Command Reopen vs DockDoor: Which Should You Use on Mac?
DockDoor adds Windows-style Dock previews and a window switcher; Command Reopen makes Cmd+Tab bring windows back without permissions. How to choose.
Choose DockDoor if you want Windows-style window previews when you hover over the Dock, plus a window switcher. Choose Command Reopen if you only want Cmd+Tab to bring back minimized windows, or open a new one when an app has none, without granting any permissions.
| — | DockDoor | Command Reopen |
|---|---|---|
| What it adds | Dock hover previews, a window switcher on Option + Tab, optional previews inside Cmd + Tab | Windows come back when you switch with the built-in Cmd + Tab |
| Minimized windows | Listed in previews and the switcher (setting); pick one | Come back when you switch to the app; usually one window |
| App with no windows | Can send Cmd + N to open one (setting) | Most apps open a new window |
| Window previews | Yes, in the Dock and the switcher | No |
| Permissions | Accessibility; Screen Recording for previews | None |
| Get it from | GitHub, Homebrew | Mac App Store |
| Price | Free (DockDoor Pro is a separate $20 app) | $9.99 one-time or $5.99/year, 14-day free trial |
| macOS | 13 or later | 13 or later |
Choose DockDoor if
- You miss Windows' taskbar previews and want them on the Dock
- You want to see and pick windows by thumbnail
- You like to tune a lot of settings
- You're fine granting Accessibility and Screen Recording
Choose Command Reopen if
- All you want is for Cmd+Tab to stop leaving windows in the Dock
- You can't or won't grant Accessibility or Screen Recording
- You prefer a sandboxed app from the Mac App Store
- You want something that runs with no setup and no visible interface
How they differ day to day
I make Command Reopen, so keep that in mind. Everything here was checked against DockDoor’s website, source code and GitHub issues on September 25, 2026.
DockDoor is mainly about seeing your windows. Hover over an app in the Dock and a row of window previews pops up, like the Windows taskbar; you click the one you want. It also has its own window switcher on Option + Tab, and an optional mode that adds previews to the Mac’s Cmd + Tab. Minimized windows can be included, and there’s a setting that opens a new window for apps that have none. It’s free and open source.
Command Reopen does one thing. When you press Cmd + Tab and the app you land on has no visible window, it sends the app the same reopen request as a Dock click, so the app brings back its minimized window or opens a new one. There’s nothing to look at and nothing to configure beyond an exclude list, and because it only uses that standard request, it needs no permissions.
What DockDoor users say
DockDoor is well liked. Its developer introduced it on Reddit as a free, open-source app, and it has gathered over 6,000 stars on GitHub.
The most upvoted requests on its GitHub issues are about fine-tuning, such as choosing a different modifier key and backing up settings, along with past reports of previews staying open when the mouse moves away quickly. Like any app that shows live window previews, it needs Screen Recording for them, and without that permission it falls back to a compact list.
The short version
If you want to see your windows, DockDoor is a generous free app. If you only want Command-Tab to bring back the window you minimized, Command Reopen does that with no permissions. You can also restore minimized windows without installing anything.
Command Reopen · Mac App Store
Make Command-Tab bring your windows back.
- Restores minimized windows when you switch apps
- Opens a new window when an app has none
- No Accessibility or Screen Recording permission
14-day free trial · $9.99 one-time
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