The way to quit an app completely is either to use Menu bar command App Name в†’ Quit App Name, or to use the universal keyboard shortcut Command + Q. (I said generally, because some app are programmed to quit when the close button is clicked). Unlike other desktop operating systems, a macOS app generally doesn't quit when you click on the close button (shown in red below):Д¬licking the close button generally close the app window and doesn't necessarily quit the app. (There's an exception to this general rule, an app can be programmed to run and show their icon only in the Menu bar). While this was not the reason in this particular case, some other reasons this may happen are discussed below:ДЄ macOS app is generally (well in majority of cases) programmed to show it's icon in the Dock when it's launched. This setting is enabled by default in macOS Mojave. To disable Dock from displaying recently launched app icons in the Dock, go to System Preferences app в†’ Dock and uncheck Show recent applications in Dock. To a new user of macOS, even if they have been using earlier releases of macOS for a while, this may give an impression that either the app is still running, or the icon got persistently added to the Dock. MacOS Mojave introduced a feature to show recently launched app's icons in the Dock, even after quitting the app. How does an application put itself in the Dock? Is there a way to turn that off? Is it a setting? But if I launch Skype manually it has the same behavior, it will place itself persistently into the Dock after it is closed. I removed the option to launch Skype on start and that one won't spin up each time, thankfully. I also verified it is not listed in Activity Monitor. Skype opened itself on reboot and after closing that application, it remained in the Dock. Staying in the Dock also happens with other applications after I start them, but not all applications. In this case, not only is the app closed but the Activity Monitor does not list the process running. Note that I am very aware that applications may be on the dock unless they are fully closed. I don't move the icon in the Dock and I don't touch the Dock at all in this process. After I close it, the icon remains in the Dock and I have to right click and remove it. Every time I connect my iPhone to my MacBook, the system launches iTunes which I don't use.

Mac os dock open app