A macOS-style desktop shell for Windows 11, written in C# (WinForms). It builds with the compiler that ships with Windows, so no SDK is needed.

See the changelog for what's new in v1.8.

Requirements: Windows 11 (Windows 10 mostly works), x64, .NET Framework 4.x (already part of Windows). No admin rights and no SDK needed.

1. Download MacDock-v1.8.zip from the Releases page and (optionally) check its SHA256 against the release notes: certutil -hashfile MacDock-v1.8.zip SHA256.
2. Extract the zip to any folder (right-click > Extract All).
3. Double-click Install.bat. If SmartScreen says "Windows protected your PC", click More info > Run anyway.
4. MacDock is copied to %LOCALAPPDATA%\MacDock, a Start Menu shortcut is created, and the dock starts. It also starts at login (toggle in MacDock Settings).

If Defender blocks or quarantines it, see Why does Windows Defender flag MacDock?.

Quitting: quitting MacDock from its menu restores the Windows taskbar automatically. If MacDock is killed while the taskbar is hidden, run MacDock.exe /restore.

Start / restart: open MacDock from the Start Menu, or run %LOCALAPPDATA%\MacDock\bin\MacDock.exe. To restart it, exit MacDock and start it again from the Start Menu. If the taskbar stays hidden after a crash, run MacDock.exe /restore (or mac-dock\restore-taskbar.bat from the repo).

Uninstall: run Uninstall.bat from the extracted folder (or %LOCALAPPDATA%\MacDock\Uninstall.bat). It restores the taskbar, stops MacDock, removes autostart, the optional guard task and the shortcut, and deletes the install folder. Pins and settings in %APPDATA%\MacDock are kept until you delete that folder.

Short version: it is a false positive, but it is understandable why it happens.

• Unsigned, new, self-built. The exe is built with the C# compiler that ships with Windows and has no code-signing certificate. Unsigned executables with few downloads have no reputation, so SmartScreen and Defender's cloud heuristics treat them cautiously.
• It does the things a shell does. MacDock uses global/low-level Windows hooks (keyboard, gestures), enumerates and thumbnails other apps' windows (window enumeration, DWM), applies glass effects with SetWindowCompositionAttribute, simulates input, hides or replaces taskbar behavior, and registers startup entries. Heuristic engines associate that combination with keyloggers and droppers, even though here it is used for the dock, menu bar and window previews.
• What it does not do: MacDock has no account and no analytics or telemetry code. Its network use is limited to LocalSend transfers with devices on your LAN, the optional macosicons.com icon lookup, and fetching favicons for website pins.

You do not have to take our word for it:

• The source is fully open in this repo. Read it, or build it yourself: mac-dock\build.bat (run it from a folder path without a # in it).
• Check the zip's SHA256 (listed in each release) and upload the file to VirusTotal; a few engines may flag it heuristically.

If Defender quarantined it: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Protection history > select the item > Actions > Restore (or Allow on device). To stop it being re-flagged, add an exclusion: Virus & threat protection > Manage settings > Exclusions > Add or remove exclusions > Add an exclusion > Folder > %LOCALAPPDATA%\MacDock. Then re-run Install.bat.

Help us: you can report the false positive to Microsoft at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/filesubmission (choose "Software developer", upload the exe). Each accepted report improves detection for everyone.

• Dock: magnification, running indicators, drag to reorder, drop files on apps, and a working Recycle Bin. Pins live in dock.txt (apps, folders, files, websites, ms-settings: links).
• Genie minimize: windows are sucked into their dock icon and flow back out, drawn from live window thumbnails.
• Top menu bar: Apple-style menu, per-app menus, CPU/RAM readout, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, volume, battery, clock, and optional hiding of the Windows taskbar.
• Dynamic Island: a small pill at the top that springs open for notifications, power events, now-playing media and a hover peek.
• Window previews: hover a dock icon to see live thumbnails of its windows (DWM); click one to focus it.
• Clipboard history: the Dynamic Island keeps recent copied items so you can peek and re-copy them.
• Notifications: Windows notifications are read straight from the system database, so they show up instantly.
• Control Center: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirDrop-style tile, Focus, display brightness and sound sliders, using real Windows APIs.
• Mission Control and Launchpad: overview of every open window plus an All Apps page; add apps to the dock by dragging.
• Touchpad gestures: 4- or 5-finger swipe up/down on a Precision Touchpad opens and closes Mission Control.
• Spotlight: global hotkey search.
• Settings app: dock, theme and icon options.
• Icon packs: .icns icon packs in icons/ and dark-icons/, with optional macosicons.com lookup.
• Web apps: Brave, Edge and Chrome "Install as app" windows are treated as their own apps.
• LocalSend: AirDrop-style file sharing with nearby devices.
• Downloads and folder fan: dock folders open as a Fan, Grid or List, with folder colors, rename and drag to the Recycle Bin.
• Media tile and more Control Center tiles: now-playing artwork and title, Night light, Project, Battery saver, Airplane mode.
• Fullscreen aware: the dock, bar and island hide for fullscreen apps.
• Native glass: DWM background blur on the dock, bar, menus and panels.

Screenshots were taken on dark mode only; light mode was not captured for this release.

Measured on the v1.5 build on Windows 11 (1920x1080) with the dock idle: ~7-43 MB working set (about 24 MB average over a minute; Windows trims it), ~92-103 MB private bytes, and a peak working set of ~140 MB since launch (start-up and opening Launchpad). Numbers vary with how many apps you pin and which icon packs you load.

• Demo 1
• Demo 2

Requires only Windows 10/11:

cd mac-dock
build.bat

This produces MacDock.exe in mac-dock/. To package your own build, put it in bin/ next to icons/ and dark-icons/ and run Install.bat. Run restore-taskbar.bat if the taskbar stays hidden.

Edit mac-dock/dock.txt. Lines starting with # are ignored; Label | target sets a custom name; --- starts the right-hand section; @hide-taskbar on|off toggles the taskbar. An optional macosicons.com API key goes in dock.txt as @macosicons-key = YOUR_KEY or in the MACOSICONS_API_KEY environment variable.

Fonts: Inter (SIL Open Font License). Icons in icons/ and dark-icons/ belong to their respective authors.