Macos How To Show An App In Launchpad

  • We have shared 2 free software WinLaunch and JumpPad in past which allow users to enjoy Mac OS X Lion's 'Launchpad' app in Windows. Today we are going to share yet another freeware which tries to mimic Launchpad functionality. 'XLaunchpad' is a new software which provides Mac OS X Lion's 'Launchpad' like functionality and UI in Windows OS.
  • These tricks work to refresh and relaunch Launchpad for all Macs with versions of Mac OS X that include the native feature, including Lion, Mountain Lion, Mavericks, and beyond. Relaunching Launchpad on Mac. Launchpad is attached to the Dock app, so the easiest way to relaunch LaunchPad is to kill the Dock from the command line: killall Dock.

Perhaps there are components elsewhere. Or, perhaps LaunchPad itself is corrupt now, hopefully in a minor way. If this is a third-party app and there is an official uninstaller, you may want to try using that, as it may get rid of the problem. Also a restart may clear up LaunchPad if that is an issue. Left-click your mouse anywhere on the screen of your Mac. This will reveal the Go Option in the top.

Some of you are probably wondering, like I did, why some of your applications aren't available in Launchpad. You launch Launchpad and wonder, 'Why isn't Microsoft Word showing up in Launchpad?' or 'Why isn't Quicken in Launchpad?' or 'Why isn't my favorite app that I keep on my Desktop not in Launchpad?' There are a variety of reasons that an app may not appear in Launchpad.

Apps Outside the Applications Directory

Launchpad automatically grabs all applications in your root /Applications directory and in your /User/username/Applications directory. If you keep some of your apps in other locations, they won't appear in Launchpad automatically. To add them to Launchpad, simply drag the app onto the Launchpad icon in the Dock. (Thanks to Eric S for the tip.) Or move the application to your main Applications directory or to your user Applications directory. Or make an alias of it and put the alias inside your Applications directory.

PowerPC Apps

In Lion, PPC apps have a white 'NO' symbol across the icon

In some cases, it's because the application in question is a PowerPC-only app and won't run on your computer under Lion, which did away with Rosetta. Only apps that are Intel or Universal Binary can run under Lion, and Launchpad only shows applications that can actually run on your computer.

You can tell if this is the case by going into your Applications directory, and looking at the applications icon. PPC-only apps will have a white 'NO' symbol superimposed atop the icon. In the screenshot at right, you can see that my Retrospect 6.1 has the white 'NO' symbol — telling me that I'll have to upgrade Retrospect or find a different backup program, because Retrospect 6.1 won't run under Lion.

The solution? Unfortunately, the best solution is to bite the bullet and update your PPC apps to newer versions. You could keep a boot drive handy with Snow Leopard on it, and boot from that to run a PPC app. Or you could hack Snow Leopard to make it run under Parallels, but let's not even go there.

Once you update your PPC apps to a newer, Intel or Universal Binary version, they'll appear in Launchpad just like any other application.

Yeah, I know, when it's big-ticket applications such as Microsoft Word, having to spend the money for a newer version bites, especially if you were happy with the old version. But if you're bleeding-edge enough that you've already updated to Lion, you should be bleeding-edge enough to keep your applications more current. I've found that it's generally a bad idea to get more than one version behind with any of my important applications. I might skip a version, but then when another version comes out, I go ahead and upgrade. Then when I get a new computer or a new big-cat operating system, the upgrade isn't quite so painful.

Windows Apps

In other cases, it's because the app in question is a Windows app that you use under Parallels or VMWare. I couldn't wait to stop Launchpad from showing me the gazillion Windows apps in my 3 Windows installations under Parallels, but you might want the opposite.

The solution is to go into your virtual machine configuration, Options -> Applications, and check the box to 'Share Windows applications with Mac.'

To make Windows applications appear in Launchpad, check the box to 'Share Windows applications with Mac'

Drill-Down Apps

You might find that your application is located in a subdirectory inside a subdirectory inside a subdirectory in your Applications directory. If that's the case, it's probably in some random application 'group' that Launchpad helpfully created for you. If the app is in an application group in Launchpad, you don't have to physically move it around in your Applications directory; you can simply go into Launchpad and drag it out of the group.

Update: Or you can simply drag the app onto the Launchpad icon in the Dock, and it will appear in Launchpad. (Thanks to Eric S. for that tip in the comments below.)

