How to Use App Folders Again After Launchpad Was Removed

If you miss Launchpad folders on macOS 26, you are probably not only missing a place to store apps.

You are missing a small visual system:

• a full-screen grid
• app folders you arranged yourself
• pages that stayed familiar
• icons you could find by position
• a gesture, F4 key, or hot corner that opened the same space every time

In macOS Tahoe, Apple moved app browsing into Spotlight’s Apps view. That gives Mac users a built-in way to see installed apps, browse categories, and search. It is useful, but it is not the same as the old Launchpad folder workflow.

This guide explains what you can still do with native Mac tools, where those tools feel different, and how to recreate folder-based app launching with LaunchOS.

Why Launchpad folders mattered

Launchpad folders were simple, but they solved a real problem.

Most Mac users do not have only ten apps. Over time, the app library fills with browsers, design tools, utilities, work apps, messaging apps, menu bar helpers, games, vendor uninstallers, and one-off tools that are useful twice a month.

Search is fast when you remember the name. Folders are better when you remember the shape of your workspace.

Launchpad folders helped because they gave you:

• visual grouping for related apps
• less clutter on the first page
• spatial memory for apps you do not open every day
• simple browsing when you remember the icon but not the name
• an iPhone-like habit many people already understood

That last part matters. Launchpad felt approachable because it behaved like a visual home screen for Mac apps. You could drag apps into groups, name the groups, and keep the layout close to how your brain already sorted tools.

What changed after Launchpad was removed

Apple’s current macOS Tahoe materials describe a new Spotlight browsing view that lets you see apps on your Mac in one place, with categories and search. Apple also says Spotlight can now browse apps, files, and clipboard contents.

That is a clear direction: macOS is leaning more heavily into Spotlight as the central place to find and act.

For many users, that works well. If you know the app name, Spotlight is probably faster than any grid. If you are a keyboard-first user, it is a great launcher.

But Launchpad folders were not only about speed. They were about organization.

After Launchpad changed, users who depended on folders often lost:

• their custom app groups
• their old page structure
• the visual position of each folder
• the feeling of browsing apps without typing
• the direct mapping between gesture and full-screen launcher

So the real question is not “Can I still open apps?” You can. The question is “Can I still use app folders like I did in Launchpad?”

Can macOS create Launchpad-style app folders natively?

macOS can create folders in Finder. You can also place folders or aliases in the Dock. Those are useful options, especially if you want a file-based system.

For example, you can:

• create a folder for work app aliases
• create another folder for creative tools
• place those folders in the Dock
• open the Applications folder in Finder
• use Spotlight’s Apps view when you want a built-in app browser

Those approaches can help, but they do not fully recreate Launchpad-style app folders.

Here is the practical difference:

If you only need a few folder shortcuts, Finder and Dock may be enough. If you want the old visual launcher feel, you will probably want a dedicated app launcher with folders.

How LaunchOS brings app folders back

LaunchOS is built for people who want the Launchpad-style workflow back on modern macOS.

Instead of treating apps as a search result list, LaunchOS gives you a visual app surface again:

• full-screen app grid
• custom folders
• pages
• drag-to-organize layout
• app hiding for clutter control
• grid density options
• import of native Launchpad layout data
• launch triggers such as gestures, F4, hot corners, Dock, menu bar, and shortcuts

That makes folders useful again because they live inside a launcher, not in a Finder window.

You can build a layout around how you actually work:

• put daily apps on page one
• group work apps into a Work folder
• keep creative tools together
• separate system utilities from real daily tools
• hide apps you never want to browse
• keep rarely used apps in a folder instead of scattering them across the grid

If you used Launchpad folders for years, this matters more than a long feature list. It lets you keep using visual memory.

Folder organization examples

The best folder system is simple enough to remember without thinking. Start with broad groups, then split only when a folder becomes too crowded.

Daily

Use this for the apps you open constantly.

Examples:

• browser
• email
• calendar
• notes
• messaging
• task manager

You may not even need a folder for these. If they are truly daily apps, keep them on the first page or in the Dock.

Work

Use this for apps tied to projects, meetings, documents, and team communication.

Examples:

• document editors
• project management tools
• meeting apps
• remote desktop tools
• cloud storage clients

Keep this folder near the top of the first page if work apps are part of your daily routine.

Creative

Use this for design, photo, video, audio, writing, and publishing tools.

Examples:

• image editors
• design apps
• video editors
• audio tools
• publishing apps

Creative apps often have memorable icons, so a visual folder can be faster than typing exact names.

Utilities

Use this for tools you need, but do not want to see all the time.

Examples:

• system utilities
• disk tools
• uninstallers
• menu bar helpers
• diagnostics tools

This folder helps reduce noise. Your app launcher should not make every helper app feel equally important.

Communication

Use this if messaging and calling apps are spread across your workflow.

Examples:

• email clients
• team chat apps
• video meeting apps
• social apps

If you use only one or two every day, leave those in the Dock and keep the rest in the folder.

Rarely Used

This is where you put tools that are worth keeping but not worth seeing every time.

Examples:

• vendor utilities
• migration tools
• old project apps
• one-off converters
• apps you need for specific clients or devices

This folder is better than letting rarely used apps occupy prime visual space.

A simple setup checklist

Use this checklist if you are rebuilding your app folder system from scratch:

1. Put the apps you open every day on the first page.
2. Create only five to seven broad folders at first.
3. Name folders by purpose, not by brand.
4. Keep utilities and rarely used apps away from the first screen.
5. Use search for known app names, folders for browsing, and Dock for favorites.
6. Revisit the layout after a week and remove folders you did not actually use.

The goal is not to create a perfect taxonomy. The goal is to make your Mac feel easy to scan again.

FAQ

Can I create folders like the old Launchpad on macOS 26?

macOS still supports normal Finder folders and Dock folders, and Spotlight now includes an Apps view for browsing apps. Those are useful, but they do not fully recreate the old Launchpad-style custom folder grid. LaunchOS is designed for that visual folder workflow.

Can I move apps between folders in LaunchOS?

Yes. LaunchOS is built around visual app organization, including folders and manual layout. You can group apps by purpose and adjust the layout as your app library changes.

Can I use folders in full-screen mode?

Yes. LaunchOS focuses on the full-screen grid and folder-based browsing that many users associated with Launchpad.

Is Spotlight still useful if I use LaunchOS?

Yes. Spotlight is still great for search, files, actions, and quick keyboard launching. LaunchOS is better when you want visual browsing, app folders, pages, and spatial memory.

Can LaunchOS import my old Launchpad folder layout?

LaunchOS supports importing native Launchpad layout data, so you can start from your previous order, folders, and pages instead of rebuilding everything manually.

Bring back the folder workflow, not just the app list

The old Launchpad was valuable because it turned your app library into a place you could remember. Folders were a big part of that.

Use Spotlight when search is faster. Use the Dock for daily favorites. Use Finder when you need a file view. But if you miss custom app folders, pages, and a full-screen visual launcher, download LaunchOS and rebuild the folder workflow that made Launchpad feel natural.

You can also read how to organize apps on Mac without Launchpad or how to get Launchpad back on macOS 26.