Have you installed many apps on your Launchpad but now don’t know how to remove the unnecessary ones? Luckily, there is a very simple way to do so without much effort.
To remove apps from Launchpad, click and hold any app you don’t want till it starts to wiggle. Click the “X” appearing on the top of the app. Do the same with every app you want to remove.
We have created an extensive guide that will enable you to remove apps from your Launchpad in easy-to-follow methods.
What Is Launchpad?
Launchpad is a macOS application launcher that you can use to open, find, and organize your apps. Similar to the iOS device screen, all applications from the Applications folder are shown in a grid.
Launchpad presents the installed apps on a Mac simply and clearly. Additionally, it enables you to arrange your apps in a practical order to quickly find the ones you need and use regularly.
Removing Apps From Launchpad
Even though the Launchpad is designed for convenience, the extra clutter of apps may be annoying. To remove unwanted apps, follow our two step-by-step methods.
Method #1: Remove Apps From Launchpad
If you want to remove any app in Launchpad, follow these steps.
- Open Launchpad on your Mac computer.
- Click and hold the app you don’t want till it starts to wiggle.
- Click the “X” appearing on the top of the icon to remove the app from your Launchpad.
- Do the same with every app you want to remove.
You can use this method for apps downloaded from the Mac App Store. No “X” mark will appear on the apps downloaded from other websites.
Although the above method is helpful in quick removal, it doesn’t delete the app completely. The service and junk files of the apps remain hidden somewhere in your Mac; an excess of those can slow down your computer.
Method #2: Remove Apps in Applications
Do these steps to remove the apps from your Launchpad that you have downloaded from outside the App Store.
- Open Finder on your Mac and go to “Applications”.
- Locate the app you wish to remove from the list.
- Right-click on the app and choose “Move to Trash”.
This method will automatically remove the application from your Launchpad. However, some residual and service files may still be present, hidden in your Mac.
Removing Apps From Launchpad Completely
To prevent junk from accumulating in your Mac, it is essential to completely delete unwanted apps from your Launchpad and their residual files using the following two methods.
Method #1: Manually Removing Apps Completely
After removing the apps from the Launchpad with the above methods, you can completely delete their residual files manually by performing the steps mentioned below.
- Open the Finder window.
- In the Menu Bar, go to “Go”> “Go to Folder”.
- In the dialogue box, write “~/Library/”.
- Tap “Go” and find the removed app from the folder list.
- Check the removed app’s subfolders and delete them.
- Clean the Trash for complete removal.
To stop the accidental deletion of essential files, Mac keeps the Library folder hidden. If the above method doesn’t work, you need to find the hidden Library folder on your Mac.
Method #2: Removing Apps Completely via Third-Party Apps
Manually removing apps from your Launchpad can be more tedious than it should be. To make the process easier, you can use a third-party app called App Cleaner & Uninstaller to remove apps from your Launchpad using the following steps quickly.
- Download the App Cleaner and Uninstaller and open it.
- In the “Applications” tab, find the app you want to remove.
- Click “Uninstall” at the bottom-right corner.
- Click “Remove” to confirm.
With all its service files, the app will now be completely removed from your Launchpad and Mac.
Summary
In this guide, we discussed different methods on how we can remove apps from Launchpad. We also discussed how to completely remove any app manually and with the help of a third-party app.
Hopefully, with one of these methods, you’ll be able to get rid of unwanted apps from your Launchpad.
Frequently Asked Questions
On the Dock, click the Launchpad icon to open it. On the page, click on the app icon you want to move. Hold and drag it to the position you want to shift it to and drop it there.
To move an icon to the next page, drag it to the far right or left side, depending on which page you want to shift it to, and drop it at your desired position.
Open Finder and navigate to “Applications”. Scroll on the list until you see the Launchpad app icon. Click on the icon, hold and drag it to your Dock.
