App icons keeping coming back to dock after i remove them

[dgreen97]

any idea on why app icons would consistently keep going back into the dock after i right click and remove them, or drag them off of the dock to go poof. Ill open a program, close it, then it leaves the app icon in the dock. I remove the app icon from the dock, the next time i open the program it does the same thing. Any idea on how to fix this? I only want open applications in the dock.

 

[MJWMac1988]

I'm just guessing, but maybe the dock's preferences are corrupt. Maybe you already know this, but go to:

username (aka home folder) > Library > Preferences

Find the file called "com.apple.dock.plist" or "com.apple.dock.db." It may have some other file-extension suffix in Yosemite (which I haven't used), but the first part of the name should definitely be "com.apple.dock." Delete that file and immediately log out and back in again.

WARNING: Keep in mind that this will reset your dock to the original factory default set of icons. If you have lots of non-default icons in your dock, take a screenshot of it before you delete the preferences. That way you can use it as a guide when re-adding icons to your dock.

 

[dgreen97]

hi i tried this out but they still keep coming back. just for clarification i mean i actually remove the icon from the dock and make it poof, or right click on the icon and remove from dock. i have no idea why they keep reappearing after i remove them from the dock and then reopen the application later and then it sticks in the dock again.

i like to have my dock like a taskbar where it only shows running programs and everything else not showing.

I'm just guessing, but maybe the dock's preferences are corrupt. Maybe you already know this, but go to:

username (aka home folder) > Library > Preferences

Find the file called "com.apple.dock.plist" or "com.apple.dock.db." It may have some other file-extension suffix in Yosemite (which I haven't used), but the first part of the name should definitely be "com.apple.dock." Delete that file and immediately log out and back in again.

WARNING: Keep in mind that this will reset your dock to the original factory default set of icons. If you have lots of non-default icons in your dock, take a screenshot of it before you delete the preferences. That way you can use it as a guide when re-adding icons to your dock.

 

[khnyc1]

I'm having a similar problem. I deleted Chrome and no matter what I do from the various suggestions on the Forum discussions and other sites, it reappears the next time I turn on my computer. I don't know what else to do.