Why does DockAlly need Accessibility access?

To read where your Dock icons are, so a creature can run to the app you just opened, and to put windows back where you saved them. It reads positions. It never types, clicks, or reads your screen.

Will it mess up my Dock?

Your Dock is backed up before the first change, and "Restore Original Dock" puts it back exactly. Each folder keeps its own sort order and view. DockAlly never changes those.

Does the Dock flicker when a profile switches?

macOS restarts the Dock to change it. DockAlly covers that moment: glass tiles wrap each icon, gather into one bar while the Dock reloads behind it, then split over the new icons and fade away.

How much does it slow my Mac down?

With all seven creatures it sits around 15 to 25 per cent of one core while they move, and drops when they sleep or the Dock is covered. The main thread stays free, so nothing else feels slower.

Can I turn the creatures off and keep the Dock profiles?

Yes. Hide them from the paw menu and the profiles, workspaces and focus timer carry on without them.

Does it work on a Mac without a notch, or on an external display?

Yes. DockAlly follows the Dock itself: bottom, left or right, on whichever display it is on. It gets out of the way in full screen.

How to add spaces between apps in your Mac Dock

Short answer

Run defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '{"tile-type"="spacer-tile";}'; killall Dock in Terminal. A blank space appears at the end of your apps. Drag it where you want it. To remove it, drag it out of the Dock.

macOS has no button for this, but the Dock has supported blank spacer tiles for years. Spacers let you group apps, for example browsers together, then a gap, then your code tools. It makes a long Dock much faster to scan.

Add a normal spacer

Open Terminal and run:

defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '{"tile-type"="spacer-tile";}'; killall Dock

Run it once for each spacer you want. Each one appears at the end of the apps section, and you can drag it anywhere.

Add a smaller spacer

A half width gap looks a little neater:

defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '{"tile-type"="small-spacer-tile";}'; killall Dock

Add a spacer on the right side, near the Trash

The right side of the Dock holds folders and stacks. To put a gap there, use persistent-others instead:

defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-others -array-add '{"tile-type"="spacer-tile";}'; killall Dock

Remove a spacer

Drag the spacer up out of the Dock until you see Remove, then let go. Or right click it and choose Remove from Dock.

Grouping without the Terminal

DockAlly does this for you. In each Dock profile you put apps into groups, and it writes the gaps into your real Dock when you switch. Your Coding Dock and your Designing Dock can be grouped differently.