Stacks (Mac OS)

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Stacks is a feature introduced in Mac OS X Leopard (version 10.5) by Apple Inc. to help users organize their files on the macOS desktop environment. Stacks are collections of files that are grouped together in the Dock for easy access and management.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Stacks are designed to reduce desktop clutter by allowing users to group files into a single icon in the Dock. When clicked, a Stack expands into a fan or grid view, displaying the contents of the folder. This feature is particularly useful for organizing frequently accessed files, downloads, and documents.

Functionality[edit | edit source]

Stacks can be created by dragging a folder to the right side of the Dock, near the Trash. By default, macOS includes a Downloads Stack, which collects all downloaded files. Users can customize Stacks by changing the sorting order, display style (fan, grid, list, or automatic), and the icon that represents the Stack in the Dock.

Display Styles[edit | edit source]

  • Fan: Displays the contents of the Stack in a curved arc.
  • Grid: Displays the contents in a grid layout.
  • List: Displays the contents in a vertical list.
  • Automatic: Automatically chooses the best display style based on the number of items in the Stack.

Customization[edit | edit source]

Users can customize Stacks by right-clicking (or Control-clicking) on the Stack icon in the Dock and selecting options from the context menu. Options include:

  • Sorting by name, date added, date modified, date created, or kind.
  • Displaying the Stack as a fan, grid, list, or automatic.
  • Showing the folder or the Stack's contents as the icon.

History[edit | edit source]

Stacks were first introduced in Mac OS X Leopard and have been a part of every subsequent macOS release. Over time, Apple has refined the feature, adding more customization options and improving performance.

Related Features[edit | edit source]

See Also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

External Links[edit | edit source]



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