Using elementary OS’s app tray without losing track of your work
The dock is one of the quickest ways to make elementary OS feel like your own desktop. It gives favourite applications a permanent home, shows which programs are open, and lets you move between active windows without returning to the Applications menu each time. For a new user, it can look deceptively simple because several different jobs are handled by the same row of icons.
In everyday use, the app tray is best understood as the dock and its application indicators, rather than the small status area in the top panel. Pinned icons are shortcuts you choose to keep. A running application may appear there temporarily, even when you have never pinned it. Separating those two ideas makes the dock much easier to organise.
This is especially useful on a laptop used in several places. You might start work on the train into Sydney, continue at a café in Fitzroy, then connect to an external monitor at home. A tidy dock keeps the tools you use repeatedly—web browser, Files, mail, calendar and a terminal—available without filling the screen with permanent shortcuts.
The instructions are broadly applicable across recent elementary OS releases, although labels and visual details can vary slightly between versions. The important habits remain the same: pin only regular favourites, recognise the marker for an open program, and remove clutter when your routine changes.
How the dock separates favourites from open apps
A pinned application stays in the dock after you close it. This makes it a permanent shortcut, much like placing a frequently used program on a shelf. An unpinned application appears while it is running and normally disappears after its final window closes. The dock therefore combines a launcher with a compact overview of current activity.
The visual marker beneath or beside an icon identifies an active application. Depending on the elementary OS release and the dock’s presentation, you may see a small dot or another subtle indicator. That mark is different from the icon itself: the icon means “this application is available here”, while the mark means “this application currently has a running process or window”.
Clicking a pinned icon usually launches the app when it is closed. Clicking an icon for an already open application brings its window to the front. If several windows are open, elementary OS may show a window picker or cycle through them according to the current dock behaviour. This is generally quicker than searching through workspaces or pressing Alt+Tab repeatedly.
It is worth learning this distinction before adding lots of shortcuts. If you mistake every visible icon for a favourite, the dock can become crowded with one-off tools, installers and documents opened by another application. A little restraint keeps the app tray useful during a busy afternoon.
Pin a regular favourite to the dock
The simplest method is to launch the application from the Applications menu. Once its icon appears in the dock, right-click it and choose the option to keep it in the dock. The wording can vary slightly, but it will be clearly related to keeping or pinning the application. The icon then remains available after the program is closed.
You can also adjust the dock while the application is open. Right-clicking the icon exposes actions such as opening a new window, closing the current application, or keeping it in the dock. The exact actions depend on the program. Files, a browser and some productivity applications may offer useful shortcuts, while a small utility may show only general commands.
To remove a favourite, right-click its dock icon and select the option to unkeep or remove it. This does not uninstall the software and does not delete your settings. It simply removes the shortcut from the dock. The program remains available through the Applications menu and can be pinned again later.
A useful arrangement for an Australian laptop is to keep the browser, Files, mail, calendar, password manager and terminal near one end of the dock, with communication or creative software beside them. If you use a corporate VPN for a Melbourne office or a university service in Canberra, consider whether it really deserves a permanent slot; utilities used once a week are often better launched when needed.
Reorder icons and keep the dock calm
Pinned icons can generally be rearranged by dragging them along the dock. Move the applications you use most often towards the centre or the side that is easiest to reach, depending on your preferred dock position. If an icon refuses to move, make sure you are dragging the pinned icon itself rather than an indicator or an active window preview.
A sensible order reflects the way you work. Files beside the browser makes moving downloads straightforward. A writing application near your reference browser helps when preparing a report. Terminal can sit at the edge so it remains available without being opened accidentally. There is no universally correct layout; the goal is to reduce searching and repeated trips to the Applications menu.
Avoid pinning every application installed through AppCenter. Many elementary apps are designed for occasional tasks, and a long dock weakens the visual distinction between everyday tools and temporary software. You can also remove duplicates created by changing browsers, switching media players or installing several text editors over time.
The same principle applies to workspaces. Keep the dock as a stable launch point, then use workspaces for separation: one for communication, one for documents and one for development. That arrangement works well on a small notebook during a commute and remains comfortable when the machine is connected to a larger display at home.
Manage running applications and windows
A running icon is a quick status report. If you have opened a browser, Files and a terminal, their dock icons should show activity markers. Clicking one brings that application forward, while right-clicking may provide commands for a new window, closing windows or switching between available views. These actions are useful when several programs overlap.
