How to Create a Recent Applications Stack in the Dock

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Posted September 16, 2008 at 8:41pm by Shalom Levytam

These are instructions on how to create a stack of recently accessed applications in your dock.

Step One
Launch Terminal from your Applications:Utilities folder

How to Create a Recent Applications Stack in the Dock

Step Two
Type in the following command to add the stack to your dock:
defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-others -array-add '{ "tile-data" = { "list-type" = 1; }; "tile-type" = "recents-tile"; }'

Step Three
Enter the following command to restart your dock:
killall Dock

Step Four
Notice you will now have a convenient stack of your most recently accessed applications. If you no longer want the stack you can just drag it off the dock!

Thanks***: Thanks to TUAW who first posted this hint

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Tim - October 10, 2011 at 9:43pm

Just tried this, and it didn't work :-( but looks like I'm not the only one. Guessing maybe only works with Leopard and/or Snow Leopard? I'm running Lion

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Jim - November 30, 2010 at 10:32am

Or you could just use Windows and then you'll already have this on your start menu.

Bender - October 1, 2009 at 9:52pm

Or you could just put your applications folder as a stack

Jamie Graham - September 15, 2009 at 11:29pm

I also tried this and it also killed my dock - it will not appear, even after restart and everything else I can think of. I have tried a bunch of searching and can't get the dock back. I would not recommend this "tweak".

Jamie Graham - September 15, 2009 at 11:39pm

Update: somehow the dock preferences file got corrupted. I didn't have a backup of it so I just trashed the preferences file and set up dock up the way I liked it again. To find the dock preferences file go to home/library/preferences/ the two preferences files are com.apple.dock.db and com.apple.dock.plist

Dee - September 18, 2008 at 8:33pm

i tried it and my dock completely disappeared and didnt come back after a restart.. anybody have a solutuion for this? i tried "killall dock" and nothing happened.. also widgets dont work anymore and programs dont minimize either

Macopoulos - September 17, 2008 at 3:15am

Nice one.. and i've just completed re-stacking my apps! ;)

Mack - September 16, 2008 at 11:41pm

Hmmm...can this work on the iPhone aswell?

zeiesfirdaus - September 16, 2008 at 9:23pm

never mind .. it did :-)

zeiesfirdaus - September 16, 2008 at 9:21pm

didnt work i even did the "su" shit and all in terminal