Why are icons of deleted applications still showing up in launchpad? How do I delete them?

Click on the icon in launchpad, it will mark the icon with question mark. Now drag and drop it to trash bin.

To force the LaunchPad to refresh its database, run the following command:

sudo rm ~/Library/Application\ Support/Dock/*.db

This will delete the database that is used to populate the LaunchPad. To apply the change and make the LaunchPad create a new database, run this command:

sudo killall Dock

The Dock will restart, along with Mission Control and the LaunchPad. The grid of icons should be refreshed, and the changes you have made to the applications should be visible.

I had the same issue. I found something that worked for me. You first click on the icon of the app you deleted. It won't find it so it'll overlay a translucid question mark. You then ctrl+option+command+click the icon and it's gone!

I had this issue too.

I found I could get rid of them by emptying the trash and then when I went into launchpad and just single left-clicked the icon in launchpad it disappeared.

If the old app was still in trash, the icon would stay there.

This worked for me. Thanks gfgcs2011.

First, I had to search for the apps. It turns out, I must have moved some of them to other various folders besides the Applications folder. After I found them, I deleted them.

Once they were deleted, they continued to show up in Launch Pad but, as mentioned by gfgcs2011, I clicked on each of the apps, and the question marks appeared. From there, I used the keyboard combo "cmd + option + cntrl" (same as click + hold) to get the apps icons to shake, whereby they were then removable.

I'm not sure of your exact situation but if the program still launches from launch pad you can do this:

1: launch program

2: right click program icon in dock

3: select show in finder

4: delete the program from finder (move to trash)

5: empty trash

6: go back to launchpad and click the deleted application a ? should appeare infront of the icon

7: hold command option control and there should be an x now. Click the x.

Hope this helps!

I did something silly but it worked for me. I downloaded the application again then deleted it again and it icon is gone!

The application folder is controlled via launchpad but not vice versa.

so uninstall apps only via launchpad and you're good.

Hmmm - I was not aware of that; in fact, I do not use Launchpad - ever. I control my installs and uninstalls from the Applications folder. FWIW, I do not use MAS either (except to download an OS upgrade or update where I'm being forced to use it), so unless the OS or update comes from Apple, none of my apps were acquired via MAS.

I believe your method only applies if the app was downloaded from MAS?

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11356

This is if you want to be able to delete apps downloaded from the internet deletable via Launchpad

1. Go to a app downloaded from the app store.
2. Right click and select show package contents.
3. Find the MAS receipt, copy it.
4. Go to app download from third party source (not the app store).
5. Do step 2.
6. Delete the code signature.
7. Paste the Mas receipt.

This worked for me.

try click and holding the icon in launchpad and click x that appears at the top right

damnyooneek wrote:

nope the icons are still there.

Try creating another user account (with admin privileges) and see what happens there. Either the problem is local or system wide and this should help determine that.

The application folder is controlled via launchpad but not vice versa.

so uninstall apps only via launchpad and you're good.

Are those applications still in the trash? If so, empty it. Launchpad should then remove their icons.

It would be a bug then.

Here is one thing that you can try:

http://haiteq.com/2011/07/07/quick-tip-force-os-x-lion-to-reload-the-launchpads- contents/