How to Get Launchpad Back on macOS 26 Tahoe (Feb 2026)

After macOS 26 (Tahoe) was released, Apple removed the native Launchpad and replaced it with Apps.app, integrated with Spotlight. For many users, this was nothing short of a disastrous downgrade. We were used to finding our apps at a glance in a full-screen grid interface, but now we can only locate apps through search or endless scrolling. The sense of order we once had is completely gone, and this fractured experience can’t simply be “fixed by getting used to it,” sparking widespread frustration among users.

While I also agree that the new search-based Launchpad is more efficient, “search-based finding” and “browse-based finding” correspond to two completely different cognitive modes. They represent two different use scenarios, even two different user groups, and they shouldn’t be a replacement relationship but rather a complementary one.

To help, I’ve compiled all available solutions (both working and discontinued) for your reference. Personally, I recommend the third-party app approach.

Solution 1: Terminal Commands (No Longer Works)

During the macOS 26 beta phase, developers discovered that you could disable the new Apps interface through command line, indirectly “restoring” the old Launchpad. The specific operation is to open Terminal and enter:

sudo mkdir -p /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain/SpotlightUI.plist SpotlightPlus -dict Enabled -bool false

Then restart your system. This would make the old Launchpad icon reappear.

However, as mentioned earlier, this method only worked in early Tahoe Beta1-4 versions. It stopped working in macOS 26 Beta5 and later versions, including the official release, because Apple completely removed Launchpad’s code files from the system. Moreover, even when it worked in early beta versions, restoring Launchpad also caused Spotlight search to malfunction, which had some destructive effects on system functionality.

Solution 2: Using Patch Restore Tools (Not Recommended)

This method relies on disabling SIP (System Integrity Protection), allowing you to bypass system security and integrity protection restrictions. After that, you use patch tools to restore the system’s native classic Launchpad. These patch tools contain Launchpad files extracted from the original system, as well as some modification instructions for Dock, Spotlight, and Apps.app.

However, the GitHub repository was last updated in November 2025, and based on the Issues in the Repo, it doesn’t seem to support M-series chips. The author also explicitly warns in the README that modifying system files carries risks, so please back up important data in advance and proceed with caution.

Overall, the steps are as follows:

1. Shut down and restart, then hold Cmd+R during Mac startup to enter Recovery Mode
2. Through the Recovery Mode’s utility Terminal, enter command lines to disable SIP and Root verification;

csrutil disable
csrutil authenticated-root disable

3. Restart your Mac, download the patch software, and follow the on-screen instructions

Restore tool link: GitHub - laobamac/SimpleLaunchPadRestore

However, I haven’t tested this solution myself, and disabling SIP may bring potential unknown risks, so I personally don’t recommend it. Those with strong technical skills and risk tolerance can give it a try.

Solution 3: System Downgrade (Quite Complex)

The most drastic method is to downgrade your system to macOS Sequoia or an earlier version that still had Launchpad. Although Apple doesn’t officially provide a system downgrade solution, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Overall, it requires the following steps:

1. System backup to avoid data loss if the downgrade process fails.
2. Create a bootable USB installer for macOS.
3. Use Disk Utility to erase the disk and perform a Clean Install.

Video tutorial link: Downgrade Tahoe to Sequoia | Step-by-Step Guide - YouTube

Text tutorial link: How to downgrade macOS update: Rollback Tahoe to Sequoia | Macworld

Note that system downgrading is quite complex. The process involves Time Machine backups, preparing the complete Sequoia installer package in advance, creating a USB installer, etc. Additionally, since Time Machine has some compatibility issues with Sequoia, you may need some manual copying during the process, followed by erasing and reinstalling. Beginners following the tutorial can expect it to take about 2-3 hours if everything goes smoothly. If you’re only unhappy about losing Launchpad, you probably don’t need to go down the system downgrade path—you can try the solutions below instead.

Solution 4: Using the “Applications” Folder (Downgraded Experience)

If you just want a grid view to quickly launch apps, there’s a very simple native method: add the “Applications” folder to your Dock. The method is to right-click “Applications” in the Finder sidebar → “Add to Dock”. Then right-click that icon in the Dock and select “View as Grid”, which will pop up a window listing all app icons. While this isn’t strictly Launchpad, it allows you to quickly browse apps in a large icon grid format.

Pros: Purely native to the system.

Cons:

• This window is a floating popup rather than full-screen, icons are arranged alphabetically, and it lacks the draggable sorting and folder functionality of the original Launchpad. Compared to the original Launchpad, the experience is significantly downgraded. As a temporary alternative, this is the most native and cleanest solution.

• Some bloggers have figured out how to categorize and manage apps by creating folders within the “Applications” folder, but this lacks thumbnails, isn’t intuitive, and affects the default path of apps, potentially causing some unknown downstream effects.

• You can also try creating an alias for each app and then managing the aliases, but the downside is that you may need to maintain this every time you install a new app.

Reference tutorial: Missing Launchpad After Upgrading to macOS Tahoe? Here’s How to Get it Back

Solution 5: Using Third-Party Alternatives (Recommended)

Early on when macOS 26 was first released, many Launchpad alternatives emerged. At that time, the experience of these alternatives was far from the native Launchpad—poor smoothness, unresponsive mouse drag page-turning, inadequate keyboard shortcut support, etc. But as we’ve moved into 2026, third-party Launchpad alternatives have become relatively mature. After trying over a dozen different third-party alternatives, LaunchOS is my current favorite and the most mainstream one, with a great reputation in overseas Reddit communities.

LaunchOS

It uses a free basic version (comparable to the native system Launchpad) + paid premium version (personalized customization) model. The interface design and user experience are quite polished—drag-to-create folders, sorting, page-turning feel, dynamic layout adaptation across different screens, etc., are all identical to the native Launchpad. It also adapts to Tahoe’s liquid glass effect, which I personally think is even more beautiful than the native Launchpad.

It supports multiple launch methods including trackpad gestures, hot corners, keyboard shortcuts, menu bar, and Dock. Customization options include manual or alphabetical sorting, vertical scrolling mode, grid count adjustment, wallpaper or blur background, adding external drive apps, hiding apps, etc. Even if you’ve already upgraded to macOS 26, it supports one-click import of your old system’s Launchpad layout data.

The developer’s maintenance is stable, so you don’t have to worry about issues not being fixed or the developer abandoning the project. From September 2025 to the end of January 2026, they released about 3-4 versions per month.

Official website: LaunchOS

In summary, if you’re eager to restore the Launchpad experience, the simplest way is the third-party tool LaunchOS. They also offer a 7-day free trial of the premium version, giving you plenty of time to consider whether to upgrade or try other solutions. This approach is simple and convenient, won’t cause any hidden damage to your system, and if you really don’t like it, just uninstall it and you’re done~