macOS Tahoe Transforms Launchpad Into App Library

[Ankaa]

There was a long time before

That's how it was done since the first window-based operating systems

Yeah, that its such a GREAT argument... where do you draw the line on which user experience changes to keep and which to reject? Should we go back to DOS times as well? Before we had a mouse? What about spaces?

You're picking and choosing based on what YOU deem (un)necessary and what you personally prefer and like. That's arrogant.

Ad I said previously, I've been a Mac user for many years before launchpad was introduced. Yes, I managed. In no small part because at that time I didn't have nearly as many programs I regularly use as now. I was predominantly using the dock.

It's totally fine if you can't or don't want to remember the names of the programs on your own computer—then you just have to orient yourself by little funny icons and search through several pages.

Everyone else uses Spotlight to start programs efficiently, and if you're looking for a program you rarely use, you'll find it faster in a list than on several pages of icons in Launchpad.

You still don't get it. Launchpad does not necessarily mean you have to "search through" "several pages". For one, people using launchpad don't have to "search". We KNOW where things are. It's muscle and visual memory for us. I don't even have to think about it. And secondly, again, it does not have to be PAGES. You can organize things in folders.

Also, launchpad and spotlight never were mutually exclusive. Many of us actually use it complementarily. (And that is despite Spotlight really having become bad over the years from how efficient it used to be, it's become way too cluttered because it's trying to do and want to be too much all at once)

And you still don't get it. You don't like launchpad and prefer Spotlight. That's fine and your prerogative. But, the existence of and use by others of launchpad does exactly nothing to you personally. It does not harm you in any way.

Launchpad is superfluous, as you can also open the Applications folder in Finder in icon view—this gives you a similar view to Launchpad.

Nope. Not the same. Not even close.

 

[Ankaa]

Ok, what the actual... ?!?!

I got a new M4 Macbook and now have macOS Tahoe. The gestures that were for Launchpad now open that new App Library. So far so mediocre, but ok. Only... when I do that, the App Library initially opens in a much larger space before downsizing to its small footprint. The closing animation is smooth.

Did seriously not a single person at Apple nor all the Beta testers notice this?!? I can't be the only one using multi gestures?!?

I'm completely dumbfounded.

Edit to add: this only happens with gestures, when I put the App Library back in the dock and click on that, it's opening smoothly. This is a new out-of-the-box Macbook, the only things I did was update the OS (it came with Sierra), remove the App Library from the dock, and change some desktop widgets. Clean install, I did not transfer anything with Time Machine.

 

[Kal Madda]

Ok, what the actual... ?!?!

I got a new M4 Macbook and now have macOS Tahoe. The gestures that were for Launchpad now open that new App Library. So far so mediocre, but ok. Only... when I do that, the App Library initially opens in a much larger space before downsizing to its small footprint. The closing animation is smooth.

Did seriously not a single person at Apple nor all the Beta testers notice this?!? I can't be the only one using multi gestures?!?

I'm completely dumbfounded.

View attachment 2565614

My M1 Mac Mini doesn’t do that. It just opens the smaller size.

 

[Kal Madda]

For those who are following this thread, I recently discovered a third-party app that may be helpful. The app is called LaunchMe, and can be downloaded from the Mac App Store. All the base utility is free, there’s just some more advanced stuff like pinning folders and files into it that are paid. But one of the cool parts about this app is that it also has a layout option that is basically similar to the iPadOS App Library! So categories are actually useful since you can see the top 9 apps in each category! I’m still experimenting with it. It sips RAM compared to all the other ones I’ve tested, and is visually clean and more like something Apple would design. Sadly, it still can’t display notification badges, update indicators, and can’t uninstall apps, but neither can the new Apps page thing Apple replaced the Launchpad with. It’s pretty sad we have to rely on third-party developers for such a basic thing, but here we are. I hope this may be helpful for some. 👍🏻

 

[Populus]

For those who are following this thread, I recently discovered a third-party app that may be helpful. The app is called LaunchMe, and can be downloaded from the Mac App Store. All the base utility is free, there’s just some more advanced stuff like pinning folders and files into it that are paid. But one of the cool parts about this app is that it also has a layout option that is basically similar to the iPadOS App Library! So categories are actually useful since you can see the top 9 apps in each category! I’m still experimenting with it. It sips RAM compared to all the other ones I’ve tested, and is visually clean and more like something Apple would design. Sadly, it still can’t display notification badges, update indicators, and can’t uninstall apps, but neither can the new Apps page thing Apple replaced the Launchpad with. It’s pretty sad we have to rely on third-party developers for such a basic thing, but here we are. I hope this may be helpful for some. 👍🏻

Thank you @Kal Madda ! Interesting app. By the look of your screenshots, I personally don’t like the app categories look, but for the single apps it looks really good! It almost looks native.

Can it be activated through the trackpad gesture that used to invoque launchpad?

By the way, let’s keep sending Apple macOS feedback asking launchpad back!

 

[Populus]

Ok, what the actual... ?!?!

I got a new M4 Macbook and now have macOS Tahoe. The gestures that were for Launchpad now open that new App Library. So far so mediocre, but ok. Only... when I do that, the App Library initially opens in a much larger space before downsizing to its small footprint. The closing animation is smooth.

Did seriously not a single person at Apple nor all the Beta testers notice this?!? I can't be the only one using multi gestures?!?

I'm completely dumbfounded.

Edit to add: this only happens with gestures, when I put the App Library back in the dock and click on that, it's opening smoothly. This is a new out-of-the-box Macbook, the only things I did was update the OS (it came with Sierra), remove the App Library from the dock, and change some desktop widgets. Clean install, I did not transfer anything with Time Machine.

View attachment 2565614

Maybe just try switching the screen rendering resolution in settings > display, and see if it affects it.

By the way, I’m amazed at how your HDR video looks brighter than the rest of the screen on my LCD iPhone SE 3. Who said HDR was exclusive to OLED? LOL

 

[Kal Madda]

Thank you @Kal Madda ! Interesting app. By the look of your screenshots, I personally don’t like the app categories look, but for the single apps it looks really good! It almost looks native.

Can it be activated through the trackpad gesture that used to invoque launchpad?

By the way, let’s keep sending Apple macOS feedback asking launchpad back!

You’re welcome, no problem! There is a thing for setting up a trackpad gesture to launch it (don’t know if you can use the exact same gesture or not), but haven’t been able to test it, as I don’t have a trackpad for my Mac Mini. There is also an option for launching it with a key command as well. 👍🏻

And the App Library style category page can be left hidden by default and just open straight into the Launchpad mode. That’s the default behavior of the app, is to use the Launchpad setup. 👍🏻.

But yeah, the UI is very clean and feels almost native! 👍🏻