<!--
{
  "availability" : [
    "macOS: 10.5.0 -"
  ],
  "documentType" : "symbol",
  "framework" : "AppKit",
  "identifier" : "/documentation/AppKit/NSDockTile",
  "metadataVersion" : "0.1.0",
  "role" : "Class",
  "symbol" : {
    "kind" : "Class",
    "modules" : [
      "AppKit"
    ],
    "preciseIdentifier" : "c:objc(cs)NSDockTile"
  },
  "title" : "NSDockTile"
}
-->

# NSDockTile

The visual representation of your app’s miniaturized windows and app icon as they appear in the Dock.

```
class NSDockTile
```

## Overview

You do not create Dock tile objects explicitly in your app. Instead, you retrieve the Dock tile for an existing window or for the app by calling that object’s [`dockTile`](/documentation/AppKit/NSWindow/dockTile) method. Also, you do not subclass the [`NSDockTile`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDockTile) class; instead, you use the methods of the class to make the following customizations:

- Badge the tile with a custom string.
- Remove or show the application icon badge.
- Draw the tile content yourself.

If you decide to draw the tile content yourself, you must provide a custom content view to handle the drawing.

### Application Dock Tiles

An application Dock tile defaults to display the application’s [`applicationIconImage`](/documentation/AppKit/NSApplication/applicationIconImage).

The application Dock tile never shows a smaller application icon badge.

Whether using the default or custom view, the application Dock tile may be badged with a short custom string.

### Window Dock Tiles

A window Dock tile defaults to display a miniaturized version of the windows contents with a badge derived from the application Dock icon, including any customized application Dock icon. The default window Dock tile image may not be badged with a custom string.

A window Dock tile can use a custom view to draw the Dock icon. If a custom view is used, no application badge will be added, but the text label will be overlaid on top of the icon.

## Topics

### Drawing the Tile’s Content

[`contentView`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDockTile/contentView)

The view to use for drawing the dock tile contents.

### Getting the Tile Information

[`size`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDockTile/size)

The size of the tile.

[`owner`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDockTile/owner)

The object represented by the dock tile.

### Applying Badge Icons to the Tile

[`showsApplicationBadge`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDockTile/showsApplicationBadge)

A Boolean showing whether the tile is badged with the application’s icon

[`badgeLabel`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDockTile/badgeLabel)

The string to be displayed in the tile’s badging area.

### Updating the Dock Tile

[`-  display`](/documentation/AppKit/NSDockTile/display())

Redraws the dock tile’s content.

### Constants

[Dock Tile Plug-In Support Version](/documentation/AppKit/dock-tile-plug-in-support-version)

The version of the AppKit framework containing support for dock tile plug-ins.

## Relationships

### Conforms To

[`Equatable`](/documentation/Swift/Equatable)

[`CustomStringConvertible`](/documentation/Swift/CustomStringConvertible)

[`CVarArg`](/documentation/Swift/CVarArg)

[`NSObjectProtocol`](/documentation/ObjectiveC/NSObjectProtocol)

[`CustomDebugStringConvertible`](/documentation/Swift/CustomDebugStringConvertible)

[`Hashable`](/documentation/Swift/Hashable)

### Inherits From

[`NSObject-swift.class`](/documentation/ObjectiveC/NSObject-swift.class)

---

Copyright &copy; 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)