Delete Apps from Launchpad in Mac OS X

OS X Lion includes a new feature for managing your apps called LaunchPad. Unfortunately, deleting apps from LaunchPad can be a difficult process. Deleting apps that you purchased from the App Store is a simple process but there are some apps, like Safari or Mail, that the operating system does not allow you to delete. If you wish to delete these apps, you will need to enter some simple commands in your terminal.

Steps

Deleting Apps Purchased at the App Store

  1. Open Launchpad. Click the grey Launchpad icon in your dock to launch the interface.
  2. Select the app you wish to delete. Click and hold the icon until it begins to jiggle.
  3. Click the small X that appears in the corner of the app. If the "X" does not appear then either you are not logged in as the administrator or the app was not purchased from the Mac App Store.[1]
  4. Click Delete when prompted to confirm the action. This will automatically delete the application from your computer.

Deleting Apps from the Terminal

  1. Open the Terminal. You can do this by going to your Finder and selecting "Go" and then "Utilities." A window will appear where you can choose the black icon entitled "Terminal." You can also do this by clicking on the magnifying glass in the upper right-hand corner of your screen and typing "terminal."
  2. Enter the following command: sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/Dock/*.db "DELETE from apps WHERE title='APPNAME';" && killall Dock. For example, if you are trying to delete an app called "LEMON," you would enter the following command: sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/Dock/*.db "DELETE from apps WHERE title='LEMON';" && killall Dock. You can find the exact name of the App by going to the Applications folder and searching for it. After you have entered the above command, hit "Enter."[2]
  3. Check to see if the app has been successfully deleted. After you enter the delete command, Launchpad will automatically refresh and the app should be gone.



Tips

  • Swipe between pages of apps in Launchpad by clicking and holding your mouse while making a swiping gesture left or right, or use a two finger gesture on your trackpad.
  • You can open Launchpad in OS X Lion using custom shortcuts or hot corners by setting them in System Preferences.

Warnings

  • OS X Lion is only available as a downloadable upgrade through the Mac App Store.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202235
  2. ↑ http://osxdaily.com/2012/01/05/remove-apps-from-launchpad/
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