Double-tap on Dock icons no longer shows Recent Files

[Hessel89]

Can anyone else confirm double-tapping an app icon in the Dock to view that app’s recent files no longer works?

Double-tapping the Safari icon still opens Exposé, so I know my Magic Trackpad and Mouse are working properly.

I’ve used this feature extensively since it was introduced in 2011. I know I can still right-click the icon to open the menu, but that feels like a step backward and Windows-like.

 

[chabig]

To my knowledge, double-clicking an app icon has never triggered Exposé. You must have configured that yourself yourself somehow. Did you install a third-party app that isn’t there any more. Is it something in Accessibility settings?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Yeah I have no idea what "double-tap on dock icons" is supposed to do - been using Macs since 2007 sporadically and 2012 exclusively.

The bit about "Double-tapping the Safari icon still opens Exposé" sounds like Smart Zoom? Double-tap with two fingers, focuses on that app and hides others? But the other - no clue.

 

[!!!]

Double-tap with two fingers, focuses on that app and hides others? But the other - no clue.

This must be what OP is talking about, but on Sequoia (and previous macOS versions) double tapping with two fingers is the same as right-clicking and selecting "Show All Windows", which the proper feature name is "App Exposé". This also shows recent files for the app, if any.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

This must be what OP is talking about, but on Sequoia (and previous macOS versions) double tapping with two fingers is the same as right-clicking and selecting "Show All Windows", which the proper feature name is "App Exposé". This also shows recent files for the app, if any.

Okay - so the other feature might be "Secondary click - Click or Tap with two fingers"? That seems to bring up the menu for me, when I tap with two fingers on a Dock icon. It's not a "Double-tap" but rather a single tap, with two fingers??

 

[Hessel89]

No, I don't mean secondary click. On an app icon in the dock, quickly Double-tap with two fingers on your Magic Trackpad, or one finger if you have a Magic Mouse.
On MacOS 26 and earlier, this is how you would quickly view and scroll through the recent files of that app. If an app (such as Safari or Finder) had no recent files, it would activate app-exposé, which they have not removed from 27.

See my video below.