Sidebar
Try a Dock alternative
Mac
Version 2.1.1
macOS 13.0 or later
47.5 MB
1 languages
Replace your Dock with Sidebar for additional functionality and more customization options. Preview app windows and the contents of your folders, control multimedia directly in the sidebar, leverage the integrated calendar, set custom app icons, and more with Sidebar.
Replace Dock with customizable sidebar
Preview app windows and folders
Control multimedia and view calendar
Use with multiple screens
Sidebar features
Use in place of your Dock
Sidebar is an alternative for your Dock on Mac — quickly access apps, folders, calendar, and more. Change the look of your desktop and streamline your work with this handy helper. Don’t like windows sliding under your Dock? Sidebar has the option to reserve space so that windows can’t go under it.
Preview app windows
Preview the contents of your open windows by simply hovering over the app icons in your sidebar. Similarly, you can take a peek inside your open folders to view the files in them.
Access multimedia controls
Control your multimedia from the sidebar — view what content is playing and hit play or pause without opening an app. You can also adjust system sound or mute it in your sidebar.
Clear apps off the screen in a click
With Sidebar, to clear your screen immediately, use Clear View. This feature instantly hides all your apps, leaving you free to interact with your desktop.
Customize for multiple screens
If you have multiple screens connected to your Mac, you can tailor the sidebar for each and enjoy personalized layouts made exactly for the tasks you perform on each of them!
Adjust the look
Select your sidebar style and color, set it to float, decide on the degree of background blur, and set custom icons for each app. Manage your schedule seamlessly from the app with an integrated calendar.
Ratings and reviews
Sidebar
•
276 ratings
Mike Glenn
Jul 1, 2026
App version: 2.0.8
This app has come a long way. They dev put a lot of work into making Sidebar a worthy Dock replacement. Dock replacements I tried in the past didn't provide enough over the default macOS Dock to make them worthwhile. But with all the improvements, I gave Sidebar another try. Now, it's my default dock. I believe the the 70% approval rating should be much higher—especially among power users. Casual users may not have the patience to learn the many customization options or they just haven't tried Sidebar in a long time. It has improved to the point where I no longer even think about going back to the default Dock.
Brandon Gottshall
Jun 24, 2026
App version: 2.0.8
Wouldn’t do a day without this. ✋
Tony Meredith
Jun 6, 2026
App version: 2.0.8
It seems to have an issue with Safari: when I open a window/tab running a video the icon in Sidebar shows the video controls and will not switch back unless I close Safari and reload… it’s annoying so I am going to delete the app and try something else.
Response from Developer
Jun 8, 2026
Hi there! Thank you for your feedback. When using the multimedia controls in Sidebar, this just mirrors what the system reports. In some cases, multimedia controls could remain visible in browsers because the macOS Control Center also still shows those multimedia controls. I assume that you are no longer using Sidebar, but in case you are still interested, I'd be more than happy to have a look at the specific issue that you are experiencing. Feel free to reach out to me directly via email to support[at]sidebarapp.net
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Try a Dock alternative