The iPad Dock is a handy area that can store frequently used apps or those you accessed recently, sparing you from having to hunt through multiple screens or folders to find a certain app. You can also use it to more easily multitask by opening two or more apps in Slide Over or Split View mode.
First introduced with iOS 11, the Dock gets a few new tricks in iPadOS. The process for adding and rearranging icons is different. And now you can paint the Dock with a darker background by turning on dark mode. Here’s how to use the Dock on your iPad.
Access the Dock
Add an App to the Dock
You can add an app icon from the home screen to the Dock. With iPadOS 13.1, though, the procedure has changed. Long-press on the icon until you see a pop-up menu with various commands, including one to Rearrange Apps. Tap that command.
The icons then start jiggling and will sport the familiar X in the upper-left corner. Alternatively, keep pressing down on the icon even after the menu appears, and the icons will eventually start jiggling.
Drag Apps into Dock
Hold down the icon and drag it into the Dock to the left of the vertical border separating recently used apps. Swipe up the screen or tap the Done button in the upper right to stop the jiggling. This process can also be repeated to add entire folders to the Dock.
As you add more icons, the existing Dock icons shrink, even more so if you hold your iPad in portrait mode. How many icons can you add? That depends on the size of your iPad. The larger the iPad, the more icons it can typically house in the Dock. Experiment with your iPad to see just how many icons you can squeeze in the Dock.
Remove Apps From a Cramped Dock
Delete Apps From the Dock
Move Apps Around the Dock
Recently Used Apps Section
The Dock reserves space for recently accessed or suggested apps; they appear on the right on the other side of the horizontal divide.
As you open new apps, you'll notice that their icons appear in that section of the Dock, replacing one of the older icons. This section can hold as many as three icons, including those available for Apple Handoff, though the permanent fixtures in the Dock can eventually start squeezing them out, depending on how many you have.
Ditch a Recently Used Icon
Don't need to see one of those recently used apps? You can wait until it gets replaced by a new one, or simply delete it from the Dock.
Long-press any icon and select Rearrange Apps. After the icons start jiggling, these recently used apps will sport a minus button instead of an X. Tap this button to remove the app. Deleting the icon from the recent apps section doesn't remove the app from your iPad, only from the dock.
Disable Recently Used Icons
Multitask With Slide Over Mode
The Dock comes in handy if you want to work with two or more apps on the same screen, and at least one of those apps is on the Dock. Open an app and swipe from the bottom of the screen to display the Dock. Hold down the icon for the second app and move it to one side of the screen until it turns into a small vertical window. Release your hold and the new app appears in Slide Over mode alongside the first app.
Multitask With Split View Mode
Drag the new window to the right until the other window starts to shrink and both apps fade out. Release your hold, and the window on the right slips into place in Split View mode. You can now resize the two windows by dragging the vertical center bar left or right.
Note that Split View mode works only with certain iPads, including the iPad Pro series, the 5th generation iPad and later, the iPad Air 2 and later, and the iPad mini 4 and later.
Dock Dark Mode