Or you can make an alias of the app and put that in the top level of the Applications directory. Then the alias will appear in Launchpad just like any other application.

Did I Miss Any?

Are you aware of any other instances when an application doesn't show up in Launchpad? If you are, let us know by using the comment box below their website.

Related:

The Launchpad can be considered as a highly useful feature that provides Mac users a quick way to access their most used apps or programs. It was developed to offer an iOS-like approach for managing apps to improve convenience and user experience. However, there will be times when you might find the launchpad not working on Mac. Fortunately, most issues related to missing Launchpad items can be easily fixed, usually by resetting the Launchpad itself.

How to Access Launchpad on Mac

The Launchpad is the application launcher introduced in macOS X Lion. With it, all the apps on your Mac are organized in one convenient location, making it is easier to see, access, and manage them. Essentially, it makes Mac’s screen look similar to that of an iPhone or iPad.

Launchpad creates a screen showing all of your apps, which are represented by their respective icons. And just like in an iPhone or iPad, a new page is created in case there are more apps, which can be accessed by swiping on the Trackpad or by clicking through the page indicators.

The Launchpad is designed to always work seamlessly and quickly. It has its own database where pertinent information about the apps and their icons are stored. This database allows the Launchpad to display and launch apps with lightning speed. However, no matter how cleverly it was programmed, Launchpad is still susceptible to minor errors and failures, very much like any other program or software.

Restarting Your Mac

It’s almost a no-brainer that whenever something is wrong with an electronic device, we first try turning it off or unplugging it, hoping it will fix the problem. Most of the time, it works, as restarting a device such as your Mac will also reboot its programs. But if this old-school trick does not work, it’s safe to assume that the disappearance of apps from your Launchpad could be a database-related issue.

Macos how to show an app in launchpad app

Resetting the Launchpad Database

Mac’s Launchpad depends heavily on its database because it is where the program stores and accesses information that it needs to function. Because of this, fixing Launchpad errors will typically require tweaking the database whenever you find that apps disappeared in macOS Sierra.

When it comes to troubleshooting the Launchpad database, you’ll have to start with resetting it. Resetting the Launchpad involves removing old app data and information stored in the database. This will prompt the database to look for new information on the apps installed on your Mac. To perform this reset, follow these simple steps:

  1. To start off, click on the Desktop.
  2. Click on the Go menu, which can be found on the menu bar.
  3. Press and hold the Option key.
  4. Click on Library.
  5. Double-click on the Application Support folder.
  6. Double-click on the Dock folder.
  7. Once inside the Dock folder, select all files that end in .db, then move them into the Trash.
  8. When done, click on the Apple icon at the top left corner of the screen.
  9. Finally, click on Restart, then choose the Restart button.

Now, all you have to do is wait for your Mac to finish rebooting. As your Mac restarted, it has also gathered new data from your apps needed to restart the Launchpad.

Rebuilding the Launchpad Database

Now, if resetting the database didn’t fix the problem, you may need to rebuild it all together as some files in it may have been corrupted, causing the issue. This process is similar to resetting the database, only that it requires deleting all of the stored information so the Launchpad will create a new database from scratch. Just follow these steps to initiate the rebuild:

  1. Click on the Desktop.
  2. Click on the Go menu.
  3. Press and hold the Option key.
  4. Click on Library.
  5. Double-click on the Application Support folder.
  6. Double-click on the Dock folder.
  7. Get rid of all the files by moving them to the Trash.
  8. You may restart your Mac or simply log off your account and log on again.

Macos How To Show An App In Launchpad Windows 10

The Dock and Launchpad should have been completely reset by now, with the Applications folder successfully scanned for information needed by the newly built Launchpad database.

Macos How To Show An App In Launchpad Mac

Keeping Your Mac Clean

Missing Launchpad apps is an example of what could happen if certain data or files in your Mac gets compromised and corrupted. If you want to avoid having to reset and rebuild your Launchpad database again or encountering the Mac launchpad missing from dock, you should make sure that your Mac is free of errors that may cause this problem. By utilizing tools such as Tweakbit Mac Repair, you can easily scan your Mac for potential problems with just a click of a button, allowing you to act on them quickly.

How

Macos How To Show An App In Launchpad App

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