I used to have folders to categorize my applications in Launchpad. Last night I upgrade my M1 MacBook Pro 16 to macOS 26 Tahoe. Launchpad isn't there. Can I get Launchpad back?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Original Title: can i use lanchpad in macos 26 Tahoe
MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 26.0
I knew LaunchPad was gone in Tahoe. I tried to adapt to the new workflow Tahoe proposed, but it felt clunky compared to LaunchPad's intuitive use.
I rolled back from macOS 26 Tahoe to macOS 15 Sequoia.
There are two reasons: first, the absence of LaunchPad. I knew LaunchPad was gone before upgrading to Tahoe, but I still tried to adapt to the new way. However, the un-Apple-like quality and unintuitive use made me feel suffocated.
Second, the GUI frame drops. macOS 26, which adopted Metal4, should have better graphics frame quality... I don't know what the actual results will be in games, but at least on macOS 26 Tahoe, the GUI frame drops make the overall user experience unpleasant.
To draw an analogy, it feels like driving at high speed on a well-paved asphalt road, only to suddenly hit a gravel path and slow down.
I looked into a few things, but GUI frame drops are fundamentally an issue requiring Apple to improve software optimization and quality. I'll skip over that for now.
I searched for LaunchPad alternatives and found one that seems quite good. In some ways, it might even be better than Apple's original LaunchPad.
https://github.com/ggkevinnnn/LaunchNow?tab=readme-ov-file
I hope this helps those inconvenienced by LaunchPad's disappearance.
DaveGarratt wrote:
The Apps program does not always show all the installed apps. For example I have Docker and UTM on my mac and these apps don't appear on any of the Apps tabs. Great !!!!
How long ago did you update. It seems to take a while for it to complete indexing.
Over 24 hours now - still a now show - I'm working (extending) my own Menu system now to fill the gap. However I've only updated my Mac Studio server to Tahoe and there is no chance of me updating to Tahoe on my laptops until this mess has been tidied up by apple. It's not even consistent with IOS which allows you to group apps in folders.
I'm working on my own replacement, it's an app menu I use for development, and I had not envisaged having to replace Launchpad but it looks like I will have to. The menu structure is stored in xml so you can copy the menu to another computer if needed. I have more than 1 mac and most programs are present on all machines. It's open source.
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I agree with you. That's weird to open an app with the new spotlight.
On sequoia, I set an option to open launchpad when I move my mouse to upper right corner of my screen, then launchpad was opened and finally I just had to click on the app I wished.
One move, one click, Done!
Now on Tahoe, you have to hit multiple key on the keyboard, make multiple mouse move and make multiple click. I don't get what the heck apple is doing... is that ergonomy?
Many people, myself included simply find that a clunky and slow way to work. Trying to remember the name of that network utility or whatever just seems like a step back. If we go any further people will advocate a linux command prompt. This is how I have arranged my LaunchPad. The categories which the new Tahoe Apps program provides are simply inadequate and you can't add to them.
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At this rate my next laptop will be a much cheaper Linux machine. At least with Linux you know it's going to be a painful experience, you can just console yourself that you did not pay megabucks for the privilege of using an awful GUI.
I'm working on a replacement for Launchpad and it should be freely available as an open source application soon. It's a little different in appearance which is due to it being a java application, but you can drag and drop your applications to customisable categories (tabs). Also - as all the config is held in xml you can copy the config to another computer and retain the same settings (for those applications which exist on the target machine).
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i have twice mentioned where this open source alternative to launchpad can be found - one post with a link and one post without a link and both posts have been deleted - I can surmise that maybe the link was not allowed but I don’t understand why the second post was deleted. It’s not commercial software - it’s open source and digitally signed. Is the
mention of a Microsoft hosted source code repository not allowed ?
DaveGarratt wrote:
i have twice mentioned where this open source alternative to launchpad can be found - one post with a link and one post without a link and both posts have been deleted - I can surmise that maybe the link was not allowed but I don’t understand why the second post was deleted. It’s not commercial software - it’s open source and digitally signed. Is the
mention of a Microsoft hosted source code repository not allowed ?
You cannot promote your own products. See the Discussion Forum's Terms of Use (See Section B, Item #6:
Apple Support Communities Use Agreement - Apple Community
DaveGarratt wrote:
It’s not my product - it’s open source - GPL License V3.
So what did you mean when you wrote, "I have just released my LaunchPad alternative which can be downloaded from GitHub?" (italics mine).
FiliusDei777 wrote:
hey guys, well, im glad im not alone...hope apple notice this and give us the option to keep LaunchPad, 'cause I really really really don't like this stuff....
Tell Apple:
FiliusDei777 wrote:
hey guys, well, im glad im not alone...hope apple notice this and give us the option to keep LaunchPad, 'cause I really really really don't like this stuff....
See my post: Missing applications in APPS app on new M… - Apple Community
FiliusDei777 wrote:
hey guys, well, im glad im not alone...hope apple notice this and give us the option to keep LaunchPad, 'cause I really really really don't like this stuff....
https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/f70fb411-e267-4708-a737-7626e185768e
[Edited by Moderator]
Respectfully
At not time did anyone force the user ( you ) to have download and installed macOS 26 Tahoe
That would have required purposeful actions on the pert of the owner of this computer
Further, when Apple Announced macOS 26 Tahoe back in June 2025
Apple did its best to make available to the public, some of the Features which were planned to appear in the Commercially available version
We do understand that not everybody follows the news regarding was is coming what is not coming in Tahoe
That is something Apple can not control
We are adults and responsible to check things out Before we jump on the Latest and Greatest offering from Apple, macOS 26 Tahoe
hey bro!, your getting it all wrong, is not that people didn't know the new features or changes, but first, one thing is to see it and another to try it, and see if it works for you, so now, we know, some of us, don't like it, and another thing is to see it and assuming or expecting it to be customizable, I mean, give me the option to use the launchpad o the new feature, like iPadOS and the new windows sizing.
for your consideration.
FiliusDei777 wrote:
hey bro!, your getting it all wrong, is not that people didn't know the new features or changes, but first, one thing is to see it and another to try it, and see if it works for you, so now, we know, some of us, don't like it, and another thing is to see it and assuming or expecting it to be customizable, I mean, give me the option to use the launchpad o the new feature, like iPadOS and the new windows sizing.
for your consideration.
You may consider reading this
https://www.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/macOSTahoe.pdf
Under these terms we the user Own the computer on this we do agree
Though, under the User Agreement, which we All have agreed to at the time of Installation.
We only Lease the Operating System from Apple
As such, what is or is not included or made available in Tahoe , is out of our hands - full stop
Don't like Tahoe, don't use it
Being vocally unhappen about this is not going to change anything at all
Can I use Launchpad in macOS 26 Tahoe on my MacBook Pro M1?
