How to Turn Off Recents on Mac
If you’re a Mac user and find the Recents feature cluttering your Dock, you might be wondering how to turn it off. The Recents feature, which displays a list of recently opened apps and documents, can be convenient for quick access but can also be distracting or take up valuable space on your Dock. In this article, we’ll guide you through the steps to disable the Recents feature on your Mac.
Step 1: Open the Apple Menu
The first step to turning off the Recents feature is to open the Apple Menu. Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen, which will reveal a dropdown menu.
Step 2: Select System Preferences
From the Apple Menu, select “System Preferences.” This will open a new window with various options for customizing your Mac’s settings.
Step 3: Click on Dock
In the System Preferences window, you’ll see a list of options on the left-hand side. Click on “Dock” to access the settings related to your Dock’s appearance and behavior.
Step 4: Disable the Recents Feature
With the Dock settings open, you’ll see a list of options on the right-hand side. Look for the “Show Recents” option and uncheck the box next to it. This will disable the Recents feature, and the list of recently opened apps and documents will no longer appear on your Dock.
Step 5: Close System Preferences
After disabling the Recents feature, click the “Close” button in the upper-left corner of the System Preferences window to save your changes and close the window.
Alternative Method: Using the Terminal
If you prefer using the Terminal to make changes to your Mac’s settings, you can follow these steps:
1. Open the Terminal app, which can be found in the “Utilities” folder within the “Applications” directory.
2. Type the following command and press Enter: `defaults write com.apple.dock show-recents -bool false`
3. Restart your Mac for the changes to take effect.
By following these steps, you should be able to successfully turn off the Recents feature on your Mac. This will help keep your Dock cleaner and more organized, allowing you to focus on the tasks at hand.