Closing a window is not always the same as quitting the application. Some software remains active in the background after its main window disappears, particularly messaging, sync and media programs. If an icon still indicates that the application is running, use its menu or the application’s own quit command when you need to end it completely.
This matters on a laptop running on battery while travelling between Parramatta and the Sydney CBD. A browser with many tabs, a video call client and cloud synchronisation can consume memory and power even when their windows are hidden. Closing finished applications from the dock can make the system feel more responsive, although it is not necessary to quit every program after every short task.
Notifications can also make an application appear busy or draw attention while you are working. For a broader look at controlling those alerts, the notification controls guide covers ways to reduce interruptions and customise how messages appear. Managing notifications alongside the dock prevents a stream of alerts from dictating which application you open next.
Use the dock with the Applications menu and shortcuts
The Applications menu is the better place to discover software. It displays installed programs by category and lets you search by name, so you do not need to pin an application merely because you are unsure where it is. Launching an app once is a low-commitment way to test whether it belongs in your daily workflow.
Keyboard shortcuts make the dock more efficient for experienced users. The Super key opens the application launcher or overview on many elementary OS installations, while Alt+Tab switches between open applications. The exact shortcut set can be checked in System Settings, which is useful if your keyboard layout or release differs from the default.
On some setups, dock-position shortcuts can launch or focus applications by number. Treat these as optional rather than assuming they work identically on every version. A shortcut is valuable only when it is reliable, so test it before depending on it during a presentation, a remote support session or a time-sensitive task.
Touchpad gestures and workspaces can complement the dock. Use the dock for known destinations, the launcher for discovery and workspace switching for context. This division is less tiring than repeatedly minimising windows, particularly on a 13-inch notebook used in a Queensland co-working space where screen height is limited.
| Dock item | What it means | Best action |
|---|---|---|
| Pinned icon with no activity marker | A permanent shortcut whose application is closed | Click to launch, or unkeep it if you no longer use it |
| Pinned icon with an activity marker | A favourite application is currently open | Click to focus it; use the menu to manage windows |
| Unpinned icon with an activity marker | A temporary application is running | Use it while needed, then close it when finished |
| Missing icon after closing an app | The application was not pinned | Launch it again from Applications if required regularly |
| Several windows under one icon | One application has multiple active windows | Click or use the application menu to switch views |
Troubleshoot a cluttered or confusing app tray
If an application does not appear in the dock, check whether it is actually open. Some programs launch slowly, open a background service, or display a window on another workspace. Use the Applications menu or Alt+Tab to confirm its state before changing the dock layout.
If an icon remains after you close a window, wait briefly for the process to exit. Sync clients, software updaters and communication tools may continue running by design. Right-click the icon and inspect the available quit command. Force-closing a program should be a last resort because unsaved work may be lost.
A missing activity marker can also be a visual or theme issue rather than an application problem. Review System Settings for dock appearance, icon size and behaviour, then restart the affected application. If the problem affects several programs, logging out and back in may refresh the desktop session without changing your files or preferences.
When a dock becomes too wide, remove temporary tools first. Development environments, archive utilities and image converters often enter the dock during a single project and then remain unnoticed. Keep the programs that support your ordinary routine, such as browser, Files and calendar, and use search for everything else.
Build a routine that suits your desktop
A good dock changes gradually. Begin with a few applications that you open almost every day, then add another only when you notice a repeated search through the launcher. This keeps the layout meaningful and prevents a new installation from turning into another permanent icon.
Review the arrangement after a month or at the end of a project. A student may need a reference manager during semester but not during a holiday break; someone working in Perth may keep a remote-desktop client during a contract and remove it afterwards. Unkeeping the icon is a reversible housekeeping step, not a decision to remove the software.
The best setup also reflects how you close applications. Leave long-running services such as synchronisation or messaging available when they need to receive updates, but quit heavy programs once their work is finished. Use the activity marker as a prompt to check what is still open before closing the laptop lid.
With a small set of pinned favourites, clear running indicators and the Applications menu reserved for occasional tools, elementary OS’s app tray becomes predictable rather than mysterious. The practical rule is simple: pin what you launch routinely, use the activity marker to find what is open, and remove shortcuts that no longer earn their place.
