Hide Finder and Trash Dock Icons

This script hides the Finder and Trash icons on the macOS Dock.

Originally developed for Mac OS X Mavericks (v10.9). Also tested on macOS High Sierra (v10.13.6).

Overview of script

• turns off Dock indicator lights (little dots next to icon)
• restarts Dock
• hides Finder and Trash icons
• turns on indicator lights (so there is not a floating dot where the Finder icon was)

Installation

First you need to add the "Remove from Dock" option to Finder and Trash.

• Helpful instructions at: https://discussions.apple.com/message/23591488#23591488
• More detailed: http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/30415/how-can-i-remove-the-finder-icon-from-my-dock

Basically (to quote softwater and donedamned):

1.) Make a backup of the DockMenus.plist file:

1a.) Create a copy of the file located at:
/System/Library/CoreServices/Dock.app/Contents/Resources/DockMenus.plist

1b.) Rename this new file to:
DockMenus.backup.plist

2.) Open DockMenus.plist file with a text editor (eg macOS TextEdit, or the powerful and free Sublime Text).

3.) Add the "Remove from Dock" menu items:

3a.) Search for finder-running and add at the end (right before the </array>):

		<dict>
			<key>command</key>
			<integer>1004</integer>
			<key>name</key>
			<string>REMOVE_FROM_DOCK</string>
		</dict>

3b.) Search for trash and add at the end (right before the </array>):

		<dict>
			<key>command</key>
			<integer>1004</integer>
			<key>name</key>
			<string>REMOVE_FROM_DOCK</string>
		</dict>

4.) To make it run at log in:

(Note: macOS may have issues with Installation step 4 (random inconsistencies, it seems). Systematically keep trying different ways if it doesn't work, is what I suggest.)

4a.) Save script to computer (can download GitHub repo as .zip and uncompress, then use the .txt file, or use the premade .app and skip to step 4e).

4b.) Change script name from hide_finder_trash_dock_icons_scpt.scpt.txt to hide_finder_trash_dock_icons_scpt.scpt (to take off the .txt).

4c.) Open file with AppleScript Script Editor app.

4d.) Script Editor -> File -> Export -> File Format -> Application -> Save

4e.) Turn on assistive access for the .app file in macOS via Administrative Assistance:

4e1.) Run .app. Click OK to accept that it's not allowed Assistive Access yet.

4e2.) Open System Preferences app ((Apple in top left of screen) -> System Preferences...).

4e3.) System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> (Privacy tab) -> (click lock in bottom left to unlock if necessary) -> (make sure .app file is checked to have access) -> (click lock in bottom left)

4e4.) System Preferences -> Users and Groups -> (click lock in bottom left to unlock if necessary) -> (Login Items tab) -> (plus symbol: +) -> (find and add the .app file) -> (click lock in bottom left)

Configuration

If you don't want to toggle the indicator lights (the little icons next to the apps):

1.) Open script with AppleScript Script Editor.

2.) Change at 2 places: my toggle_indicator_lights() to -- .meta my toggle_indicator_lights(). This comments out (turns off) that function.

3.) Make the .app from the script using Installation step 4d, then continue with the rest of the installation guide.

Issues

Not sure how to remove the left-over separator icon, yet, or if it's even possible.

To uninstall

If you want to undo the entire procedure:

1.) Delete the DockMenus.plist file.

2.) Rename DockMenus.backup.plist to DockMenus.plist

2.) In macOS Terminal run killall Dock

3.) If the .app was added to run at log in (via Installation step 4), do step 4e4 but use the minus symbol ("-") to remove the .app from startup.

License

This is dedicated to the public domain (via the 0BSD license).

Contact info

If you have any issues, my contact info is at: NoLiesPlease.com

Thanks to

• softwater
• donedamned
• Alexandr Mazanov