Install and configure Plank on elementary OS

Plank is the lightweight dock traditionally used by the Pantheon desktop, and it remains a useful way to organise frequently opened applications on elementary OS. It provides quick access to programmes, window indicators, launchers, workspace controls and a small set of visual effects without turning the desktop into a resource-heavy dashboard.

On many elementary OS installations, Plank is already installed and running as the standard dock. The useful part of this guide is therefore learning how to identify the existing dock, install the package only when necessary, and configure it without creating a second dock that competes with Pantheon.

Check which dock is already running

Open Terminal from the Applications menu and check whether Plank is installed:

plank --version

If the command returns a version number, the package is present. You can also check the running process with:

pgrep -a plank

A running process usually means elementary OS is already using Plank for its default dock. In that case, do not launch another copy just to test a setting. Two docks can overlap, show duplicate application icons, consume extra memory and create confusing autostart behaviour after the next login.

If the command is unavailable, check the operating system version under System Settings. The exact desktop integration can vary between elementary OS releases, so it is worth confirming whether you are using the current Pantheon dock or a deliberately customised desktop. This is particularly useful on older refurbished laptops commonly sold through Australian computer resellers, where an earlier elementary OS installation may have been upgraded several times.

Before making broad system changes, make sure you have a recovery option. If a fresh installation becomes necessary, this Etcher USB guide explains how to prepare bootable media safely.

Install Plank from the package manager

When Plank is missing, refresh the local package information and install it with APT:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install plank

Enter your password when prompted. The password will not appear on screen while you type, which is normal in a Linux terminal. APT will show the package size and any dependencies before completing the installation.

You can also confirm the package state without installing it:

apt policy plank

This displays the installed version, if any, and the version available from the configured elementary OS or Ubuntu repositories. Using the distribution repositories is preferable to downloading an unrelated binary from a third-party website, since updates and dependencies are then handled through the normal software process.

Once installation finishes, start Plank temporarily with:

plank &

The ampersand returns control of the terminal while the dock runs. If the normal elementary dock was already active, stop this test rather than leaving two instances on screen. A second process is useful only when you are intentionally testing a separate dock configuration and understand how it will be started at login.

Open the preferences window

Plank’s settings are available by right-clicking an empty section of the dock. On some elementary OS themes, the menu appears only after holding the Ctrl key while right-clicking. Choose Preferences when it is available. You can also open the configuration window from Terminal:

plank --preferences

The preferences window normally contains sections for appearance, behaviour and docklets. Appearance controls include the theme, icon size, alignment, zoom effect, hide mode and screen position. Behaviour options cover intelligent hiding, auto-hide, window dodge and the delay before the dock slides into view.

Start with a moderate icon size, such as 48 or 56 pixels, then adjust it to suit your display. A 13-inch laptop with a high-resolution panel may need larger icons for comfortable use, while a 24-inch monitor in a home office in Melbourne can leave more room for a wider dock. If Plank looks slightly blurry, test a different icon size and check the display scaling selected in System Settings.

The bottom edge is the familiar placement, but the left or right edge can work better on a widescreen display because it preserves vertical space for documents and web pages. A centred dock usually looks tidy, while left alignment can make frequently used launchers easier to locate. Changes take effect immediately, so you can adjust one setting at a time rather than changing the entire layout at once.

Choose a theme and sensible behaviour

The default theme is usually the safest option because it follows the visual language of elementary OS. Other built-in themes may offer a transparent, matte or dark appearance, but a theme that contrasts heavily with the rest of Pantheon can make icons and window indicators harder to read. Keep the dock visually simple if you want the desktop to retain elementary’s restrained design.

Zoom enlarges icons as the pointer passes over them. It can be helpful on a small laptop, although a high zoom value may make the dock jump across the screen and obscure window controls. Auto-hide is another useful choice when screen space is limited. Intelligent hide usually keeps the dock visible until an application window would cover it, which is a good compromise for everyday work.

If the dock disappears unexpectedly, move the pointer to the configured screen edge and wait briefly. A hidden dock is often functioning normally rather than having crashed. Check whether the dock was moved to another monitor, especially after connecting a display in a Brisbane office or switching between a laptop panel and an external monitor.

Avoid enabling every visual effect at once on older hardware. Plank itself is light, but compositing, transparency and large zoom animations can make an older integrated graphics chipset feel less responsive. A plain theme, modest icon size and intelligent hiding provide most of the practical benefit without adding unnecessary animation.

