Launchie: The Best Launchpad Replacement After macOS Removes It

Apple removed the classic Launchpad app launcher in macOS 26, and it remains absent in the subsequent macOS 27 Golden Gate. For longtime users who relied on the grid-style app management experience, this is no small inconvenience. A third-party tool called Launchie is stepping in to bring that familiar launch grid back.

The Gap Left by Launchpad's Removal

Launchpad has long been an important way to organize and launch apps on macOS — especially popular among trackpad users and those transitioning from iOS. Apple's decision to remove it in macOS 26 in favor of a new app management paradigm sparked considerable discussion in the community.

Users who were accustomed to arranging apps in a grid and organizing them into folders suddenly found their familiar launcher gone. Launchie targets exactly this gap — and rather than being a simple clone, it builds on the original experience with added functionality.

Launchpad was first introduced alongside macOS Lion (10.7) in 2011, directly inspired by the iOS home screen to ease the transition for users moving from iPhone/iPad to Mac. It supported a five-finger pinch gesture on the trackpad and allowed users to drag apps into folders for organization. Despite years of criticism for overlapping heavily with Dock and Spotlight, a significant portion of users still relied on it as their primary app management tool. Apple removed it in macOS 26 citing a new "app management logic," though the full replacement solution hasn't been fully disclosed — context that helps explain why third-party tools like Launchie have been quick to fill the void.

What Launchie Brings to the Table

As a Launchpad replacement, Launchie 1.6.1's core offering is bringing the grid-style app launcher back to the Mac desktop. According to its official description, it delivers several key capabilities:

Free Arrangement and Unlimited Folders

Users can arrange app icons however they like, free from the system's default layout constraints. It also supports unlimited folders, making it easy to categorize large numbers of apps — a more flexible approach than the native Launchpad ever offered.

Independent App Pages with Spaces

Launchie introduces a Spaces concept that lets you create multiple independent app pages. This means you can configure separate app layouts for different contexts — work, entertainment, development — making it easy to switch between them cleanly.

It's worth noting that Launchie's "Spaces" concept is entirely different from the macOS system's built-in Mission Control Spaces (virtual desktops). The former is an internal multi-page grouping mechanism within Launchie, used solely to organize app icons within the launcher; the latter is an OS-level multi-desktop environment. Despite the similar name, the two operate at completely different levels and serve distinct purposes. Launchie's Spaces are more akin to an upgraded version of native Launchpad's "multi-page swipe" experience — allowing users to actively name and customize each page's content rather than simply overflowing to the next screen.

Instant Search

The built-in instant search lets users quickly locate the app they want to launch without scrolling through multiple pages, further boosting efficiency.

Pricing and Availability

Launchie uses a free-to-use + one-time Pro purchase model — no ongoing subscription pressure, which is a welcome approach for users who are wary of subscription software.

It's also easy to get: available through the Mac App Store or Homebrew, covering both general users and developers.

Product Reception and Market Signal

On Product Hunt, Launchie 1.6.1 earned 76 upvotes and ranked 10th for the day, listed under the Mac, Productivity, and Apple categories. While the vote count isn't explosive, for a utility tool solving a specific pain point, it signals that the product is addressing genuine user needs.

From a product strategy perspective, Launchie's success is built on Apple's own product decisions — when an officially provided feature used by many is removed, third-party developers gain an opportunity to fill the gap. Tools of this type tend to have a stable target audience, particularly veteran Mac users who are reluctant to abandon years of established habits.

Wrap-Up

Launchie is a textbook example of "Apple removes a feature, developer fills the gap." It not only restores the Launchpad grid launch experience but enhances it with unlimited folders, Spaces-based page organization, and instant search. For macOS users who miss Launchpad, this is a worthy alternative to try — especially given its friendly pricing: free to use, with a one-time Pro purchase and no subscription required.