The release of macOS Tahoe brought users not only a new version of the operating system but also a controversial design dubbed “Liquid Glass.” Apple made the interface as transparent and airy as possible, while simultaneously deciding that the familiar Launchpad —the same full-screen grid of apps—was no longer needed. Instead, users are now offered Spotlight search or an iPhone-style “App Library.
Personally, I, like many macOS users, didn’t like this approach. When you’ve spent years training your muscle memory to know exactly where the Pixelmator Pro icon is in the upper-left corner of the Launchpad grid on the second page, retraining yourself to use “smart search” is a dubious pleasure.
Or another example: you’re used to launching Launchpad with a four-finger pinch gesture on the trackpad. In Tahoe, this gesture opens the App Library, where icons are arranged automatically (and often not in the way you like).
Luckily, the community has found an elegant way to restore everything to its former state. I’ll explain how it works and what needs to be done.
Contents of the article
- How does this work
- Important warning
- How to get Launchpad back on macOS
- How to get everything back to how it was
- What could go wrong?
How does this work
The tool is called “Launchbad.” It’s not a “hack” in the bad sense of the word. It works in a clever way: it replaces the current Dock with an official file from early Tahoe betas, before Apple had managed to remove Launchpad.
Since this file is signed by Apple itself, the system treats it as native. You don’t need to implement third-party code into macOS that could malfunction or steal data.
After installing Launchbad, the good old Launchpad will give you back control over your workspace.
You can launch Launchpad from the Dock icon, hot corners, or by pinching your thumb and three fingers on the trackpad.
Important warning
This method is only suitable for personal computers where you have full control. Don’t attempt this on company-issued laptops (MDM profiles may block changes). And, of course, before making any changes to the system, make a backup using Time Machine.
I admit, I installed Launchbad and breathed a sigh of relief – Launchpad is back, and it even works with hot corners .
How to get Launchpad back on macOS
1. Go to the Launchbad project page on GitHub. Scroll down to the description under the heading ” Usage .” In the second paragraph of the description, click the link or click here directly .
2. Download the archive with the program to the “Downloads” folder (you can do this in any other folder, but below I will give the command specifically for the “Downloads” folder).
3. Unzip the archive. Inside you’ll find the script and those same Apple system components.
4. Disable Security (SIP). macOS protects its files from any changes. To replace the Dock, we need to temporarily disable security. To do this:
4.1 Shut down your Mac and enter Recovery Mode:
- On Intel processors: hold down ⌘Cmd + R when turning on.
- On Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3): Press and hold the power button until the ” Settings ” icon appears . Tap it, then tap ” Continue .”
If necessary, specify your computer account and enter its password.
4.2 In the top menu, select “ Utilities ” → “ Terminal ”.
4.3 Enter the command: csrutil disableand press Enter.
4.4 When asked by the system: “Raise security level to full boot security for OS “Macintosh HD”?” answer “y” (without quotes) and press Enter.
4.5 Enter the administrator password and press Enter (the password characters you enter are not displayed on the screen).
4.6 Restart your computer in normal mode (click the Apple icon → “Restart”).
5. Run the script. After macOS boots normally, open Terminal and navigate to the folder containing the downloaded script. If you unzipped the script to your Downloads folder, simply enter:
~/Downloads/launchbad-revived-main/launchpad
and press Enter.
The system will ask for an administrator password. Enter it and press Enter again, but keep in mind that the characters you type are not visible.
The script will automatically replace the necessary files and restart the graphical shell. You’ll see the Launchpad icon return to its rightful place in the Dock. If it doesn’t appear in the Dock, add it using one of these methods .
6. Restore security. This is a critical step. Don’t leave your system unprotected. Enter recovery mode again (as in step 4), open Terminal, and enter:
csrutil enable
and press Enter.
When prompted, answer “y” (without quotes) and press Enter, then enter the administrator password and press Enter again.
After you restart, Launchpad will remain in place and your Mac will be protected again.
How to get everything back to how it was
If you want to revert everything back, just run the same script in Terminal:
~/Downloads/launchbad-revived-main/launchpad
and press Enter.
The system will ask you the question: “Do you want to uninstall these modifications and restore to system defaults?”
Type the letter “y” (without quotes) on your keyboard and press Enter.
You may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
What could go wrong?
Since Apple doesn’t officially support this method, any major macOS update could break your Launchpad. In this case, you’ll have to repeat the process or wait for an update to the “Launchbad” script itself.
