macOS Tahoe Transforms Launchpad Into App Library

[dannys1]

you can do that with launchpad too, no need to type anything
just do the close three fingers gesture and click on the app you want, the replacement doesnt have an option for folders nor custom order, which is basically what the homescreen on iOS and ipadOS do

I'd rather not touch the mouse/trackpad at all.

Obviously Apple have seen people using LaunchPad are tiny, hence changing it. 90%+ of people just use Spotlight.

 

[dannys1]

To make a fair comparison, you have to measure the time it takes to launch an app such that the timer starts and ends with you in your default position. My default position is one hand on the trackpad and the other hand somewhere, not on the keyboard, so moving both hands from my default position to launch an app using keyboard (command-space, type a few characters, press Enter) takes time, and returning my hands back to my default position also takes time.

Launching an app using the four-finger pinch gesture followed by a quick move of the pointer and a tap on the trackpad takes easily less than a second (maybe half a second) since I can do that from my default position without having to move my hands to the keyboard. And even with a 10x6 grid of apps, the Launchpad icons are still quite large, which helps hitting them quickly with the pointer (and also the fact that you learn to remember where each app is).

Where as I try not to touch the trackpad at all. Moving a cursor is time wasted - there's a reason most time conscious professionals use keyboard shortcuts and keyboard control for as much as everything as possible.

 

[dannys1]

At no point am I typing in any app names... They are exactly where I want / need them. Literally gesture, click. Done

They you must use a very limited number of apps. Either way, gesture -> move cursor, click on app, is still going to be slow than me button -> sh -> enter - open opens.

As mentioned above, Apple have obviously seen the amount of people using LaunchPad is tiny and thus they're replacing it - by the looks of the new thing you'll be able to do the same with your trackpad and cursor moving gestures anyway.

 

[dannys1]

I use launchpad like a rube because spotlight is broken on my system and I'm too lazy to learn raycast or whatever. I like having a whole screen of apps and giant icons and I don't know if this is going to be an improvement

why don't you just fix Spotlight - there's plenty of ways to fix it.

 

[thebart]

why don't you just fix Spotlight - there's plenty of ways to fix it.

As I said earlier up thread, I've tried everything I found. Spotlight does work, it just doesn't index the system drive. The only thing I haven't done is a full OS reinstall but I'm too lazy.

 

[AuronQuake]

I'd rather not touch the mouse/trackpad at all.

Obviously Apple have seen people using LaunchPad are tiny, hence changing it. 90%+ of people just use Spotlight.

I sincerely doubt your assertion without evidence that "90%+ of people just use Spotlight". I get it, some people think using the mouse/trackpad is for dumb people who don't know that keyboard shortcuts exist, and LaunchPad is just for those too lazy to use Spotlight. This is a really narrow view of using an operating system like macOS which caters to people who work in many different ways. There is no one right way to do stuff on macOS. If you'd rather not touch the mouse/trackpad at all, you're saying you don't even click on items that are on the Dock? This doesn't seem like efficiency to me. For some of us, using the mouse/trackpad is just easier in most cases. It doesn't mean we aren't aware that the Mac can be used with just the keyboard. The mouse/trackpad exists for a reason. So does the LaunchPad. So does a user-friendly UI that isn't just a bunch of text on the screen like OSes from 40 years ago.

 

[Randel.D]

Came to add my voice to the chorus of people disappointed about losing Launchpad. I don't always remember the name of the app I'm looking for, and it might not be categorized the way I think of it (I might think of it is Productivity, but it might be under Finance), so scrolling through categories (or worse yet, alphabetical) is just painful.

One thing that gives me hope that they might give us the option to get it back is that in System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts... there is still a menu item called "Launchpad & Dock". Toggling on the indicator next to "Show Launchpad" doesn't do anything, but maybe that means our Launchpad preferences (folders, layout) are still being stored in the OS and they can give us this functionality back in a future beta. Fingers crossed.

 

[Mr.Ben]

I also use Launchpad as my main app launcher. My most-used apps are in the dock, but for anything else it's a quick mouse down to a hot corner.

Have to say I'm still undecided on whether I'll get Tahoe when it's officially released. I'd normally update fairly soon after release, but as a designer, I'm not sure I like the look of Tahoe. The liquid glass effect isn't doing it for me - feels a bit of a gimmicky theme. Sequoia UI styling feels cleaner and I prefer the smaller corner radius on apps. I don't know, maybe I'll warm to it, but right now I'm erring on the side of not updating. 😕

 

[NotPr0n]

One thing that gives me hope that they might give us the option to get it back is that in System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts... there is still a menu item called "Launchpad & Dock".

