‘Disable & Enable Dashboard’ Utility
While the Dashboard in MacOSX is a neat utility, I basically stopped using it after the novelty wore off (I prefer to have my widgets on the Desktop itself, and thus switched to the now free Konfabulator).
Since I prefer not to have unused applications running and taking up memory, I tracked down this MacOSX hint to disable & enable the dashboard. It’s been commented elsewhere that running “killall dock” and never launching the Dashboard basically has the same effect. This is true but I prefer to disable the Dashboard altogether to prevent accidentally starting it up (requiring a logout & login to get Dashboard out of memory).
Using ScriptGUI I packaged both scripts into an executable which can be placed right on the Desktop or in your Applications or Utilities folder. Running “Disable Dashboard” removes it from memory and disables F12 and the Dashboard icon. Running “Enable Dashboard” restores it (with the previously running widgets still in place).
Download ‘Disable/Enable Dashboard’
Update: I have now also released a DisableDashboard-widget.
Note: as a user at MacOSX hints pointed out : “It’s probably also a good idea (that if you’ve disabled Dashboard and/or Spotlight), to remember that you’ve disabled them and re-enable them (just in case) before applying any system updates. I remember reading that some were having problems with the 10.4.1 update because they had disabled Spotlight beforehand.”
This entry was posted on Saturday, July 30th, 2005 at 15:54 and is filed under 1. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
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July 31st, 2005 at 10:06
Thank you for this clean application to turn Dashboard on and off. Dropped this into my Utilities folder and now since dashboard is off, I have more RAM to play with.
August 4th, 2005 at 11:50
thanks! works great over here! :)
OS 10.4.2 dual 2.5Ghz G5
August 4th, 2005 at 17:36
Thank you
Read about the terminal command on Macword new and immediately made a Quickey, Was about to Script it myself, but happy to find that you had already done so. Now I have Quickey’d your apps.
Daniel
August 4th, 2005 at 19:37
[...] August 5th, 2005 ‘Disable & Enable Dashboard’ Utility ‘Disable & Enable Dashboard’ Utility:: haha, novelty’s gone. till i get my 1gig ram stick [...]
August 5th, 2005 at 20:05
Thank you for this lovely little app – maybe it should be a widget (ha ha)
August 5th, 2005 at 23:33
> maybe it should be a widget (ha ha)
lol.. wait a minute, you just gave me an idea… :p
Edit: the only widget you’ll ever need ;)
August 5th, 2005 at 23:49
[...] et you’ll ever need: the “DisableDashboard”-widget! :p Someone jokingly commented that I should make a widget out of the DisableEnableDashboard utility. Actually, it’ [...]
August 8th, 2005 at 22:49
thanks! just what my overworked mac needed.
August 9th, 2005 at 3:38
Thank you. Just what I needed here, it works great!
August 12th, 2005 at 6:54
[...] like to disable it yourself, check out the Disable Dashboard widget which is based on the Disable and Enable Dashboard utility. After running the widget, Dashboard will disappear. Please note that you [...]
August 12th, 2005 at 8:02
Great idea! I never warmed to the idea of widgets that aren’t on your desktop – I am back using konfabulator now too.
Perhaps these little on/off scripts would be best as a System Preferences plugin where they can be a Start/Stop button (like most other services are controled)?
August 12th, 2005 at 9:47
> Perhaps these little on/off scripts would be best as a System Preferences plugin where they
>can be a Start/Stop button (like most other services are controled)?
Check out DashOnOff, I believe it does exactly what you describe. :)
February 11th, 2006 at 4:39
OHhhhhhh!!!
Thanks SOOooo Much!
Great WORK!!
LL
March 22nd, 2006 at 3:55
“Great idea! I never warmed to the idea of widgets that aren’t on your desktop – I am back using konfabulator now too.”
-Supagroova
Actually, you can. Just download TinkerTool. Then click the “General” tab, and the’res an option to Disable the DashBoard, AND to put widgets on the desktop. when that’s engaged, all you have to do is drag the widget to the desktop when leaving the dashboard pannel. I always put the Calc and the Clock on my desktop.
