How can I recreate the classic Launchpad experience in macOS 26?

I upgraded to macOS 26 yesterday (26.5.2), and I was disappointed to discover that Launchpad had been replaced by the new Apps app.

For me, Apps is not a replacement. Launchpad wasn’t just an app launcher—it was an extension of the Dock (a secondary dock). I relied on visual and spatial memory to launch applications, not search. Since Spotlight already exists for searching by name, the new Apps app does not add much, and certainly doesn’t replace the workflow that Launchpad provided.

After some experimentation, I found a workaround that gets close to the old experience.

1. Create a folder anywhere you like (I keep mine on the Desktop).

2. Create aliases for the applications you use and place them in that folder.

3. Rename the aliases using numbers before the names (01 Safari, 02 Mail, etc.) to keep them in the order you want.

4. Drag the folder to the right side of the Dock.

5. Right-click the folder in the Dock and choose:

- Display as: Folder

- View content as: Grid

- Sort by: Name

6. To make it look like the old Launchpad, customize the folder icon:

- Find a Launchpad icon image (PNG works well).

- Select the folder in Finder and press ⌘I.

- Drag the image directly onto the small folder icon in the upper-left corner of the Get Info window.

It’s not as good as the original Launchpad, but it’s much closer to the workflow I’ve used for years.

Hopefully this helps anyone else missing the classic Launchpad.

Has anyone found an even better way to recreate the classic Launchpad experience?