Getting Started with Otterdock
Last updated: March 31, 2026
Welcome to Otterdock! This guide walks you through installation, creating your first group, and making the most of your tidy new Dock.
Installation
Download Otterdock from our website. Open the .dmg file and drag Otterdock to your Applications folder. Launch Otterdock — it will appear in your menu bar as a small otter icon. On first launch, Otterdock will guide you through basic setup.
Creating Your First Group
Click the Otterdock menu bar icon and select 'New Group'. Give your group a name (e.g. 'Dev Tools' or 'Communication'). You can choose an icon skin for the group — options include Shelf, Glass, Gradient, and more. You can also import your own custom icons.
Adding Apps to a Group
Once your group is created, add apps by clicking the '+' button in the group editor. You can also drag and drop apps, files, and folders directly into a group. Rearrange items within a group by dragging them to your preferred order.
Syncing Groups to the Dock
After setting up your groups, click 'Sync to Dock' to apply changes. Otterdock creates native Dock folder shortcuts for each group. The Dock will briefly restart to apply changes. Your groups are now visible as folder icons on your Dock — click any group to expand it.
Hover Popup Mode
For even faster access, enable Hover Mode. Go to Otterdock Settings and grant Accessibility permission when prompted. Once enabled, simply hover your mouse over a group icon on the Dock to see a popup with all the apps in that group. Click any app in the popup to launch it instantly. No extra clicks needed.
Customizing Your Groups
Otterdock offers multiple popup display modes — grid view for visual browsing or list view for compact display. Choose icon skins to make groups visually distinct. You can edit group names, reorder groups, and adjust settings at any time from the Otterdock main window. All changes sync to the Dock automatically after a short delay.