How do I delete duplicate applications?

Bretski,

Have you tried to remove them from the Macintosh HD/Applications Folder?

Bretski,

If you are certain that they are duplicates you should be able to click on them and use the Finder>File>Move to Trash command.

This is a known bug in Lion. The Launchpad database does not update properly. More info can be had at http://haiteq.com/2011/07/07/quick-tip-force-os-x-lion-to-reload-the-launchpads- contents/

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

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

You'll be prompted not to mess with sudo commands, and then asked for your admin password. 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.

This worked for me, and only took a few seconds.

I have tried your suggestion,but when I got to the point at which Terminal asked me to enter my password, it would not accept any characters: i.e. I could not enter anything. I am logged in as Administrator. Why won't Terminal do this?

It should work. Is it possible that you clicked outside the Terminal window?

Finniii: Thanks for your response. I am sure I did not click outside the Terminal window. I was clicking at the prompt each time I tried to enter my password. This happened each time I tried to enter my password. Can you make any other suggestions I could try? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

Oh, I see what you mean. For security reasons, the terminal does NOT show the characters you are typing when you enter your admin password. Just type it (you won't see anything, the cursor will just blink), and hit enter. It should carry out the process just fine.

Thank you Bretski63, this worked perfectly for me too!

I have had this same issue arise with each update including the initial install of Lion. With the duplicate applications that showed up, upon install and the 10.7.1 upgrade, the duplicate application issue was corrected with performing an additional shutdown and restart. With 10.7.2 this did not work but I entered "Command I" and changed all permissions on the partial application of Mission Controll and was able to delete. I would note that I only did this after confirming that it was a ligitemate duplicate and not the same application showing up twice (two pathways).

There is a much easier, 3-step process that doesn't involve having to reorganize your launchpad, especially useful if you created groups of folders to organize your apps.

1. In Finder, locate the application of which there are duplicates and move it to the trash, but DO NOT empty the trash.

2. Quit the Dock process through Activity Monitor. It will restart automatically, and all references to that particular application should disappear from Launchpad. Don't worry, this is normal. Leave Activity Monitor open.

3. Place the application back in the original folder and quit the Dock process again.

When it restarts, Launchpad should be down to one reference. This has worked perfectly for me many times.

Hope this helps!

Source: Personal experience

This really worked perfectly. I honestly prefer to work it out this way since I'm not to keen on using Terminal. If you're not a programmer kind of person, like me, I hear that if you give a wrong command you could f*&$3k your system. HHmmm...

Thanks a lot.

The terminal solution worked well for me after duplicates appeared on update to Mountain Lion.

Thanks for this - it's been bugging me for ages. Solved it instantly.