to the options, we’d recommend uBar if you’re looking for some serious change and customization options. As we said, uBar brings a Windows task-bar feel to the whole macOS interface. On the other hand, if you want to boost the existing dock’s functionality, HyperDock would be something impressive. Also, let us know which one is your favorite.

Read: Get Microsoft Paint for Mac With These 5 Apps