Can You Move the Dock to the Top of the Screen on Mac? (Plus Vertical Docks)

You can move the macOS Dock to the left, bottom or right edge of the screen in System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Position on screen. You cannot put it at the top: Apple's setting offers only those three edges (Apple Support: Desktop & Dock settings).

Short answer: for a bar of apps on the top edge, or a second, vertical dock next to the normal one, the best app, in my opinion as its developer, is Jetty: up to four bars on the top, bottom, left or right edge, or floating, each with tabs of one-click tiles. It is a $9.99 one-time purchase on the Mac App Store and needs macOS 14 or later.

Disclosure: I build Jetty.

How to move the Dock to the left or right

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click Desktop & Dock.
3. Under Position on screen, choose Left, Bottom or Right.

You can also Control-click the Dock's divider line and choose a position from the menu.

A side Dock is a vertical dock: icons stack top to bottom. On a wide display, that leaves more height for documents and web pages, which is why many people prefer it.

Why the top edge is not an option

The top edge belongs to the menu bar, and macOS does not offer a Dock position there. Terminal tweaks that circulate online change things like Dock delay or size, not a top position.

A bar of apps on the top edge

Jetty bars can sit on any of the four edges, including the top, and new bars start there. Each bar can be aligned to the start, centre or end of its edge, so a top bar can sit in the middle, under the menu bar, or in a corner.

• Tabs inside each bar, for example "Work", "Dev" and "Personal".
• Tiles for apps, files, folders (a click lists the folder's contents), websites and Shortcuts.
• 1 to 6 rows on a top or bottom bar, 1 to 6 columns on a side bar, in three tile sizes.

A second, vertical dock

Keep the macOS Dock at the bottom for running apps and add a Jetty bar on the left or right edge as a vertical dock for project files, folders and links. Or move the Dock to one side and give the other side to Jetty. Up to four Jetty bars can be on screen at once; two pinned bars can't take the same edge position, so Jetty keeps them from overlapping.

Floating anywhere

Click the lock on a Jetty bar to unlock it, then drag it wherever you like. Click the lock again and the bar snaps to the nearest edge.

Limits to know

• Jetty bars are placed on the main display; they don't follow you to a second screen.
• Jetty adds bars next to the macOS Dock; it does not move or change the Dock itself.
• There is no keyboard shortcut to show a Jetty bar; use Jetty's menu-bar item.

For other apps that add docks, including ones that put a dock on every display, see the best dock apps for Mac. To tidy the Dock you already have, read how to remove apps from the Dock and how to hide the Dock.

How we checked

On 2026-10-10 we read the Apple Support pages linked on this page for the built-in steps, and checked every Jetty detail against the app's source code and its App Store listing, collected on the facts page. I build Jetty.

FAQ

Can I put the Dock at the top of the screen on Mac?

No. The macOS Dock can be on the left, bottom or right edge only. To get a bar of apps on the top edge, our pick is Jetty (I build it).

How do I make a vertical dock on Mac?

Set Position on screen to Left or Right in System Settings > Desktop & Dock. For a second vertical dock, add a Jetty bar on the other side.

Can I have the Dock on the side and another bar at the top?

Yes, with a dock app. Move the macOS Dock to the side and add a Jetty bar on the top edge; in my opinion as its developer, Jetty is the best fit for exactly that layout.

How do I move the Dock back to the bottom?

Open System Settings > Desktop & Dock and choose Bottom under Position on screen.

Get Jetty on the Mac App Store. $9.99 one-time purchase, macOS 14 or later.