Why an app keeps bouncing in your Dock, and how to stop it

Why it happens

There are two kinds of bounce. A few hops when you open an app just show it's starting up. An icon that keeps bouncing, even when you're not using the app, means it needs you: a new message, an alert, or a window asking a question that's hidden behind others.

How to fix it

1. Click the icon that's bouncing. The app comes to the front and shows what it wants, such as a dialog to answer or a message to read.

2. Answer or close whatever it's showing. The bouncing stops.

3. To stop the bounce when apps open, open System Settings, click Desktop & Dock and turn off Animate opening applications.

   Desktop & Dock›Dock›Animate opening applications

Still not fixed?

1. If you click the icon and see nothing, the question may be in a window behind others. Click the app's Window menu and pick the window listed there.

2. If the same app keeps bouncing for something you've already handled, quit it with Command-Q and open it again.

3. Animate opening applications only stops the bounce when apps start. The attention bounce stays, because it's how apps tell you something needs a look. The Terminal command on this page turns that off as well, but then you may miss alerts.

4. If one app keeps bouncing every few minutes with nothing to show, check for an update to that app. For Apple's own apps, contact Apple Support.