Missing Launchpad in macOS Tahoe

Blonde_Hexe wrote:

I want the folders back, which I had in the good old Launchpad before macOS Tahoe. I used to arrange my apps in folders to bring order in my apps, because I have really installed a lot of apps on my Mac.

You can have folders. Make a folder on the desktop. Call it "My Apps" or whatever suits you. Make all the subfolders you want in that folder. Put aliases of apps in the folders you'd like them to be in. Neat trick, you can put an alias of the one app in more than one folder. Once your done, drop the whole folder on the Dock and set it to "Keep in Dock."

You can also try one of the third party alternatives such as AppLauncher (in the App Store) or launchie.

Please Apple, bring back the folders in the Launchpad

Apple doesn't read here for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Astoriaguy76 wrote:

This new way to launch apps is totally not Apple. I had no warning, and now when I click the new apps button, all the apps I have on my phone as well as on my Mac are intermingled. This kills my productivity as now I have to either search for the app I need or scroll through an endless list of BS apps that I use on my phone now on my Mac. I am really hating Apple right now. After almost 20 years of using Macs, I am rethinking my setup and may move back to a PC. Total garbage!!

We understand that not everybody follows the new from Apple when they Announced on Jun 5, 2025 the pending release of Tahoe

Though they did make an effort to present some of the New Features coming to Tahoe

Spotlight makes it easy to see all your apps, locate recent or suggested files, discover actions you can take, and view your clipboard history. Just launch Spotlight from the menu bar and select the Applications, Files, Actions, or Clipboard button, which will appears next to the search field.

As for iPhone apps appearing

Easy > > System Setting >> Spotlight and scroll down to near the bottom

It's ⌘ + ⇧ + A (CMD + SHIFT + A) while in Finder to show the /Applications view and if you customize the view, you can turn off the arrangement of icons and position things where you want them. Change the view to another folder and press the shortcut key to return to /Applications. It should remember the layout. However, at some point it will possibly forget and then you'll need to reposition them. But for the most part this works really well.

In Finder /Applications right-click and Show View Options set Group & Sort to none and ensure that Always Open in Icon View is checked as well as Browse in Icon View. Adjust the layout of the Applications the way you want them. Change the view and press the shortcut key and you are back in /Applications with it remembering the icon layout thus granting you the spatial awareness you are seeking.

asvpx wrote:

What an absolutely pointless answer ...adapt to change. Typing 'App' doesn't even bring up the App Store, nor does 'Messages' bring up Messages !! The thing is broken and no matter how you want to spin it, the simple launching of an application now involves extra steps for which there is zero benefit.

Respectfully , disagree

(Cmd) + spacebar  will invoke Spotlight 

Mouse over A for Applications or ⌘ + 1

Mouse over second icon for Files or ⌘ + 2

Mouse over third icon for Actions or ⌘ + 3

Mouse over fourth icon for Clipboard or ⌘  + 4

Using the ⌘ + 1 in may case 

It brings up a host of applications that came pre-installed with macOS 26 Tahoe and other Third Party Applications like “Ad and Stuff “ / Carbon Copy Cloner / Etrecheck Pro, Firefox and others 

spherical89 wrote:

Now, excuse me, I've had launchpad under the trackpad gesture, so I didn't need to use the keyboard at all, which DOES make a difference for convenience. If you don't see that then you don't see that, but I do, and I can't be the only one. Also, a much larger number of apps could be seen - and chosen from - at the same time, without scrolling. They were organized the way I want them (including custom folders) and not alphabetically. I had all my apps there, whereas the applications folder does NOT show my web apps.

Why are you telling us? We can't give you back Launchpad?

Submit your feedback to Apple here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Meanwhile, take a look at the third-party replacements such as Launchie.

https://www.launchie.app/

You can also invoke Apps using a trackpad gesture by adding it to a hot corner.

Plenty of media coverage on this issue. At this point, macOS provides the Apps feature that’s part of Spotlight, or pressing Command-A in Finder window opens your Applications folder, which you can set to icon view and arrange how you like.

To have Apple consider your feedback, submit it here:

Feedback - macOS - Apple

AppGrid Launcher is the replacement I've found. The issue I still have is that it requires using the keyboard or extra "mouse" gestures to access it.

For me, the whole point of LaunchPad - and the best part of the OS - is quickly swiping my finger to the bottom left corner to see a curated dashboard of my software. It's the use of a single finger to access everything - without needing to touch my keyboard - that's the power-user feature I'm missing.

So, with MacOS's inability to map other functions to a hot corner, this replacement app is only half way there.

ESergei wrote:

I have the same problem. Spotlight can not find core applications like Calculator or Notes or Safari.

Calculator is one of the things I use Spotlight for the most. It has never failed me.

You may need to re-index. I've never had to do it but my understanding is that it can fix things like that.

Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support

Tell Apple about your concerns. We here are just fellow users, not Apple.

Feedback - macOS - Apple

Launchpad has been replaced by Apps and performs the same function. Open Apps and a list of apps will be presented in list form. You can change from List to Grid by clicking on the ⋯⃝ more button at the top right of the Apps window. Apps are also categorized by type (Utilities, Productivity, etc.)

Downgrading to a previous macOS is a complicated process that requires the complete erase and reinstallation of macOS and your data of which you hopefully have backups.

Replacing your Mac with something else is your business of course but I would recommend you try using Apps and learning to adapt to change.

Formerly Launchpad could be launched from the Dock - step #1

Then,  clink on the application of choice - step # 2

Currently ⌘ + spacebar - step # 1 with keyboard 

Currently ⌘ + 1 brings up Applications  - step # 2

Currently, click on the application of choice - step # 3

OP wrote “ the simple launching of an application now involves extra steps for which there is zero benefit.  “

Yes, in this setup,  there is exactly 1 extra step 

No, it doesn't serve the same function. Launchpad allowed me to group programs, move untility programs to the back etc. Apps at the very least needs to let you force programs into the categories, Apps gets it wrong. The window isn't sizeable so you can see all the categories, you can't tell it to wrap the categories so you can see them all. They can fix this, but it needs to be fixed if it's actually going to serve the same function as Launchpad.

compositing wrote:

Dear Apple management and macOS engineering team, please bring Launchpad back to Tahoe. It has been an integral part of the Mac ecosystem for 14 years.

You are talking into the wind here. This is a user forum and with the exception of community mods most Apple employees are not allowed to participate here.

To have Apple consider your feedback, submit it here:

Feedback - macOS - Apple

spherical89 wrote:

ITS NOT THE SAME! It used to be: pinch trackpad + choose app.

Now it’s cmd + space, then cmd + 1, then search for what you need, then click. This is absurd.

Formerly Launchpad could be launched from the Dock - step #1

Then,  clink on the application of choice - step # 2 

Currently ⌘ + spacebar - step # 1 

Currently ⌘ + 1 brings up Applications  - step # 2 

Currently, click on the application of choice - step # 3 

Or

Formerly Launchpad could be launched Applications folder- step #1

Then,  clink on the application of choice - step # 2 

Currently ⌘ + spacebar - step # 1 

Currently ⌘ + 1 brings up Applications  - step # 2 

Currently, Enter or click on the application of choice - step # 3 

This represents exactly 1 extra step

We do realize in ones very busy day that relearning is not always a easy task

Though, with repeated new actions, the mind can be re-wired if we have the will to do so

IdrisSeabright wrote:

I've never had a problem with it.

Nor have I.

I know that sometimes people do but, as I understand it, re-indexing usually resolves that.

People sometimes need to re-index Spotlight, but that's true with any version of macOS.