To remove an app from Launchpad, you need to delete the application itself. Here's how:
-
Open Launchpad: Find and click the Launchpad icon in your Dock.
-
Enter Jiggle Mode: Click and hold down on any app icon within Launchpad. After a moment, all the icons will start to jiggle.
-
Identify Deleteable Apps: Apps downloaded from the Mac App Store will have an "X" appear in the upper-left corner of their icons. Apps not downloaded from the App Store usually can't be uninstalled directly from Launchpad.
-
Delete the App: If an "X" appears on the app icon you wish to remove, click the "X".
-
Confirm Deletion: A dialog box will appear, asking if you're sure you want to delete the app. Click "Delete" to confirm.
Important Considerations:
-
Apps Not Downloaded from the App Store: Launchpad is primarily a shortcut manager. If an app wasn't downloaded from the Mac App Store, the "X" won't appear. To remove these, you must delete the application from the
/Applicationsfolder (or wherever it's installed). Open Finder, go to Applications, and drag the app to the Trash. Then, empty the Trash. Even after deleting the app from the Applications folder, its icon might still appear in Launchpad. If that's the case, see the next point. -
Resetting Launchpad: Sometimes, Launchpad doesn't immediately reflect changes you've made in the
/Applicationsfolder. A more advanced method to completely reset Launchpad can fix lingering icons. This method involves using the Terminal application and running specific commands. Use caution when working with Terminal commands, as incorrect commands can affect your system. Proceed at your own risk and back up your data beforehand. A typical reset command may involve removing the Launchpad database file, which will be rebuilt when you log back in. Search online for "reset Launchpad via Terminal" for detailed instructions and suitable commands, keeping in mind to consult reliable and up-to-date sources. -
Removing Just the Icon (Not the App): Launchpad is designed to reflect the applications installed on your system. Therefore, you generally cannot simply remove the icon from Launchpad without deleting the actual application from your computer. The reset method described above is the closest you can get to simply clearing the Launchpad database.
