DockView — Window Previews for the macOS Dock
DockView
Hover. Preview. Click. Done.
How DockView works
- Hover any app icon in your Dock — even apps you forgot were open.
- See every open window — live thumbnails with titles, instantly.
- Click the one you want — it jumps to the front, in the right Space.
The window you need is right where your cursor already is — over the icon you were going to click anyway. Works with Stage Manager, multiple displays, and full-screen Spaces.
Why DockView
- See before you switch. Stop opening the wrong window — preview every one before clicking.
- Sits above your Dock.
- Hardware-accelerated. Built on Apple’s ScreenCaptureKit — instant thumbnails, zero stutter.
- Lightweight. Under 10 MB, no Electron, no background polling.
- Quiet. No ads, no nags, no telemetry.
A Dock preview no one else has
Every window previewer stops at app icons. DockView goes further — hover any window minimized in your Dock and its preview pops up instantly.
Stage Manager previews
Hover a group in the Stage Manager strip — see a preview of every window in it, then switch to the one you want.
Hover the group. Pick the window.
Choose how the panel arrives
Seven ways for the preview panel to show up, from a lively bounce to no animation at all, and a speed slider from half to double. Pick the one that matches how you work.
Appearance → Animation
Every window, one keystroke away
Press ⌥ ⇥ and DockView lays out every open window, including the ones on other desktops and in full screen. Three views to pick from: a grid, a carousel, and a plain list that needs no thumbnails at all. Keep holding to browse, release to land.
Put any window exactly where you want it
Press ⌥ ⌘ F and a compact panel appears with every layout macOS itself knows — halves, quarters, three‑up, fill, centre, and side‑by‑side arrangements. Pick one and the focused window snaps into place.
Your Dock, numbered
Hold ⌃ ⌥ and every app in your Dock gets a number. Press it to switch to that app. The order matches your Dock, and the numbers can stay on the icons for good if you prefer. Off by default; turn it on in Settings.
Previews or App Exposé, on the same hover
macOS can lay out every window of one app on its own, without previews. That feature is App Exposé, and DockView can call it: as the panel replacement, or on a held key, so you get previews by default and the system layout the moment you press it. Hold the key after you started hovering and the view changes right away.
Prefer the plain system Exposé? DockView does it too: point at a Dock icon and the windows spread out. Nothing to press, and the preview panel has a button for it.
Frequently asked questions
Will DockView slow down my Mac?
No. DockView uses the same ScreenCaptureKit framework that Mission Control and AirPlay use, plus Apple’s window-management APIs. Previews are captured only when you hover the Dock — there is no background polling, no daemons running when you’re not using it.
Does DockView replace the macOS Dock?
No — DockView works alongside your existing Dock. It adds a preview popover when you hover any app icon. Your Dock keeps working exactly as before.
What permissions does DockView need, and why?
Two permissions: Accessibility to detect which windows each app has open, and Screen Recording to capture thumbnails. macOS requires both for any app that shows live previews of windows belonging to other apps. DockView captures nothing without your hover and stores nothing on disk.
Is DockView a subscription?
No. One-time purchase, lifetime use. Free updates for the entire v2 line.
Can I try it before buying?
Yes — the download above is the full app with a free trial. Use every feature, then decide.
How is DockView different from Mission Control?
Mission Control shows every window across every app at once — useful but overwhelming. DockView shows only the windows of one app, exactly when you’re already pointing at it.
How do I get help or report a bug?
Use the Contact Us form on this site, or email us directly. We reply to every message — usually the same day.
Does DockView work with auto-hide Dock?
Yes. Preview appears in the correct position above the icon — whether your Dock is always visible or set to auto-hide.
What’s new
Latest release: 2.2.5 — a hotkey fix. With the window switcher turned off in Settings, ⌥Tab is no longer intercepted and goes to other apps again.
Before it, 2.2.4: hover a Dock icon for live previews or the system App Exposé, with a key of your choice to switch between them. The preview panel gained a Show All Windows button, and Settings became two tabs — Preview and Appearance.
Try DockView — free for 14 days
No account, no credit card. $14.99 if you keep it.
System requirements
macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Intel or Apple Silicon Mac.
Requires Accessibility and Screen Recording permissions.