Deleting an app from Launchpad

To delete an app from Launchpad on Mac, click and hold on the app icon until a small X appears in the corner, then click the X. The app will disappear from Launchpad when ready. Not all apps can be deleted this way — system apps like Finder, System Preferences, and Launchpad itself have no X and cannot be removed through Launchpad.

Launchpad is the grid of app icons you see when you swipe up with four fingers on your trackpad or click the Launchpad icon in your Dock. It is designed to work like the app screen on an iPhone, so deleting from it follows the same gesture. The process removes the app from Launchpad's view, but the actual app file is still on your Mac until you take a second step.

If you want the app completely gone from your Mac, not just from Launchpad, you will need to move it to Trash after deleting it from Launchpad. This is a separate action and is covered in the section below.

Key Takeaways

  • Click and hold an app icon in Launchpad until an X appears, then click the X to remove it from Launchpad.
  • Deleting from Launchpad does not remove the app from your Mac — it only hides it from Launchpad's view.
  • System apps like Finder and System Preferences cannot be deleted from Launchpad because they have no X button.
  • To fully remove an app from your Mac, you must also move it to Trash from your Applications folder after deleting it from Launchpad.
  • If you delete an app by mistake, you can reinstall it from the App Store or find the original installer file.

The difference between Launchpad deletion and full removal

When you delete an app from Launchpad, you are only removing it from that launcher view. The app itself remains installed on your Mac and will continue to run if you open it another way — through Spotlight search, the Applications folder, or the Dock. Launchpad is just one way to see and open your apps, not the only place they live.

If you want to completely remove an app from your Mac, you need to move the app file itself to Trash. Open Finder, click Applications in the sidebar, find the app, right-click it, and select Move to Trash. This deletes the actual program. Some apps also leave behind preference files and support folders in your Library, but most users do not need to hunt those down — they take up minimal space and do not affect performance.

The reason Launchpad deletion and full removal are separate steps is that Launchpad is just a launcher — a way to organize and open programs. It is not a file manager. Removing something from a launcher does not delete the underlying file, just as removing a bookmark from your browser does not delete the website.

Step-by-step: Delete an app from Launchpad

Step 1: Open Launchpad. Swipe up with four fingers on your trackpad, or click the Launchpad icon in your Dock (it looks like a grid of dots). Your apps will appear in a grid.

Step 2: Find the app you want to delete. If you have many apps, you may need to swipe left or right to find it, or use the search box at the bottom. Type the app name and it will filter the grid.

Step 3: Click and hold the app icon. Press and hold your mouse button or trackpad on the icon. After about one second, the icons will begin to jiggle and a small X will appear in the top-left corner of the app icon.

Step 4: Click the X. Click the X button that appeared. A confirmation dialog will ask "Are you sure you want to remove [app name] from Launchpad?" Click Remove to confirm.

Step 5: Exit Launchpad. Press Escape or click outside the Launchpad window. The app is now removed from Launchpad, though it is still installed on your Mac.

Step-by-step: Fully remove an app from your Mac

If you want the app completely gone, follow these steps after deleting it from Launchpad.

Step 1: Open Finder. Click the Finder icon in your Dock (the blue and white face icon).

Step 2: Click Applications in the sidebar. On the left side of the Finder window, you will see a list of locations. Click Applications. Your installed programs will appear in the main window.

Step 3: Find the app. Scroll through the list or use the search box in the top-right corner to find the app you want to remove. Type its name and Finder will filter the list.

Step 4: Right-click the app and select Move to Trash. The app will disappear from the Applications folder. It is now in your Trash bin but not yet permanently deleted.

Step 5: Empty Trash (optional). Right-click the Trash icon in your Dock and select Empty Trash to permanently delete the app. If you do not empty Trash, the app will remain recoverable for a while.

Apps that cannot be deleted from Launchpad

Some apps built into macOS do not have an X button in Launchpad and cannot be removed from it. These include Finder, System Preferences (or System Settings on newer Macs), Launchpad itself, Siri, and other core system tools. Apple prevents deletion of these apps because the operating system depends on them to function.

If you do not want to see these apps in Launchpad, you can organize them into folders instead. Click and hold an app icon, then drag it onto another app icon to create a folder. You can name the folder and move system apps into it to keep them out of your main view.

What to do if you delete an app by mistake

If you deleted an app from Launchpad and then moved it to Trash, you can recover it by opening Trash, finding the app, right-clicking it, and selecting Put Back. This will restore the app to your Applications folder and Launchpad.

If you have already emptied Trash, the app is gone from your Mac. You can reinstall it by opening the App Store, searching for the app by name, and clicking the cloud icon with a down arrow to reinstall it. If the app was not purchased from the App Store, you will need to find the original installer file or read it again from the developer's website.

Organizing apps in Launchpad instead of deleting them

If you have many apps and want to reduce clutter without deleting anything, you can organize them into folders within Launchpad. Click and hold an app icon until the jiggle animation starts, then drag it onto another app icon. Launchpad will create a folder and ask you to name it. You can drag more apps into the folder to group related programs together.

This approach keeps your apps installed and ready to use while making Launchpad cleaner and easier to navigate. You can also rearrange app icons by dragging them to new positions while in jiggle mode. Press Escape when you are done organizing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does deleting an app from Launchpad remove it from my Mac?

No. Deleting from Launchpad only removes the app from that launcher view. The app remains installed on your Mac and will still work if you open it through Spotlight, the Applications folder, or the Dock. To fully remove an app, you must also move it to Trash from the Applications folder in Finder.

Why does my app not have an X button in Launchpad?

System apps that macOS depends on — like Finder, System Preferences, and Siri — cannot be deleted from Launchpad. Apple locks these to prevent accidental removal. You can organize them into folders instead to keep them out of sight.

Can I recover an app after I empty the Trash?

Once you empty Trash, the app is permanently deleted from your Mac and cannot be recovered. If it was from the App Store, you can reinstall it by opening the App Store and clicking the cloud icon next to the app name. For other apps, you will need the original installer or read link.

What is the fastest way to delete multiple apps from Launchpad?

Open Launchpad, click and hold any app until jiggle mode starts, then click the X on each app you want to remove. You can do this for several apps in a row without exiting jiggle mode. Press Escape when finished. To fully remove them from your Mac, you will still need to move them to Trash from the Applications folder.