How do I restore the old Launchpad in macOS Tahoe

I have. The changes in Spotlight are great. I use command-space command-4 multiple times a day.

I’d agree the Spotlight changes could be useful. Just to clarify (since I haven’t updated): in Tahoe, ⌘Space then ⌘4 is Spotlight’s Clipboard view? ie, it shows/searches clipboard history? And ⌘1 limits Spotlight to Apps? My understanding is these shortcuts limit Spotlight to a specific category (Clipboard vs Apps vs Actions vs Files).

Where I think we’re talking past each other is that this thread isn’t really about “Spotlight got new features” (or even “can you launch apps by typing”). I have nothing against Spotlight. But Launchpad did already support text search, and it could be invoked via a custom shortcut / Hot Corner / trackpad gesture. It worked both pointer-only and keyboard-only. The issue is the loss of user-controlled organization on top of that (custom order, folder names, stable spatial layout / muscle memory, large targets), which isn’t really what Spotlight is designed to replace.

Use case example: Setting up the projector and taking only my Magic Trackpad to the sofa. Quick, pointer-only app launching with big targets, because normal Finder is too finicky on a projector. I don’t see how Spotlight meets that use currently (and I’m not arguing it should, just arguing that launchpad covered different things)

While LaunchPad may be gone, there are the same ways there have always been to look at apps as a grid. Even without a third-party app.

Launchpad isn’t simply a grid. A grid that’s auto-arranged or non-customizable doesn’t function as an equivalent replacement for workflows built around stable placement and user grouping. The “folder in the Dock” workaround can be fine for some, but it’s solving a different problem than the one Launchpad solved.

Apple devices will never meet all the needs of all the people who use them. I think expecting that is unreasonable

Totally agree, no platform can satisfy every preference. In this case, the topic is much narrower: don’t remove a long-standing workflow without a comparable option, especially when it affects established organization and accessibility.

I’m sure this wasn’t your intent, but it’s worth noting the sequence: after accessibility-related examples were raised, the reply shifted to “not worth resources / only a small percentage care.” Even if unintended, that can come across as treating accessibility needs as optional. In accessibility and inclusive design, that “edge case” mindset is something people routinely have to push back on.

Also, accessibility improvements often help everyone (the classic curb-cut effect: ramps help wheelchair users but also strollers, kids, suitcases, etc.). In UI terms, larger targets, fewer required inputs, and less precision required benefit a wide range of real-world situations. For example, one-handed-friendly interaction isn’t just for amputees; it helps anyone carrying something, holding a coffee, or dealing with temporary injury/fatigue

Just to be clear, I’m not anti-Spotlight at all, it’s great! I’m only saying it doesn’t cover the same customizable, pointer-friendly workflow Launchpad did.

The most actionable step is submitting feedback to Apple, and for anyone arriving here from search, concrete use cases and workarounds are likely the most helpful. It’s also valuable to compare experiences, so users know they’re not the only ones who feel that way. Replies that focus on minimizing the concern aren’t very actionable and tend to discourage the peer-to-peer support these threads can provide.

Apple never said it would be reintroduced, much less when...

Consider it gone for good. There is a non-zero chance they may bring it back, but there is also a non-zero chance of being abducted by aliens.

wiggle321 wrote:

I’m sure this wasn’t your intent, but it’s worth noting the sequence: after accessibility-related examples were raised, the reply shifted to “not worth resources / only a small percentage care.” Even if unintended, that can come across as treating accessibility needs as optional. In accessibility and inclusive design, that “edge case” mindset is something people routinely have to push back on.

That seems almost disingenuous to say, given the huge number of options Apple offers in Tahoe and earlier versions of the MacOS for Accessibility. Users who have various limitations or special requirements can operate their Macs in a wide variety of ways, as selected and specified through the myriad Mac Accessibility options. There is A LOT MORE to Macs' accessibility posture than Launchpad. One can even operate one's Mac through voice commands and other methods as well. The Mac is a very "accessible" device and Launchpad had little to do with that.

I see Launchpad as having a very minor role in the larger Mac picture of "Accessibility." In Tahoe, Apple replaced Launchpad with other options, and some users prefer the old Launchpad and some prefer the new setup. If it matters a lot to you, send Apple feedback. If enough users voice an opinion, Apple may revert or restore some options.

For me personally, I almost never used Launchpad except by accident now and then because I must have entered some keystroke that opened it unintentionally. So I did not even notice its absence in Tahoe. Since my current Mac is on Tahoe, I can't try Launchpad there but I was curious, and on my older Macs running pre-Tahoe OS versions, I tried using Launchpad a few times but stopped because I prefer other options.

Apple Discussions are really intended for users to pose questions for issues they don't understand or can't resolve, and other users chime in with how to do something or how to fix it. For Tahoe and Launchpad, Apple has provided replacements for Launchpad. If users prefer the original Launchpad, sending Apple feedback is really what they should do if they want it back.

Now I am using Launchie, it is good, at least I can use grups, and free

There are at least 4 LaunchPad replacement apps.

