macOS 26 introduced one of the most disruptive interface changes in recent Mac history with the quiet removal of Launchpad. For years, Launchpad served as a fast, visual, and predictable way to access applications, especially for users who preferred gesture-driven navigation and spatial organization over text-based search. After upgrading to macOS 26, many users discovered that Launchpad was no longer available, replaced by a stronger reliance on Spotlight and Finder workflows. The change quickly sparked discussion across Apple’s own forums and major Mac communities, with users describing measurable slowdowns in daily productivity.
Launchpad occupied a specific and clearly defined role in macOS. It was not a replacement for Spotlight, Finder, or the Dock, but a complementary layer designed for immediate app access with minimal cognitive effort. Its removal affects users differently depending on habits, but the complaints follow consistent patterns among power users, educators, accessibility-focused users, and professionals who relied on its visual structure.
Launchpad Removal in macOS 26 Disrupts Established Workflows
A recurring theme in user feedback is how deeply Launchpad was embedded into muscle memory. Many Mac users launched apps using a simple multi-finger gesture, instantly revealing a grid of icons arranged spatially. This allowed apps to be opened by location rather than by name. With Launchpad removed in macOS 26, that workflow disappears entirely, forcing users into Spotlight typing, Finder navigation, or Dock reorganization.
Users frequently note that Spotlight introduces friction for tasks Launchpad handled effortlessly. Typing app names requires visual attention, correct spelling, and a pause while results populate. For users who switch between apps dozens or hundreds of times per day, that interruption accumulates. Professionals managing multiple tools simultaneously describe the loss of Launchpad as a persistent slowdown rather than a one-time adjustment.
App organization is another commonly cited issue. Launchpad allowed apps to be grouped into folders by task, role, or frequency of use. These groupings were visual, static, and predictable. In macOS 26, those curated layouts are gone, replaced by Finder folders or Spotlight relevance ranking, which changes dynamically and removes spatial consistency.
The result is increased Dock clutter as users pin more apps they previously kept organized in Launchpad. On smaller displays, this leads to reduced icon size, longer scanning time, and less clarity when switching tasks.
macOS 26 Productivity Regression for Accessibility and Visual Users
Accessibility-related complaints form a significant portion of the reaction to Launchpad removal. Users with visual processing differences, motor challenges, or cognitive load sensitivities describe Launchpad as one of the lowest-friction interfaces in macOS. Large icons, predictable placement, and gesture-based activation reduced reliance on fine cursor control and text input.
With Launchpad gone, these users must rely more heavily on Spotlight, which demands typing and interpretation of ranked results, or Finder navigation, which introduces smaller targets and deeper hierarchy. Several users describe this shift as a regression rather than a neutral redesign, noting that workflows refined over years no longer function as efficiently.
Educators and trainers echo similar concerns. Launchpad provided a universal visual reference that made it easier to guide students or less technical users. Asking someone to “click the blue compass icon on the second page” was often simpler than instructing them to type an app name correctly. macOS 26 removes that shared visual vocabulary.
Third-party replacements exist, but users note that they lack the performance, polish, gesture integration, and system-level consistency that Launchpad provided natively.
Launchpad’s Role in the Apple Ecosystem Interface
Another major point raised by users is Launchpad’s similarity to the iPhone and iPad interface. Launchpad mirrored the home screen layout found on iOS and iPadOS, creating a familiar and intuitive experience across Apple’s platforms. For ecosystem users who move constantly between iPhone, iPad, and Mac, Launchpad acted as a bridge that reduced mental context switching.
This design consistency mattered beyond aesthetics. It allowed users to apply the same spatial memory and visual recognition across devices, reinforcing a unified Apple ecosystem workflow. Apps lived in grids, folders behaved similarly, and gestures felt conceptually aligned. Launchpad helped macOS feel less like a separate system and more like an extension of the broader Apple experience.
By removing Launchpad, macOS 26 widens the interface gap between Mac and Apple’s other platforms at a time when many users expect convergence rather than divergence. For users deeply invested in the ecosystem, this loss of familiarity adds cognitive overhead and undermines one of Apple’s long-standing strengths: cross-device continuity.
Why Spotlight Does Not Replace Launchpad
Apple’s apparent strategy in macOS 26 is to elevate Spotlight as the primary app launcher. While Spotlight is powerful, user feedback consistently emphasizes that it serves a different purpose. Spotlight excels at finding files, performing calculations, launching rarely used apps, and accessing system functions. Launchpad excelled at rapid, repeatable access to frequently used apps through spatial memory.
Users highlight Spotlight’s dynamic ranking as a drawback for productivity. App positions change based on usage patterns, search history, and system context. Launchpad was static. Users could open apps without looking, guided by habit alone. That distinction becomes significant over time.
Spotlight also introduces interruption cost. It captures keyboard focus, overlays the interface, and encourages additional interaction. Launchpad appeared and disappeared instantly, often without breaking concentration.
Why Apple Should Reinstate Launchpad
Across discussions, users are not asking Apple to remove Spotlight or reverse broader macOS 26 design decisions. The request is coexistence. Launchpad consumed minimal resources, did not interfere with other workflows, and offered a distinct interaction model that many users depended on daily.
Reinstating Launchpad would restore choice rather than fragment the platform. macOS already supports menu navigation, keyboard shortcuts, search-first workflows, and gesture-driven interaction. Launchpad fit naturally into that diversity.
Users also question how Launchpad’s removal aligns with Apple’s productivity narrative. Removing a fast, visual launcher that reduced friction for millions of users introduces unnecessary inefficiency without a clear functional replacement.
As macOS 26 adoption continues, complaints about Launchpad’s removal remain consistent across Apple Support Communities, Reddit, and Mac-focused forums. The feedback suggests this is not a niche concern, but a meaningful regression affecting real-world workflows. Whether Apple responds by reinstating Launchpad, offering it as an optional feature, or introducing a new visual launcher remains to be seen.
