Dashboard Feature Eliminated in macOS Catalina

Dashboard, a longtime Mac feature that Apple has been phasing out for the last few years, has been eliminated in macOS Catalina and it is no longer available for use.

The Dashboard option, first introduced in OS X 10.4 Tiger, used to be a prominent Mac feature, housing sticky notes, a weather interface, a clock, a calculator, and other customizable widgets.

dashboardmacos
It was disabled by default starting in macOS 10.10 Yosemite, and in the current version of macOS, Mojave, it's still disabled unless you seek it out, enabling it as part of Mission Control or adding it to the Dock.

In Catalina, there is no more Dashboard app at all, as pointed out by Appleosophy. It can't be enabled via Mission Control and there's no sign of it in the operating system, marking its official demise.

Related Forum: macOS Catalina

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Tuesday October 7, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, prior-generation AirPods Pro 2, and the AirPods 4 models. The firmware has a build number of 8A358, up from 8A356. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the prior 8A356 update added iOS 26 features to the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4 with ANC. The software introduced better audio quality ...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 2

Monday October 6, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by
Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1, introducing useful changes to alarms, multitasking on the iPad, and more. There are also subtle tweaks to some of the Liquid Glass design elements as Apple continues to refine iOS 26. Alarms and Timers Alarms set using the Clock app now have a slide to stop button rather than a tap to stop button on the Lock Screen. To snooze an...
john ternus on stage

Gurman: Major Apple Leadership Shakeup Impending With John Ternus as Next CEO

Monday October 6, 2025 6:21 am PDT by
Apple is entering its most significant leadership transition in more than a decade as multiple senior executives prepare to depart and CEO Tim Cook begins to shape the company's next generation of leaders, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that Jeff Williams, who was viewed as Cook's potential successor for several...
ios 26 1 slide to stop

Apple Fixes Alarms in iOS 26.1

Monday October 6, 2025 11:56 am PDT by
With the second beta of iOS 26.1, Apple updated the design of alarms set on the iPhone, making them harder to dismiss than before. Stopping an alarm in iOS 26.1 beta 2 requires a new Slide to Stop gesture rather than a simple tap. You can continue to tap to snooze an alarm, but if you want to turn it off entirely, you need to use a swipe. Transitioning from a tap to a slide gesture to...
ipad mini 7 feature blue

iPad Mini 8 on the Way: Expected Features and Release Timeline

Monday October 6, 2025 5:05 am PDT by
A new iPad mini is "absolutely" on the way, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released a year ago? Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in code that Apple mistakenly shared in...
tag heuer made for iphone

New TAG Heuer Smartwatches Now 'Made for iPhone'

Wednesday October 8, 2025 8:41 am PDT by
TAG Heuer today announced the Connected Calibre E5 smartwatch, now featuring "Made for iPhone" certification as the watchmaker abandons Google's Wear OS. Three years after launching the Calibre E4, the Connected Calibre E5 comes in two case sizes: 45mm and a new, more compact 40mm. They are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 5100+. The 45mm model features a 1.39-inch AMOLED display, while ...
macbook pro pink

M5 MacBook Pro Could Launch in October as M4 Model Faces Supply Constraints

Monday October 6, 2025 3:23 pm PDT by
Supplies of the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro model appear to be constrained amid rumors that an upgraded M5 model could launch as soon as this year. As noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, custom configurations of the M4 MacBook Pro model have a delayed shipping date and will not be delivered to customers until October 23 to 28. The restricted supply could be an indication that Apple is planning to...
iphone 17 magsafe silicon rings 1

Apple Modifies In-Store MagSafe Stands to Prevent iPhone 17 Marks

Wednesday October 8, 2025 4:41 am PDT by
Apple has quietly added a protective silicone ring to its in-store MagSafe charging stands following reports of marks appearing on some iPhone 17 series display models, according to Consomac. The apparent move comes after Apple last month confirmed that worn MagSafe chargers in retail stores were causing what appeared to be scratches on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. There have...
iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Wednesday October 1, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, and Safari. More features and changes will follow in future versions,...

Top Rated Comments

petsounds Avatar
83 months ago
Terrible decision. The Notification Center was never a good replacement for Dashboard. With one tap I can get a glance at the calendar, weather, time in different time zones, CPU/fan stats, and even an astronomy picture of the day. Simple, fluid, and not constrained to a thin strip of desktop space that requires me to scroll. I use it multiple times a day. So much so that I'm not sure I'll upgrade to Catalina if they've taken it out.
Score: 72 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kinless Avatar
83 months ago
Knew this was coming, but damn I still use Dashboard near daily. Can some awesome developer out there create a replacement?
Score: 63 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mgollaher92 Avatar
83 months ago
Honestly, feels like it makes sense. The Dashboard utilities feel so clunky now and I personally never use them anymore. Feels like the end of an era though.
Score: 52 Votes (Like | Disagree)
otozuz Avatar
83 months ago
Nooo, my beloved glossy weather widget!
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Te0SX Avatar
83 months ago
I am still using it daily, have some nice widgets to convert money fast and different others. Shame, but I do see that coming. Notification bar widgets can replace Dashboard but scrolling down isn't fun.

*I don't get why some people are enthusiastic about this, even if they didn't use, did this little feature slowed down their ssd or something lol. Chill guys.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Darth Tulhu Avatar
83 months ago
Why are people happy this is gone?!

You didn't HAVE to use it.

However, if you DID use it often (like me), you are right to be upset.

Just one less differentiator keeping me from giving Windows a fair shake.

I want to stay with Apple, but they JUST. KEEP. REMOVING. THINGS. I. LOVE.

EDIT:
TBH, I'm not going ANYWHERE. There's STILL too much good stuff in Apple's camp. But man, these last few years have been a painful exercise in letting go.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)