Launchie (App Store)

AppGrid Launcher (App Store)

AppHub (paid app)

LaunchPad on GitHub

For about 5 bucks you can get the old launchPad back and then some:

https://launchosapp.com/

Read this conversation first.

I agree with dialabrain's comments in that in all the systems I had with Launchpad I never used it. The new Apps application will or should do what you want instead of Launchpad.

When Tahoe was still in beta Macrumors had some tips on modifying the Liquid Glass look in this article. I used some of these suggestions to experiment with the look of the new system. They might work for you too.

It's entirely illogical to remove the most efficient method of launching an application (while hiding others). Now, when I go to open the LaunchPad replacement, I'm seeing literally every app installed on the computer. There needs to be a way to curate the apps to efficiently launch them with muscle memory.

We already had Spotlight search to launch apps. Why remove LaunchPad without replacing it with something just as efficient? This is truly mind boggling. I don't understand how people who work at Apple could make such drastic changes, unless they don't actually use the products they're engineering.

Anthony Sbarro wrote:

It's entirely illogical to remove the most efficient method of launching an application (while hiding others).

I always find it amusing when people say that something they don't like is "illogical." It almost makes me think they believe that everyone shares their needs and preferences. But of course, thinking that really would be illogical.

Tell Apple what you want to see:

Product Feedback - Apple

Apple's categories are often inaccurate and grossly reduce efficiency. This adds additional mental requirements (and time) to understand what category Apple has chosen to place an application.

Example: I should get to decide if an app is either Productivity or Finance.

On my computer, Apple has decided to put Firefox in Productivity & Finance and Safari in Utilities and Edge and Brave in Other. I would put them in a folder called Browsers.

This interface also seems to sort categories and applications randomly and dynamically. You have Utilities first while I have Productivity & Finance. This interrupts the ability to quickly access something because you need to scan the UI to find where the category and application has moved to. It's also not a wide enough interface to see all the categories so you need to swipe over to see more.

LaunchPad is user customizable. I can place an application where I want it based on my priorities and usage so it's easier (or harder) to access using muscle memory - this is apparently good enough for a mobile operating system but no longer for the desktop. I don't have to think about launching apps. I have the bottom left corner as a hot spot to launch LaunchPad - I have primary apps in the root of this UI and I have category folders to organize things like Music, Games, Utilities, etc. And these 'bins' are organized in a method that makes sense to me so I can literally open any app on my computer with a single finger using (at most) a couple swipes and clicks without even having to remember the name of the app. I genuinely don't know the names of a lot of apps but I know that the one I want to use to change the name of a music track is in my Music folder and it's on the bottom.

What is illogical is that they have - for no apparent logical reason - removed a method of launching applications that is nearly identical to how you launch apps on billions of mobile devices while forcing users to use an existing command-line like method that (I'd argue) most people find inefficient.

They have changed things in the past. Not many. If the voices are loud enough, perhaps they'll simply reenable a small and important thing that worked perfectly fine without any drawbacks for a decade.

What's illogical, had you taken the time to think or ask what I meant by that rather than post your trolly comment, is that they've removed a familiar method of launching applications that billions of people are used to using on their mobile devices, something powerful and light weight that's core to the UX that's existed in the periphery without issue for over ten years, and they've forced all users to use a command line-like method to open applications that only some people found more efficient.

I can not think of a better way to describe this than illogical.

Perhaps you could let me know what you think is logical about this removal.

As much as some may agree with the very well written explanation and description of once was, we are in what is now in Tahoe

My usual boilerplate response goes like this

We Own the computer that Apple has designed and had built to your specifications and functionalities

The Operationg System that runs on the Apple Computer was designed and built by Apple

We, the End User, Lease the Operating System from Apple and agree to take it as is, full stop

Anthony Sbarro wrote:

What's illogical .... is that they've removed a familiar method of launching applications that billions of people are used to using on their mobile devices, something powerful and light weight that's core to the UX that's existed in the periphery without issue for over ten years, and they've forced all users to use a command line-like method to open applications that only some people found more efficient.

I can not think of a better way to describe this than illogical.

Perhaps you could let me know what you think is logical about this removal.

As it's the way I've been launching apps for years, the new Spotlight system suits me just fine. It added features to what I already use. I never used LaunchPad. I didn't like it. But I'm not about to make judgments that it was "illogical". If it worked for you and you liked it, I'm sorry that you're unhappy (that's genuine). I don't assume that what I like or what works for me is what everyone else will like. Based on the number of comments here, more people used LaunchPad than I expected but I suspect it's either not "billions" or lots of people who did use it because it was there don't really care that it's gone (most likely scenario).

I have no interest in trying to justify either LaunchPad or Apps or anything else Apple decides to do.

You've now posted three more comments that are completely irrelevant. Nobody here can change macOS. The people who do are not here. Contact Apple directly using Apple Support and register your frustration.

How you feel about the change will have zero effect on future versions of macOS.

You seem determined to change our minds about what we thought of the iPhone switcher security blanket. Since we cannot change macOS, I don't quite understand the pile driving insistence that we come over to the dark side.