macOS Dual Monitor Dock Setup: What Apple Doesn’t Tell You

If you’re running a dual-monitor setup on macOS, you’ve likely asked:

“Why does the Dock only show on one screen?”
“Why does it jump between displays whenever I move my mouse?”

It’s one of macOS’s most frustrating limitations: you only get one Dock, and it lives on your active monitor.

In this article, we’ll explain why this happens, and how to set up a better, more customizable dock experience — one that actually works with multiple monitors.

---

🤦 Why macOS Only Shows One Dock

Here’s the deal: Apple’s Dock is coded to appear on the screen that’s currently active — meaning, the one where your mouse touches the bottom edge.

You can’t:

• Lock it to both screens
• Duplicate it
• Pin it in different positions per monitor

This is by design. But for anyone using two or more monitors daily — especially developers, designers, or productivity nerds — it’s a huge workflow killer.

---

😡 Common Complaints from Dual Monitor Mac Users

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone:

• “I keep moving my mouse to the second screen but the Dock isn’t there.”
• “I want a dock for each screen so I don’t keep switching focus.”
• “Can I have a permanent Dock on both monitors?”

Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t currently allow this — and even in macOS Sonoma, this behavior hasn’t changed.

---

✅ The Better Way: Docks on Every Monitor

Enter extraDock — a lightweight macOS utility that solves this exact problem.

With extraDock, you can:

• Create multiple floating docks across any screen
• Customize each one with different apps
• Keep the original macOS Dock intact (no system hacks)
• Improve speed, focus, and flow on dual displays

It’s the Dock experience Apple never shipped.

---

🛠️ How to Set Up extraDock for Dual Monitors

1. Download extraDock
2. Install & Open the app and grant permissions (once)
3. Click “Create New Dock”
4. Drag the Dock to your second monitor — and pin to top, bottom, left, or right
5. Repeat if needed for a third screen or different layout

You now have permanent, screen-pinned docks — no more switching, no more chasing.

---

💡 Real-World Use Cases

Here’s how Mac users are putting extraDock to work:

• 👨‍💻 A developer puts communication apps (Slack, Mail) on the left monitor, and code tools on the right.
• 🎨 A designer pins Figma, Photoshop, and asset folders to a side Dock on their tablet display.
• 📊 A remote worker keeps folders and productivity tools on a vertical monitor, freeing up main space.

---

👉 Ready to Stop Fighting Your Dock?

The macOS Dock was built for laptops. extraDock is built for modern workspaces — multi-monitor, high-performance, flow-state setups.

Give yourself a better way to work.

➡️ Download extraDock now

---

🔗 Related Reads

• How to Add an Extra Dock to Your Mac in 2 Minutes
• Floating Dock on macOS: Myth or Possibility?
• macOS Dock Alternatives Compared: From DragThing to extraDock

---

Written by Frank Karro, indie dev behind extraDock — because one Dock is never enough.