Minimise or hide? What each one does on a Mac

⌘ M minimises a window to the Dock, ⌘ H hides a whole app. What each one does, when to use which, and why neither stops windows piling up.

Guide · Updated 13 October 2026

⌘ M minimises one window into the Dock. ⌘ H hides the whole app, every window of it, until you come back to it. That is the short answer; the rest is when each one helps.

Minimise, ⌘ M

  • Shrinks the front window into the right side of the Dock, with an animation.
  • Only that window goes. The app's other windows stay.
  • To bring it back, click it in the Dock. ⌘ Tab to the app does not bring a minimised window back on its own.
  • ⌘ ⌥ M minimises every window of the front app.
  • System Settings, Desktop & Dock, Minimise windows into application icon keeps the Dock tidy: minimised windows hide inside the app's icon instead.

Hide, ⌘ H

  • Hides every window of the front app at once. Nothing goes to the Dock.
  • ⌘ Tab back to the app, or click its Dock icon, and all of its windows return where they were.
  • ⌘ ⌥ H hides every app except the one in front. Good for a clean screen before a call.
  • The app keeps running: downloads, music and messages carry on.

Which to use

You want toUse
Put one window away for later⌘ M
Get a whole app out of sight for now⌘ H
Clear everything but this app⌘ ⌥ H
Close the window for good⌘ W
Quit the app⌘ Q

Where both fall short

Minimising and hiding move the clutter out of sight, but the moment you bring things back, they land on top of each other again. Minimised windows are also easy to forget.

ClutterFreeMac takes a different route: every open window sits in a column on one strip, and the ones you are not using simply wait off screen, one swipe away. Nothing has to be minimised to get it out of the way. A minimised window leaves the strip, and rejoins it when you bring it back.

Questions

What is the difference between ⌘ H and ⌘ M on a Mac?

⌘ M minimises the front window into the Dock. ⌘ H hides every window of the front app until you switch back to it.

How do I hide all other apps on a Mac?

Press ⌘ ⌥ H. Every app except the one in front is hidden. Switch to any of them to bring it back.

Why does ⌘ Tab not show my minimised window?

⌘ Tab switches apps, not windows. If the app's only window is minimised, click it in the Dock, or hold ⌘ Tab, select the app and press ⌥ before letting go.

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