How To Use macOS’s Launchpad: Get The Most Out Of The Mac’s Application Launcher

Launchpad is macOS’s answer to organizing and accessing your applications quickly, much like the Home Screen on an iPhone or iPad. Many Mac users overlook its potential, seeing it as just a grid of icons. However, there’s a lot you can do to make Launchpad faster and more useful for everyday work. If you want to get more from your Mac’s application launcher, it helps to know the tricks that make it shine.

Opening and Navigating Launchpad

You can open Launchpad in several ways. The most common is by clicking its icon in the Dock - it looks like a silver rocket. Many MacBooks also let you pinch with four fingers on the trackpad. If you have a dedicated Launchpad key on your Apple keyboard (usually F4 with the same rocket icon), pressing it brings up Launchpad instantly. Once opened, you’ll see a grid of your applications, filling your screen.

Navigation is simple: swipe left or right with two fingers on a trackpad to move between pages, or use your mouse's scroll wheel. You can also use the arrow keys to move between apps. To open an app, just click its icon. If you want to close Launchpad without opening anything, press the Escape key or click any blank space outside the app icons.

Searching for Apps Fast

Scrolling through multiple pages of apps can be slow, especially if you have many installed. Launchpad has a built-in search bar that speeds things up. Just start typing the name of the app as soon as Launchpad is open. You don’t need to click anywhere first; the search field appears automatically at the top of the screen when you type. As you type, Launchpad filters the results in real time.

For example, if you want to open Safari, start typing 'saf' and Safari’s icon appears. Press Return to launch the highlighted app. This trick is much quicker than looking through the pages manually, especially for apps you don’t use every day.

Organizing Apps and Creating Folders

By default, Launchpad organizes apps in the order macOS installs them, but you can rearrange them to suit your workflow. To move an app, click and hold its icon until all the icons start to jiggle. Then, drag the app to a new spot or even to a different page by dragging it to the edge of the screen. Release to drop it in place.

To create a folder, drag one app on top of another. macOS creates a folder automatically, and you can drag more apps into the same folder. Folders help group related apps, such as all your Adobe tools or games, and cut down on clutter. Click the folder to open it, and rename it by clicking its name while it’s open. This way, you can mirror the way you organize apps on your iPhone or iPad.

Adding and Removing Apps from Launchpad

Every app installed in your main Applications folder appears in Launchpad. Apps from the Mac App Store show up automatically, but apps you install manually (by dragging into Applications) also appear. If you don’t see a newly installed app, try restarting Launchpad by force quitting it via Activity Monitor or logging out and back in.

To remove an app, open Launchpad and make the icons jiggle by clicking and holding any app. Apps that can be deleted (usually App Store apps) show an 'X' button in the top left. Click the X to remove the app from your Mac entirely. For other apps installed from outside the App Store, the 'X' won’t appear. To remove those, you’ll need to delete the app from the Applications folder directly in Finder.

Customizing the Look and Layout

Launchpad’s grid size is fixed by macOS, but you can rearrange icons and folders for a more personalized setup. If you want to reset Launchpad to its default layout, open Terminal and enter: defaults write com.apple.dock ResetLaunchPad -bool true; killall Dock. This wipes out your custom organization, so use it with caution.

There are no built-in settings for changing icon size or the number of rows and columns, but third-party tools like Launchpad Manager or custom Terminal commands (for advanced users) can tweak these options. However, most people find manually organizing and using folders meets their needs without extra apps or risk.

Using Launchpad with Keyboard Shortcuts and Gestures

If you prefer using the keyboard, Launchpad supports several shortcuts. Beyond the F4 key, you can create your own shortcut: go to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Mission Control. Check the box for Show Launchpad and set a custom key combo. Once Launchpad is open, type to search and press Enter to launch your app. Navigating with arrow keys and pressing Return is often faster than using a mouse.

On trackpads, the four-finger pinch is the quickest gesture. Some mice, like Apple’s Magic Mouse, support swiping between pages. Experiment with these gestures to see what suits your workflow. They’re especially useful if you like keeping your hands off the trackpad or mouse as much as possible.

Troubleshooting Common Launchpad Issues

Sometimes, Launchpad might not show a new app, or icons could appear blank or duplicated. First, try restarting your Mac. If that doesn’t work, you can reset Launchpad’s database. Open Terminal and run: rm ~/Library/Application\ Support/Dock/*.db; killall Dock. This forces macOS to regenerate the Launchpad database, usually fixing display issues.

If you can't delete an app from Launchpad, remember that non-App Store apps must be removed via Finder. Also, if the Launchpad icon disappears from your Dock, you can re-add it from the Applications folder by dragging it back to the Dock. These fixes cover most everyday problems users encounter.

Frequently asked questions