Add Transparent Separators to Mac Dock - How To

Introduction

Your Mac's Dock can quickly become cluttered and disorganized. With transparent separators (also called spacers), you can group your apps in the Dock and create better organization. This guide shows you how to do it.

What are Dock Spacers?

Dock spacers are invisible placeholders that you can insert between your apps in the Dock. They help to:

• Group apps by category
• Separate work and personal apps
• Highlight frequently used apps
• Make the Dock more organized

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Open Terminal

Open Terminal on your Mac:

• Via Spotlight search (CMD + Space) → type "Terminal"
• Or: Finder → Applications → Utilities → Terminal

2. Add Spacer

Copy the following command and paste it in Terminal:

defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '{"tile-type"="spacer-tile";}' && killall Dock

Press Enter. The Dock will restart and a spacer will appear.

3. Position Spacer

The new spacer appears at the end of the Dock. Drag and drop it to the desired position between your apps.

4. Add More Spacers

Repeat step 2 for each additional spacer you need.

Remove Spacers

To remove a spacer:

1. Click and hold the spacer in the Dock
2. Drag it out of the Dock
3. Release - the spacer disappears with a "puff" effect

Alternative Commands

Spacers for the Right Dock Area

For spacers between folders and the Trash:

defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-others -array-add '{"tile-type"="spacer-tile";}' && killall Dock

Create Small Spacers

For narrower spacing:

defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '{"tile-type"="small-spacer-tile";}' && killall Dock

Practical Tips

• Grouping: Use spacers to group similar apps (e.g., all Adobe apps together)
• Workflow: Separate work apps from entertainment apps
• Visual hierarchy: Place important apps between spacers for better visibility
• Don't overdo it: Too many spacers make the Dock cluttered again

Troubleshooting

If the commands don't work:

• Make sure you copied the command correctly
• Check if Terminal has the necessary permissions
• Restart your Mac and try again
• If you have problems, our support team is happy to help

Conclusion

With transparent separators in the Dock, you can make your Mac workspace much more organized. Setup takes just a few minutes and can noticeably improve your daily workflow.