My Dock Doesn’t Show Up On My Dell Computer When I Turn it On

Most Dell computers include a default program called the Dell Dock. It is a floating set of icons on the Windows 7 desktop that you can use to organize your commonly used shortcuts, allowing you to reduce the clutter of too many icons on your desktop.

These icons can also be organized into categories, allowing you to have access to a large number of programs or files without actually needing to display more than a handful of icons in the Dell Dock at one time.

As you use the Dell Dock with regularity and incorporate it into your regular computing habits, you will discover what a useful application it can be, and you might even begin to rely upon it.

However, if the Dell Dock is no longer appearing when you start up your computer, then you may need to make some adjustments to the Startup settings in Windows 7.

Get the Dell Dock to Show Up Again When Your Computer Starts

One of the most common complaints that people have about their computers is how long it takes for it to boot up.

An increased boot time can be related to a number of factors, but the one that most troubleshooters will address first is the number of programs that are set to start when you turn on your computer.

In order for the Dell Dock to start when you turn on your Windows 7 computer, it needs to be set as one of your Startup programs.

If someone recently audited your Windows 7 Startup computer in an effort to make it start faster, then there is a good chance that they disabled the Dell Dock from launching as a Startup program.

To restore the Dell Dock to its previous setting, click the Start button at the bottom-left corner of your computer screen, then type msconfig into the Search field at the bottom of the menu.

launch the windows 7 system configuration utility

Click the msconfig search result at the top of the window, which will open a new System Configuration window at the center of your screen.

Before you proceed with making changes on this screen, realize that you can do some harm to your computer if you make incorrect changes from this window.

Unless you are comfortable with the options on this window, I suggest only making the necessary change to re-enable the Dell Dock to open when your computer starts.

To proceed with restoring the Dell Dock as a Startup program, click the Startup tab at the top of the window.

This will display a list of all the programs and utilities that could theoretically start each time your computer turns on. Scroll through the list of these programs until you find the Dell Dock option. Check the box to the left of Dell Dock to place a check mark in the box.

set the dell dock as a startup program

Now that you know how to add the Dell Dock to the Windows startup, you can make sure that the application launches whenever you restart your computer.

Click the Apply button at the bottom of the window, then click the OK button. Windows 7 will now prompt you to restart your computer. Once you have restarted the computer, the Dell Dock will launch as it used to, allowing you to once again use the Dell Dock to quickly navigate through your shortcut icons and files.

Join Our Free Newsletter

Featured guides and deals

You may opt out at any time.
Read our Privacy Policy

Leave a Comment