Mac Taskbar: How to Get a Windows-Style Taskbar on macOS
By Eduard Bruch, developer of Jetty ·
macOS has no taskbar. The Dock covers half of what the Windows taskbar does: it launches apps and shows which ones are running (with a small dot under each), but it doesn't list your open windows one by one, and it has no Start menu. To get a real Windows-style taskbar on a Mac you need a third-party app.
Short answer: if what you miss is a bar for launching apps, files, folders and websites, our pick is Jetty: up to four bars on any screen edge (the top too) or floating, with tabs, for a $9.99 one-time purchase on the Mac App Store, macOS 14 or later. If you want the window list part of the Windows taskbar, the closest clone we found is uBar, which calls itself "the taskbar alternative to the Dock" (vendor page, checked 2026-10-10). Jetty does not list open windows.
Disclosure: I build Jetty, so treat "our pick" as the opinion of its developer. Competitor details last checked: 2026-10-10, from each vendor's own pages.
What the Windows taskbar does, and where macOS does it
| Windows taskbar job | Built into macOS | App that adds it |
|---|---|---|
| Pinned apps to launch | The Dock (left of the separator) | Jetty (our pick): extra bars with tabs |
| See which apps are running | The Dock's dots (Show indicators for open applications) | uBar, ActiveDock |
| A button per open window | Not built in; Mission Control and App Exposé show windows on demand | uBar (window list with previews) |
| Start menu | Not built in; the Apps view in Spotlight (macOS 26) or Launchpad on older versions | ActiveDock (start menu) |
| Switch apps from the keyboard | Command-Tab | Not needed |
Built-in ways to make the Dock more taskbar-like
- Move it to the bottom if it isn't there: System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Position on screen.
- Turn on Show indicators for open applications so running apps get a dot.
- Turn on Minimize windows into application icon if you want minimized windows to stay out of the Dock's right side.
- Use Command-Tab to switch apps and Mission Control to see every window.
- Show only open apps (unsupported Terminal tweak):
defaults write com.apple.dock "static-only" -bool "true" && killall Dockturns the Dock into a bar of running apps (macos-defaults.com);defaults delete com.apple.dock "static-only"; killall Dockundoes it.
More options in how to customize the Dock on Mac.
Taskbar and launch-bar apps for Mac
| App | Job | Lists open windows | Price model (as stated) | Min macOS | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jetty (our pick for launching) | Up to 4 extra launch bars on any edge or floating, with tabs; tiles for apps, files, folders, websites, Shortcuts | No | One-time, $9.99 (US App Store) | 14 | App Store, facts |
| uBar 4 | A Windows-style taskbar instead of the Dock, with a favorites area | Yes, with previews (vendor page) | One-time, Personal $30, Commercial $50 | 10.13 | ubarapp.com |
| ActiveDock 2 | A replacement Dock with a start menu, groups, folders and window previews | Window previews (vendor page) | One-time, $19.99 (1 Mac) | 14.6 | noteifyapp.com |
| DockFix | A restyled replacement for the macOS Dock with window previews and widgets | Window previews (vendor page) | One-time, €14.99 (EUR on page) | 14 | dockfix.app |
| ExtraDock 5 | Extra docks on any screen or edge, with widgets | Not stated | 1-year €14.99, lifetime €39.99 (EUR on page) | 26 | extradock.app |
"Not stated" means the vendor page does not say. Prices and features as each vendor page or App Store listing showed them on 2026-10-10. We did not test competitor apps.
Our pick for launching: Jetty
Most people who search for a Mac taskbar want one strip of their apps that is always in the same place. Jetty does that part:
- A bar where Windows has it, or anywhere else. Pin a bar to the bottom, top, left or right edge, at the start, centre or end, or float it.
- Pinned items beyond apps. Files, folders, websites and Shortcuts sit next to apps, one click each.
- Tabs instead of one long row. A "Work" tab and a "Personal" tab in the same bar.
- Up to four bars if one isn't enough, and the macOS Dock keeps working (or hide it with Option-Command-D).
What Jetty does not do: it has no list of open windows, no window previews, no running-app indicators and no Start menu, and its bars are on the main display only. Pair it with Command-Tab and Mission Control, or choose uBar if the window list is what you need.
Closest Windows taskbar clone: uBar
uBar's page describes a bar of running apps and windows, "Hover over an app to see a visual preview of its windows", a favorites area for apps, folders and files, and "Each screen gets its own bar" (vendor page, checked 2026-10-10). It is sold on the vendor's site, Personal $30. A full side-by-side is in Jetty vs uBar.
Side by side: Jetty vs uBar.
A Dock replacement with a start menu: ActiveDock 2
ActiveDock calls itself "a full replacement for Apple Launchpad and Dock with many new features", with window previews, groups and folders (vendor page, checked 2026-10-10).
Side by side: Jetty vs ActiveDock 2. Other ways around the Dock are in Mac Dock alternatives compared.
How we checked
On 2026-10-10 we read each vendor's own page for the apps in the tables above; we did not install or test the other apps. Jetty's details come from its source code and App Store listing (facts); I build Jetty.
FAQ
Does Mac have a taskbar?
No. macOS has the Dock, which launches apps and marks running ones with a dot, and the menu bar at the top. Neither lists open windows the way the Windows taskbar does.
What is the best taskbar app for Mac?
For launching apps, files, folders and websites, our pick, in my opinion as Jetty's developer, is Jetty: up to four bars on any edge with tabs, one-time on the Mac App Store. For a Windows-style list of open windows, uBar is the closest clone we found.
How do I get a Windows taskbar on my Mac?
Install a taskbar app such as uBar for a window list, or a launch-bar app such as Jetty for pinned apps and files. Built in, you can only make the Dock closer to a taskbar (bottom position, open-app dots, Command-Tab).
Can the Mac Dock show only open apps like a taskbar?
Only with an unsupported Terminal tweak: defaults write com.apple.dock "static-only" -bool "true" && killall Dock. Undo it with defaults delete com.apple.dock "static-only"; killall Dock.
Does Jetty show open windows?
No. Jetty is a launch bar: it opens apps, files, folders, websites and Shortcuts. It does not list or preview windows.
Get Jetty on the Mac App Store. $9.99 one-time purchase, macOS 14 or later.