Launchpad Not Working on Mac

Mac Launchpad is an easily accessible place on your Mac where your apps are hosted. It lists your apps, lets you group them in folders, and removes them when necessary. When the page with app icons is full, it creates a new one you can access with a swipe. By default, the Launchpad is located at the bottom-left part of the Mac’s Dock, so you can easily and quickly start each app when needed.

However, sometimes Apple users complain that the launchpad isn’t working on Mac, which can obviously be extremely irritating. If you’ve ever experienced this or simply want to avoid it happening to you, go on reading to learn the best solutions.

Before we start:

 

When the Launchpad isn’t functioning on your device, it’s always a great idea to clean up your Mac. However, in this case, it’s better to take specific troubleshooting measures to fix the problem. We advise contacting the MacKeeper team—within our app’s Premium Services—to quickly identify the root of your Launchpad issues and get help solving them.

 

To use MacKeeper’s professional support services:

1. Download our MacKeeper app.
2. Find Premium Services on the left of the app’s interface.
3. Choose Chat Now and wait for our expert to join—on the right of your window.
4. Describe your Mac-related issues and get our advice on how to solve them.
5. Try our advice.

Why your Launchpad isn’t working on Mac

There are several well-known reasons for Launchpad problems:

• It has interim conflicts with the Dock.
• The shortcuts you use don’t respond.
• The Launchpad is corrupted.
• System errors have damaged the Launchpad.

The listed issues lead to unwanted consequences:

• Deleted app icons remain on the page.
• The icons don’t follow the device infrastructure you created.

How to fix Launchpad not working on MacBook

To reset the Launchpad and fix any issues, hold down the Option key, choose Library > Application Support > Dock. Now, find all files ending in .db. and delete them. Finally, Empty the Trash and Restart your Mac.  

Important: 

 

If you face a problem with just one app not opening on the Launchpad, then remove this app from the Launchpad.

If you encounter more profound issues with the Launchpad, such as it's non-responsive or too slow, then follow these simple tips.

1. Restart your Mac
2. Delete the Launchpad settings files
3. Get rid of Launchpad from the Dock, then add it again
4. Reset Launchpad on your Mac
5. Update macOS

1. Restart your Mac

Restarting the Mac is the simplest but sometimes the most efficient way to fix Launchpad problems. It takes just a couple of minutes. To use this method:

1. Find your Apple icon in the upper left corner of your screen.
2. Click on the Restart option, then wait until your Mac reboots.

2. Delete the Launchpad settings files

The Launchpad settings files resemble cache files stored on your Mac. Over time, they can harm your device’s performance. However, you can easily overcome this problem by clearing them. To delete the Launchpad setting files:

1. Open the top menu bar on your Mac home screen > choose the Go tab.
2. Click on Go to folder.
3. Type ~/Library in the search bar.
4. Click on Return.
5. Go to the Library window, then press on the Application Support folder.
6. Choose the Dock folder.
7. Pick the files ending with “db” and delete them.
8. Close the window and empty the trash.
9. Restart your Mac.

3. Get rid of Launchpad from the Dock, then add it again

In some cases, the Launchpad may run into temporary conflict with the Dock, which means it won’t open. To fix this problem, the Launchpad should be uninstalled from the Dock and added again. Here’s how:

1. Drag the Launchpad out of the Dock.  
2. In Finder > Applications, search for and select the Launchpad.
3. Move it back to the Dock.
4. After opening it, check whether the Launchpad is running.

Our team’s top hint: 

 

Sometimes you might notice that the Dock isn’t showing on Mac. If this happens, you can’t reset the Launchpad, so find out how to solve it in advance.

4. Reset the Launchpad on your Mac

Another way to make the Launchpad work well again is to reset it. This helps when the Launchpad is damaged and can’t be opened, you don’t see the Launchpad apps, or they ‘hang’ when you try to access them.

Here are two ways to reset your Mac’s Launchpad:

• Via Finder
• Using Terminal

Via Finder

Don’t forget to back up your Mac’s data when resetting the Launchpad. Then try this:

1. In the top Finder menu, click on Go.
2. Hold the Option key and choose Library > Application Support > Dock.
3. Pick the files ending with “db” and delete them.
4. Clear your Trash.
5. Restart your Mac.

Note from our experts: 

 

If you can’t reset the Launchpad via Finder, as Finder not responding on Mac, find another way in the guide.

Using Terminal

Advanced Mac users can apply Terminal to reset the Launchpad. When choosing this solution, remember that this app can cause system-level changes to your Mac, so be extremely careful when following its instructions and do the following:  

1. Open Spotlight Search by pressing Command + Spacebar keyboard shortcut simultaneously > insert Terminal > click on Return.
2. In the Terminal window, type the following command (without a full stop at the end!): "rm"~/Library/Application\Support/Dock/*.db ;killall Dock.
3. Click on Return.
4. Close the Terminal and restart your Mac.

5. Update macOS

System issues on your Mac can interfere with a particular app’s maintenance. Remember to update your Mac, as new versions always fix bugs and bring software improvements. Here’s how:

1. In the Apple menu, choose System Settings.
2. Open General on the left side.
3. Click on Software Update on the right side.
4. Install the update if any is available.
5. Open the Launchpad and check its maintenance.

Important: 

 

If any of the above-mentioned solutions haven’t worked for you, contact our professional tech support to find an alternative solution. To start communicating on with our expert support representative, do the following:

1. Download and launch the MacKeeper app.
2. Choose Premium Services from the list of features.
3. Click on Start Chat.
4. Describe your Mac issue and follow our expert’s advice.

Conclusion

If the Launchpad isn’t functioning properly on your Mac, try the above solutions. They’re simple, clear, and effective. You don't need to be an advanced user or know all the pitfalls of macOS. Just follow the instructions, and, hopefully, this will ensure you can enjoy your MacBook experience again.

To get even more professional help, use MacKeeper's Premium Services, which were created to save you time while solving any Mac-related problems. Remember that you can use them within the MacKeeper app, which is an additional perk.