Set up Dockline and restore your purchase.

Dockline supports Apple silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 26.5 or later. Check compatibility before downloading. The public installer is signed with Developer ID and notarized by Apple; published changes are in the release history.

1. Download and copy the app. Download Dockline from the official website, open the DMG in Finder and drag Dockline.app to Applications. Wait for copying to finish. Opening the disk image alone does not install or start the app.

2. Open the installed copy. In Finder, open Applications and double-click Dockline. If macOS asks whether to open an app downloaded from the Internet, check that it is Dockline from your download and choose Open. After Dockline has opened, eject the disk image in Finder.

3. Complete first-time setup. Follow Dockline’s setup steps. If it opens but window buttons are missing, continue with the permissions checks below. Copying the app and confirming the download are separate from granting Accessibility; window previews are optional.

If macOS blocks opening Dockline

An ordinary first-open confirmation is different from a warning that macOS cannot verify the developer or check the app for malicious software. For those warnings, cancel opening, check that your download came from the official website and download a fresh copy. If the warning persists, contact Dockline support with the exact message, macOS version and Dockline version. Do not send passwords, licence keys or private documents.

If the alert says the app is damaged or will damage your computer, stop and contact support rather than forcing it to open. On a Mac managed by an employer or school, ask the administrator about installation restrictions. You do not need to disable Gatekeeper or remove quarantine attributes to follow these installation steps.

Apple explains download confirmations and security alerts and installing apps from the internet.

Read the release history and check compatibility before updating. Dockline checks for updates in the background; it does not download them automatically. A check and an installation are separate steps.

1. Check from the installed app. Open Dockline settings, find Software updates and choose Check for updates. Run the copy in Applications, not the copy inside an open DMG. The settings guide explains the update controls.

2. Read the offered changes and choose when to install. If an update is offered, choose the installation action in the update window when you are ready, or postpone it and keep working. Follow the updater’s prompts and let Dockline relaunch. A message that no applicable update was found does not mean an installation failed: there may be no newer release compatible with your Mac.

3. Check after reopening. Confirm that Dockline opens and your usual settings are present. Check access and its expiry in Settings → Licensing. Updating the app is separate from buying or restoring access. If window buttons or previews are missing, use the permissions checks; if access needs restoring, use the purchase recovery steps.

If the update fails or you need to update manually

For a connection or download error, check your internet connection and try again later. If the error concerns a signature or security check, stop and contact support with the exact message and the Dockline and macOS versions. Do not bypass the check.

For a manual update, download the current DMG from the official website. Quit Dockline, open the DMG and copy Dockline.app to Applications, replacing the existing app when Finder asks. Open the Applications copy and eject the disk image. Replace the app itself; do not delete its settings or deactivate your Mac as an update step. On a managed Mac, ask the administrator if replacement is restricted. For macOS opening alerts, follow the safe first-open guidance.

Apple explains installing apps from the internet. If the problem persists, tell support whether you used the built-in updater or the DMG and at which step it stopped. Review any screenshot before sending it; do not send passwords, login codes or licence keys.

A hidden panel is different from missing window buttons. If the panel is visible but a window is absent or does not respond, use the window and permissions checks. If the whole panel is missing, work through these steps.

1. Open the installed app. In Finder, open Applications and open Dockline. Quitting Dockline closes its panels; copying the app or opening its DMG does not keep it running. If macOS blocks opening, follow the first-open guidance.

2. Check whether the panel is hidden. Move the pointer to the bottom edge of the display where you need the panel, near its usual position. With Automatically hide the panel enabled, the panel hides after the pointer leaves; in full screen, it is also revealed at the bottom edge. Compare with an ordinary desktop to separate full-screen behavior from a launch problem. See auto-hide settings.

3. Try your assigned panel shortcut. If you have already assigned one, use it to reveal the hidden panel on the display under the pointer. There is no shortcut to try until you assign one. The panel shortcut guide explains assignment and permission requirements; you do not need to change it just to check the bottom edge.

4. Read any setup or access message. Complete the setup shown by Dockline. After setup, if access is unavailable, Dockline closes its panels and opens Licensing; check the status and expiry there and follow purchase recovery if needed. Auto-hide and login settings do not restore access. If the panel appears but buttons do not work, continue with permissions.

If Dockline does not start when you log in

First check that the installed copy opens manually. In Dockline, open Settings → General and enable Launch at login if you want it to start when you sign in to macOS. Read the status beside the option: an enabled switch alone does not confirm that macOS has approved startup.

If approval is required, use macOS Login Items in Dockline and allow Dockline in the system settings. See the login setting and its status and Apple’s Login Items & Extensions guide. Check the result at your next login; if Dockline opens but the panel is hidden, return to the bottom-edge checks above.

If the problem remains, contact support with the Dockline and macOS versions, whether manual opening works, whether it happens on the desktop or in full screen, and the login or access status shown. Review screenshots before sending them; do not send passwords, login codes or licence keys.

Start with the symptom: window buttons are missing or do not respond, or titles are visible but preview images are missing.

Window buttons are missing or do not respond

1. Check Accessibility. In Dockline, open Settings → Permissions and check Accessibility. Choose Open macOS Settings and enable Dockline in the permission list. If it is missing, add Dockline from Applications using the list’s add button, or drag in the app icon shown by Dockline.

2. Return and check the result. Choose Check again in Dockline, then try selecting an ordinary open window. Opening settings or checking the status does not grant permission by itself. See the Accessibility settings.

3. If only some windows are missing, check their location and grouping. The display filter and desktop filter both affect which windows appear. A collapsed app group keeps several windows behind one button; open its list to look for the title. Follow the multiple-monitor and Spaces guide to compare the filters.

Titles are visible but preview images are missing

Window previews are optional and off by default. They add images to window group lists; window titles remain usable without them. Screen Recording permission is separate from Accessibility.

1. Enable the preview option. In Dockline Settings, find Window previews and turn it on. See where to enable window previews.

2. Allow screen access. If access is not allowed, choose Allow Screen Recording. Use Open macOS Settings to enable Dockline under Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording. If Dockline is missing, add the app to that list.

3. Complete the macOS prompt. If macOS asks you to reopen Dockline, do so. Return to the preview controls and, if access still shows as not allowed, choose Check again. The Screen Recording settings explain these controls.

4. Check a window group list. Open the list for an app with several windows and look for images beside the titles. If a title is missing too, use the window-button checks above. You can leave previews off and continue using the titles.

If the problem remains, note whether it affects every app or one app, whether window titles appear, and the permission status shown in Dockline. Include those details with the versions and steps listed under Contact Dockline support.