Mac Setup

Written & tested for accuracy by a developer (not AI)

Where Is Launchpad in macOS

Where Launchpad went on Mac: Apple replaced it with Apps in macOS Tahoe 26, and it is still missing in macOS 27 Golden Gate. How to open Apps from the Dock, Spotlight, a keyboard shortcut, or a trackpad gesture, browse apps by category, and set a Hot Corner.

Launchpad was the grid of app icons you opened from the Dock to find and start your apps. Apple removed Launchpad in macOS Tahoe 26, and it is not in macOS 27 Golden Gate. Its replacement is called Apps, and the Apps icon sits in the Dock where Launchpad used to be.

You don't need Launchpad, or Apps, if:

  • You press Command-Space to open Spotlight and search for an app by typing a few letters.
  • You use Finder to open the Applications folder and browse apps by name, double-clicking to open an application.

However, use Apps from the Dock if you want a visual grid of pinned apps.

Finding your apps is one step in getting a new Mac ready to use. See the full Mac setup roadmap. This article is part of a series on Mac Setup.

Tested on macOS 27 Golden Gate, September 2026.

Before you get started

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Find the Launchpad replacement in macOS 27

Apps shows every app on your Mac in one window, sorted into categories. Apple built it into Spotlight, the Mac's search tool, so you can search for an app or browse the full list in the same place.

If Launchpad disappeared from your Dock after you upgraded, nothing is wrong with your Mac. Apple removed it for everyone. A Mac running macOS 27 has no Launchpad app at all, not even in the Applications folder.

Open Apps, the Launchpad replacement

You can open Apps in four ways. Use whichever fits the way you work.

Click the Apps icon in the Dock

Unless you've removed it, you can click the Apps icon in the Dock, then click an app to open it.

The Apps view in macOS 27 Golden Gate

To keep an app within easy reach, drag it from Apps to the Dock or to the desktop.

Open Apps from Spotlight

Press Command + Space to open Spotlight, then press Command + 1 to show your apps. Use the arrow keys to move between apps, or click an app to open it.

You can also click the Spotlight icon (the magnifying glass) in the menu bar, then press Command + 1. The window that opens is titled Applications.

Set a keyboard shortcut for Apps

Keyboard Shortcuts settings list a shortcut named Show Apps, in the Spotlight group. Open System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts to see its keys or choose your own.

Pinch the trackpad to show Apps

On a Mac with a trackpad, pinch with your thumb and three fingers to show Apps. Spread your thumb and three fingers to show the desktop instead. Trackpad settings list the gesture as Apps, where you can turn it on or off.

Browse apps by category

Apps sorts your apps into categories, such as Productivity & Finance. Click a category along the top of the window to see only those apps. Games from the Apple Games app appear in the Arcade category, and you can browse them with a game controller.

Apps you install from the App Store appear in Apps automatically. For an app you download from a website, drag it into the Applications folder, and it appears in Apps too.

Switch between grid and list view in Apps

To change how Apps lays out your apps, click the More button (three dots) and choose Grid or List.

To choose whether iPhone apps appear in Spotlight results, open System Settings > Spotlight and turn iPhone Apps on or off under Results from System.

Organize apps without Launchpad folders

Launchpad let you arrange icons on pages, group apps into folders, and delete App Store apps. Apps cannot do any of these. You cannot create folders or pages, rearrange icons, or hide a Mac app from the list.

The Mac's built-in tools cover the same needs:

  • Dock: Keep the apps you use most in the Dock. Drag an app from Apps to the Dock to add it.
  • Spotlight: Press Command + Space and type the first few letters of an app's name. This is a quick way to open an app when you know its name.
  • Applications folder: Open the Finder and click Applications in the sidebar to see every app. To delete an app you no longer want, drag it from this folder to the Trash.
  • Applications stack in the Dock: Drag the Applications folder from the Finder to the Dock, next to the divider line that separates apps from folders. Right-click it and choose to view its contents as a grid, and your apps open in a grid that looks like Launchpad.

Set a Hot Corner to open Apps

A Hot Corner runs an action when you move the pointer into a corner of the screen. Apps is one of the actions, in place of Launchpad in earlier macOS versions. To set it up:

  1. Open System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the pane and click the Hot Corners button.
  3. Open the menu for a corner and choose Apps.
  4. Click Done.

To avoid triggering the corner by accident, hold Command, Shift, Option, or Control while the menu is open. The corner then works only while you hold that key. For other useful Hot Corners, see Dock Settings for a New Mac.

Get Launchpad back in macOS 27

There is no supported way to bring back Launchpad. The Launchpad app is not part of macOS 27, so no setting or command restores it. Skip guides that claim to restore it, because Apple does not support any of them and some change protected parts of macOS.

For a grid of your apps that looks like Launchpad, use the Applications stack in the Dock described above. Third-party launcher apps are another option if you want folders and your own arrangement.

Continue setting up your Mac

Don't miss the full visual roadmap and checklist that shows how to set up a Mac for software development, with all the essential tools and settings you might not yet know about.