Add and organise application launchers

To pin an application, open it and right-click its dock icon. Select Keep in Dock, or use the equivalent option shown by the current elementary OS version. The icon will remain after the application closes. To remove it later, right-click the pinned icon and clear Keep in Dock.

You can also drag an application launcher from the Applications menu onto the dock. Arrange icons by dragging them left or right. Put daily tools such as the web browser, Files, Terminal and an editor near the centre, with less frequently used software toward the edges. Separators can help distinguish work, communication and system utilities where the installed Plank version supports them.

The launcher name and icon normally come from the application’s .desktop file. If an application shows a generic icon or an unexpected name, the issue is usually with that file rather than Plank. Flatpak applications can also appear in the dock, though their launchers may use a different application identifier from an APT-installed version. Avoid pinning both copies unless you genuinely need them, or the dock may show what looks like a duplicate programme.

Custom launchers can be created in ~/.local/share/applications, but editing those files is best reserved for users who need a special command, environment variable or profile. For regular desktop software, pinning the application from the menu is more reliable and continues to work when the package receives an update.

Start Plank automatically at login

A manually started dock disappears after logout unless it is added to the session startup. First check whether elementary OS already launches Plank. Log out and back in, then run:

pgrep -a plank

If a process is present, the existing desktop session is handling startup. Do not create a second entry in a startup utility. Duplicate launch commands are a common reason for two identical docks appearing after login.

If your installation does not start Plank automatically, create a personal autostart file:

mkdir -p ~/.config/autostart
nano ~/.config/autostart/plank.desktop

Add the following contents:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Plank
Comment=Application dock
Exec=plank
OnlyShowIn=Pantheon;
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true

Save the file, close the editor and log out. The OnlyShowIn=Pantheon; line limits startup to the Pantheon session, which is useful if you sometimes choose another desktop environment. If the dock does not appear, remove that line temporarily and log in again, since some sessions identify themselves differently.

On a multi-monitor setup, test the arrangement after signing in rather than assuming the dock will appear on the preferred display. Connectors and monitor identifiers can change when a laptop is docked or undocked. This matters for Australian users moving between a home desk, a shared office and a portable setup, where the primary screen may change regularly.

Fix common display and launcher problems

When Plank refuses to start, run it from Terminal without the background symbol so that error messages remain visible:

plank

A message about an existing instance generally means the dock is already running. A missing theme or damaged configuration may require a reset. Close Plank first, then move its configuration directory rather than deleting it immediately:

killall plank
mv ~/.config/plank ~/.config/plank.backup
plank &

Plank will create fresh settings with its defaults. Your old launchers and preferences remain in ~/.config/plank.backup, allowing you to recover them if the reset fixes the problem. If the dock still fails, inspect the terminal output and check that your user account owns the configuration directory.

For icons that do not launch, right-click the entry and remove it, then add the application again from the Applications menu. A pinned launcher can become invalid after an application is uninstalled, renamed or replaced by a Flatpak build. Recreating the launcher is usually faster and safer than manually editing internal files.

If the dock is locked to the wrong screen edge, open Preferences and select the correct monitor or position. If Preferences cannot be opened, reset the configuration as described above. When graphical effects stutter, reduce zoom, disable transparency and choose a smaller icon size before investigating graphics drivers.

Keep the dock maintainable over time

Plank settings are stored in your home directory, so they normally survive package updates and system upgrades. Still, save a copy of ~/.config/plank before a major elementary OS upgrade if you have spent time arranging many launchers. A simple archive is enough:

tar -czf ~/plank-settings.tar.gz ~/.config/plank

Restore the archive only when needed, and avoid copying configuration files from a substantially different Plank version without checking the result. A clean configuration is often preferable after moving from an older release to a newer Pantheon session.

To remove Plank installed separately from the standard desktop, use:

sudo apt remove plank

Do this only after checking that the elementary desktop does not depend on the package for its normal dock. On a standard installation, removing it may remove or disable the familiar bottom dock. For a temporary test, stopping the process is safer:

killall plank

A well-configured Plank dock should feel almost invisible: it appears when needed, keeps important applications one click away and does not compete with open windows. For most elementary OS desktops, the practical setup is a moderate icon size, intelligent hiding, a familiar theme, a short set of pinned launchers and one carefully checked startup entry. Before changing anything else, verify that only one Plank process is running and that its launchers open the applications you actually use.