I wonder what happens (in Tahoe) if you assign a keyboard shortcut to the "Show Launchpad" action and then press the shortcut:

1. Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts... > Launchpad & Dock
2. Tick the checkbox on the left side of Show Launchpad
3. Double click the text none (or the currently assigned shortcut) on the right side of Show Launchpad
4. Press some definitely unused keyboard shortcut like ⌃⌥⇧⌘L (Control-Option-Shift-Command-L)
5. Click Done
6. Try the new keyboard shortcut to see if anything happens.

 

[dannys1]

So does the LaunchPad.

*Did.

 

[NotPr0n]

For 13 years, using Launchpad as my primary app launcher and switcher, I've never had to remember which apps are currently running. Do people actually remember which apps are currently running, and then use Command-Tab (or Mission Control) to switch to the already running apps, and the Dock/Spotlight/Finder to switch to the apps that aren't currently running?

I've tried using my desktop Mac and Magic Trackpad without Launchpad for over a week now, using either the Dock or Command-Tab as my primary app switcher, and either the Dock or Spotlight as my primary app launcher, but the user experience sucks compared to what I had before. I just can't remember whether an app is running or not, so I constantly waste my time by pressing Command-Tab hoping that the app I want to switch to is running, only to realize that it isn't. Using Spotlight or dedicated keyboard shortcuts (via rcmd or Karabiner-Elements alongside BetterTouchTool for example) as the primary app launcher and switcher would fix this problem (because then it wouldn't matter whether the app is running or not), but because my other hand is on the trackpad most of the time, it's not optimal for me to use the keyboard for launching and switching apps.

I may just have to wait for a decent 3rd party Launchpad replacement that's accessible via the four-finger pinch gesture on trackpad before I upgrade from macOS Sequoia.

 

[NotPr0n]

To make using the alias-trick nicer, you'd probably want to:

• Create a script file like "update-dock-apps-folder.sh".
• Edit the script file with a text editor to give it content like:

#!/bin/zsh

# Delete all files in your "Apps" folder
rm "/Users/yourname/Your Dock Apps Folder/"*

# Create aliases to apps in reverse order
osascript -e 'tell application "Finder" to make alias file to (POSIX file "/System/Applications/System Settings.app") at (POSIX file "/Users/yourname/Your Dock Apps Folder")'
osascript -e 'tell application "Finder" to make alias file to (POSIX file "/System/Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app") at (POSIX file "/Users/yourname/Your Dock Apps Folder")'
osascript -e 'tell application "Finder" to make alias file to (POSIX file "/Applications/Xcode.app") at (POSIX file "/Users/yourname/Your Dock Apps Folder")'

# Rename aliases to give them nicer names
mv "/Users/yourname/Your Dock Apps Folder/System Settings.app" "/Users/yourname/Your Dock Apps Folder/System Settings"
mv "/Users/yourname/Your Dock Apps Folder/Terminal.app" "/Users/yourname/Your Dock Apps Folder/Terminal"
mv "/Users/yourname/Your Dock Apps Folder/Xcode.app" "/Users/yourname/Your Dock Apps Folder/Xcode"

• To make the script file executable, open Terminal, navigate to the script file's folder, and run the following command:

chmod +x ./update-dock-apps-folder.sh

Then, if you want to add, remove, or reorder any apps in your "Apps" folder in the Dock, you only need to add, remove, or reorder the appropriate lines in the alias-creating section of the script file (and also change the corresponding lines at the last section if you want to rename the aliases), open Terminal, navigate to the script file's folder, and execute the script by running the following command:

./update-dock-apps-folder.sh

To anyone interested in having an "Apps" folder in the Dock containing only the apps you want, in the order you want them (which requires right-clicking the "Apps" Dock folder and choosing Sort by: Date Added), I made an improved version of my earlier shell script using AppleScript, which you can easily turn into a Shortcut using the Apple Shortcuts app:

-- This is the list of folders to search for your apps
set app_dirs to {"Macintosh HD:Applications", "Macintosh HD:System:Applications", "Macintosh HD:System:Applications:Utilities", "Macintosh HD:System:Library:CoreServices:Applications"}

-- This is the filesystem path to your "Apps" folder
set app_aliases_dir to "Macintosh HD:Users:yourname:Documents:Your Apps Folder"

-- The content of this text file defines the sequence of apps in the "Apps" folder in the Dock when it's sorted by Date Added
set app_names_file to "Macintosh HD:Users:yourname:Documents:Your Dock Apps Folder Content.txt"

set app_names to paragraphs of (read file app_names_file as «class utf8»)

tell application "Finder"
    delete (every file of folder app_aliases_dir whose kind is "Alias")

    repeat with app_name in (reverse of app_names)
        -- Ignores empty lines
        if length of app_name > 0 then
            repeat with app_dir in app_dirs
                -- Assumes that each app's full filename has the extension ".app"
                set app_path to (app_dir & ":" & app_name & ".app")

                if (exists file app_path) then
                    set app_alias to (make alias file to app_path at app_aliases_dir)

                    -- Removes the ".app" extension from the name of the Finder alias file
                    set name of app_alias to app_name
                    exit repeat
                end if
            end repeat
        end if
    end repeat
end tell

After changing the paths in the above AppleScript, you also need to create a text file at the filepath which the string "Macintosh HD:Users:yourname:Documents:Your Dock Apps Folder Content.txt" in the above AppleScript refers to, and put each app's filename (without the ".app" extension) on a separate line in that text file, like in the following example:

Feedback Assistant
Home
Find My
iPhone Mirroring
Activity Monitor
Disk Utility
Keychain Access
Automator
Image Playground

 

[mwa56334]

This sucks, I use it all the time, I want to see all apps in one place, this is a step back

I hope that someone is working on an app to replace it...