May 15th, 2006 at 16:32
YES! I am a high school teacher in a room full of Macs. I have a few students that no matter how often I ask, they keep going back to dashboard to procrastinate, play games etc. I hate to be the bad guy, but, it was very satisfying to see their faces when they realized I wouldn’t be asking them to close dashboard anymore, now that it is no longer enabled! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, !
July 6th, 2006 at 19:24
[...] Wie sich das Dashboard einmalig oder dauerhaft abschalten läßt, dass verräte Tranquillus. [...]
July 8th, 2006 at 18:52
Could you please advise if using your program to turn the widgets off will also cure the recent problem created by Apple in the latest OSX update which causes the widgets program ot ‘phone home’ to Apple servers to verify?
Many Thanks in advance (a new Mac user)
July 9th, 2006 at 20:59
No, this won’t solve the issue with the dashboard phoning home. To disable that, check out this link : http://pp.hillrippers.ch/blog/2006/07/04/Disable+the+dashboardadvisory-daemon/
August 16th, 2006 at 20:56
[...] Hi all. I just found a really cool way to turn the dashboard on / off. A while ago I circulated info on how to do it but it used the terminal and required code to be inputted each time. This is a much easier way to free up ram by turning off the dashboard and just as easy to turn it on again to play with those nifty toys. I’ve noticed dashboard uses almost 100 megs for me. Take a look at the activity monitor to see how much it takes up for you. Anyway, go to this link to download the switches. I like the idea of having the “enable” button in my dock and the “disable” widget on the dashboard itself. [...]
January 20th, 2007 at 19:19
Doesn’t work…
July 21st, 2007 at 8:59
[...] ‘Disable & Enable Dashboard’ Utility [...]
July 31st, 2007 at 11:48
osx.iusethis.com – the most necessary site!
Good day
I like your site – osx.iusethis.com .
Thank for your help for us!
I think it wasnt easy to post here so much information.
best regards
Swen
October 28th, 2007 at 23:13
THIS HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED THE WAY MY MACHINE WORKS… like having a brand new machine suddenly. thank you so much.
November 6th, 2007 at 19:22
I’m not sure if Konfabulator has features you need, but you can certainly use Apple Dashboard Widgets on your desktop.
Just fire up a terminal and paste:
defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES
Then log out and back in. Now open Dashboard, start dragging the widget you want and then hit F12 to close Dashboard. The widget will live on your Desktop now.
November 18th, 2007 at 20:39
Thank you for you utiliy.
You know it could be good to have this option: when we hit F12 (or the key choosen for Dashboard) we enable/disable Dashboard everytime.
Probably it’s a slow dashboard startup each time we press the key but it’s more easy than remembering if we have disable or enabled it (probably this is useful only to people who occasionally needs to free their ram).
Please let me know what you think about and excuse my horrible english :)
December 19th, 2007 at 20:45
Oh, and did not know about it. Thanks for the information …
December 19th, 2007 at 22:57
It’s not a DashBoard, it’s a DashBug!
Some widgets are always connecting on Internet, I don’t even have a internet connection!
The crash reporter is always talking about DashBoard.
Thanks to that utility I will test it.
Apple are making goog computers but they always take over the user. The simple fact that they remove the open button on their DVD drivers is showing you how much they don’t want the user to use their computers.
They will realize that the “rest of us” are not as dumb as they think.
Jakomo
February 2nd, 2009 at 21:41
I finally found this site and now can ENABLE Dashboard, which somehow got disabled and I couldn’t find info anywhere on why or how, or how to get it back up. Thanks.
June 17th, 2009 at 0:29
[...] UtilityHere is the link a disable dashboard utility for those who don’t like to fiddle around in the [...]
July 30th, 2010 at 23:57
TYTYTYTYTY!!!!!!! I hate that thing coming up every time I move my mouse!!!
March 3rd, 2011 at 4:26
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