A few dozen apps fit anywhere. A few hundred need a system. LaunchingPad gives your apps a visual layout you arrange once and find by memory, with tools for libraries too big to sort by hand.
Folders, as deep as you need
Drag one app onto another to make a folder, and LaunchingPad suggests a name. Drop a folder onto another folder to nest it, as many levels deep as you like. Hold a dragged app over a folder and it springs open, so you can drop it exactly where it belongs.
Smart Folders that fill themselves
A Smart Folder is a set of rules instead of a fixed list. Filter by name, developer, category, install source, distribution channel, architecture, update status, launch count or dates, and the folder keeps itself current as apps come and go, without moving them out of their regular folders. Start from a template such as Recently Used, Updates Available, Installed This Week, Mac App Store Apps or Games, or press ⌘N to make your own.
One app, many places
Some apps belong in more than one folder. Aliases put an app wherever it makes sense, and every alias stays in sync with the original.
Move many apps at once
Drag a selection rectangle across the grid, then move the whole group across pages or into a folder in one go. Cut, copy and paste work on tiles, folders and selections, and every change can be undone with ⌘Z.
Folders in the Dock
Drag any folder to the Dock. Its tile shows the apps inside, and a click opens it as a popup you can resize and launch from.
Layouts you can save and restore
Save your arrangement under a name and restore it later. Import your old Launchpad layout if it’s still on your Mac, or reset to an alphabetical grid for a fresh start. Apps you hide stay out of the grid until you bring them back.
Questions
How do I organize apps on a Mac without Launchpad?
In LaunchingPad, drag one app onto another to make a folder, drag folders into folders, and arrange apps across pages, just as you did in Launchpad. Smart Folders and aliases cover the cases a fixed folder can’t.
Can I keep the same app in more than one folder?
Yes. An alias puts an app in another folder or on the main grid without duplicating it. Every alias opens the same app and shares its name, icon and update badge.
Can I bring back my old Launchpad layout?
If the old Launchpad database is still on your Mac, LaunchingPad can import its pages and folders. It reads the database without changing it, and backs up its own layout first.
Does reorganizing in LaunchingPad move apps on disk?
No. LaunchingPad keeps its own layout. Your apps stay where they are installed, and Finder’s Applications folder doesn’t change.