You may convey again Launchpad in macOS 26, however you should not

Whereas macOS 26 is about to convey an entire new feel and appear, three new apps, and a slew of recent options, it does additionally take away a really outdated characteristic nonetheless liked by some: Launchpad.

Launchpad dates all the best way again to 2010, and allows you to see and arrange all of your Mac apps throughout a sequence of screens. There are two predominant causes some folks nonetheless use it as we speak …

Two causes to make use of Launchpad

First, when you frequently use a lot of various Mac apps, then retaining all of them within the Dock is usually a squeeze. Launchpad offers you extra space to play with, and allows you to arrange them by class or event.

Second, a lot of use have little utilities we use solely often, however after we want them, we’d like them. The issue is, if you don’t otten use them, it may be arduous to recollect their names. Placing all these apps onto one Launchpad display screen is usually a helpful method to make sure you can at all times discover them when wanted.

Sadly for Launchpad followers, Apple is eradicating it in macOS 26.

Right here’s how one can convey it again

Macworld notes that there’s a strategy to re-enable it, utilizing Terminal instructions.

1. Open the Terminal app inside Purposes > Utilities.
2. Write the next command and hit Return: sudo mkdir -p /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Area
3. Enter your Mac’s password and press Return (you have to be logged into an admin account)
4. Write the next command and hit Return: sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Area/SpotlightUI.plist SpotlightPlus -dict Enabled -bool false
5. Reboot your Mac

The location is cautious to notice the same old cautions about sudo instructions: you’re telling your Mac you understand you’re doing one thing that would screw up your machine and instructing it to allow you to do it anyway. By no means use one except you’re positive you understand what you’re doing, and have up-to-date backups.

Right here’s why you shouldn’t

However whilst you can, for now, do that, there are two explanation why you shouldn’t.

First, these instructions can be found within the beta, however there’s no assure that they may stay obtainable within the launch model. Particularly, you could possibly make the change after which be unable to reverse it.

Second, Macworld notes that doing this implies you lose all the brand new Highlight options – that are arguably probably the greatest macOS 26 options.

So yeah, you possibly can, however you actually shouldn’t.

My private method to remembering the names of obscure apps I hardly ever use is to have a Notice with their names and capabilities. (One of many some ways through which the Notes app serves as a reminiscence substitute for me …)

Highlighted equipment

Picture: 9to5Mac collage of pictures from Apple and Alexander Gray on Unsplash