 

[HazeAndHahmahneez]

This sucks, I use it all the time, I want to see all apps in one place, this is a step back

Definitely. I keyboard shortcut a way to get to launchpad or to get to the top of the menu bar/ access settings/sleep mode etc.

Losing launchpad would be tough. That coupled with my favorite few apps In the dock and Mac is just right. Ugh then Apple wants to spring this random menu on us with maximize minimize shrink/expand?? Cmoooon. That ain’t sleek sauce babay!

Oh really? Launchpad is how I launch almost all my apps. I prefer it and use a minimal dock. Not sure how I feel about this one.

Def feel you. Keep your wallpapa clean and expansive! You know how to roll right with macOS!

This is very annoying for me because I basically use the LaunchPad like I use my Home Screen on iOS and leave the desktop screen blank.

On the LaunchPad, I have my apps in different folders and designed my own folder name and categories. So I would hate if the new categories are based on what Apple or the developer labels them.

Yup blank like a baby’s bottom baby! Who am I rn dick vitale?!

Srs doe! Apple won’t toss your work away like that, no way. Just like how your setup could’ve been the same with iOS all these years if you really wanted.

In any event, Apple knows the deal.

“…I have faith!” - charmagne bucco

 

[manny88]

I'm not updating my OS literally just for this, and I just bought an M3 Ultra Mac Studio.

I haven't looked into the other features Tahoe gives me, but I find using the 4 finger pinch on my trackpad to bring it up, and see all my apps in folders I've made, just too useful.

I saw a video the other day about getting launchpad installed on tahoe, but I think I'd miss the smoothness of the gesture. For example I could trigger it using better touch tool, but I noticed it's not as smooth as the inbuilt gestures for these things. So I always use a hybrid of built in OS gestures I use, and custom ones in BTT.

 

[manny88]

video of how to get launchpad on MacOS 26:

 

[Gabriel Gledhill]

This sucks, I use it all the time, I want to see all apps in one place, this is a step back

Same. This is a combination of the worst traits of the Windows start menu and iOS/iPadOS App Library. I love having absolutely no control over how my applications are categorised!

 

[nmeed]

Is there a touchpad shortcut to open the new spotlight app thing? Like the 4 finger pinch for launchpad.

 

[kwarendorf]

Count me among those disappointed by the removal of Launchpad. Launchpad allowed me to organize my apps into groups that I chose, rather than having to cram them into categories that Apple chooses. I’m not a keyboard jockey and have no interest in memorizing an endless list of key combinations to replace a feature that wasn’t broken. So I found a work around.

I created a Launch folder and placed it on the far right of the Dock. Within the Launch folder I created a folder that mirrored the categories I used in Launchpad. In each folder I place an alias for the corresponding apps. So at least I have something that approximates the pad functionality.

 

[NotPr0n]

Another poor man's Launchpad alternative is to create Finder aliases for your apps and put them in the ~/Desktop folder. This has the following pros/cons compared to Launchpad:

Pros

• You can place the app/folder icons and leave empty space wherever you want on the Desktop.
• You can separately control the size of the icons and the size & placement of the app/folder names (to change all those settings, close all Finder windows, right-click on the Desktop, and choose Show View Options).
• Long app names are displayed on multiple lines if necessary instead of being shortened by ellipsis.

Cons

• You need to double-click/double-tap to launch an app.
• Double-clicking a folder will open a new Finder window/tab.
• Accessing the Desktop via the four-finger spread gesture on your trackpad is not as nice and easy to perform as the four-finger pinch you can use to access Launchpad.
• The most recently clicked/double-clicked app/folder is highlighted, indicating that it's selected.
• App icons won't show notification badges.
• The Calendar app icon doesn't show the correct date.
• App icons show a curved arrow in their bottom-left corner indicating that it's an alias file unless you replace the icon of the alias file (right-click the alias file, choose Get Info, drag an image or icns file over the app icon displayed near the top-left corner of the info window - it can be the app's regular icon file which you can typically find at <nameoftheapp.app>/Contents/Resources).

Overall, I think this is a pretty good workaround if you don't need multiple Launchpad pages or Launchpad folders.