From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

By default there is an Apps icon in the dock. It brings up the Applications section of Spotlight. I did not have LaunchPad on my Dock and on the update Apps is not there. Fair enough. But if I want it, how do I get it?

I assume I could kill the Dock preferences and get the default... and then add back all my icons... but seems more work than it is worth just to have it.
--
It's impossible for someone who is at war with themselves to be at peace with you.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

On 31/10/2025 16:08, Brock McNuggets wrote:

By default there is an Apps icon in the dock. It brings up the Applications section of Spotlight. I did not have LaunchPad on my Dock and on the update Apps is not there. Fair enough. But if I want it, how do I get it?

I assume I could kill the Dock preferences and get the default... and then add
back all my icons... but seems more work than it is worth just to have it.

Yes — this is a good, practical macOS question.
Here’s the clear answer you can pass to your friend “Brock McNuggets”:

---

### 💡 Problem:

In macOS 26 (probably macOS Sequoia or a future version), the **“Apps” icon** in the Dock — which opens the *Applications section of Spotlight*
— has disappeared. It’s similar to the *Launchpad* icon in older
versions, but not identical.

---

### ✅ Solution Options

#### **Option 1: Recreate the “Apps” icon manually**

The “Apps” icon is effectively a **shortcut to the Applications
folder**, viewed through Spotlight or Launchpad.
To restore something very close:

1. Open **Finder**.
2. Go to the menu **Go → Applications** (or press `Shift + Command + A`).
3. Drag the **Applications folder** to the **right-hand side of the
Dock**, near the Trash (the area separated by a divider line).
4. Control-click (or right-click) that new icon → choose **Display as → Folder** and **View content as → Grid** (or Fan, if preferred).

✅ This recreates a functional “Apps” icon in the Dock, which opens your Applications folder quickly.

---

#### **Option 2: Re-enable Launchpad**

If he preferred Launchpad (the grid view of apps), just:

1. Open **Applications → Launchpad** (or press `F4` / use Spotlight to search for “Launchpad”).
2. When Launchpad opens, **drag its icon from the Dock** (if it’s shown temporarily) to a permanent spot on the Dock.

If it doesn’t appear, you can also:

```bash
open -a Launchpad
```

That should open it and make the Dock icon visible again.

---

#### **Option 3: Reset Dock icons to default (not usually recommended)**

This does restore the default Dock layout, including the “Apps” icon (if present in that macOS version), but it removes all custom icons.

Run this in **Terminal**:

```bash
defaults delete com.apple.dock; killall Dock
```

⚠️ This resets the Dock to factory defaults.

---

### 🔧 Summary

* **Simplest fix:** Drag the *Applications* folder into the Dock (Option 1).
* **If he wants Launchpad:** Use `open -a Launchpad`.
* **Full reset:** Only if nothing else works.

---

Would you like me to tailor this reply so it looks like a natural post
you could send back to him on *comp.sys.mac.advocacy* (with correct
formatting and Usenet style)?

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

On Oct 31, 2025 at 9:55:01 AM MST, ""David B."" wrote <mmk7v6F26a1U1@mid.individual.net>:

On 31/10/2025 16:08, Brock McNuggets wrote:

By default there is an Apps icon in the dock. It brings up the Applications >> section of Spotlight. I did not have LaunchPad on my Dock and on the update >> Apps is not there. Fair enough. But if I want it, how do I get it?

I assume I could kill the Dock preferences and get the default... and then add
back all my icons... but seems more work than it is worth just to have it.

Yes — this is a good, practical macOS question.
Here’s the clear answer you can pass to your friend “Brock McNuggets”:

---

### 💡 Problem:

In macOS 26 (probably macOS Sequoia or a future version), the **“Apps” icon** in the Dock — which opens the *Applications section of Spotlight* — has disappeared. It’s similar to the *Launchpad* icon in older versions, but not identical.

---

### ✅ Solution Options

#### **Option 1: Recreate the “Apps” icon manually**

The “Apps” icon is effectively a **shortcut to the Applications
folder**, viewed through Spotlight or Launchpad.
To restore something very close:

1. Open **Finder**.
2. Go to the menu **Go → Applications** (or press `Shift + Command + A`). 3. Drag the **Applications folder** to the **right-hand side of the
Dock**, near the Trash (the area separated by a divider line).
4. Control-click (or right-click) that new icon → choose **Display as → Folder** and **View content as → Grid** (or Fan, if preferred).

✅ This recreates a functional “Apps” icon in the Dock, which opens your Applications folder quickly.

I have that... but it is not the icon that opens Spotlight in Applications mode.

To be clear: I do not really need this. Command+Space Command+1 works well enough for me. This is more curiosity.

---

#### **Option 2: Re-enable Launchpad**

If he preferred Launchpad (the grid view of apps), just:

1. Open **Applications → Launchpad** (or press `F4` / use Spotlight to search for “Launchpad”).
2. When Launchpad opens, **drag its icon from the Dock** (if it’s shown temporarily) to a permanent spot on the Dock.

If it doesn’t appear, you can also:

```bash
open -a Launchpad
```

That should open it and make the Dock icon visible again.

LaunchPad is gone in macOS 26.

---

#### **Option 3: Reset Dock icons to default (not usually recommended)**

This does restore the default Dock layout, including the “Apps” icon (if present in that macOS version), but it removes all custom icons.

Run this in **Terminal**:

```bash
defaults delete com.apple.dock; killall Dock
```

⚠️ This resets the Dock to factory defaults.

---

That was my idea... but seems overkill.

### 🔧 Summary

* **Simplest fix:** Drag the *Applications* folder into the Dock (Option 1). * **If he wants Launchpad:** Use `open -a Launchpad`.
* **Full reset:** Only if nothing else works.

---

Would you like me to tailor this reply so it looks like a natural post
you could send back to him on *comp.sys.mac.advocacy* (with correct formatting and Usenet style)?

Nope... I want something that works. :)
--
It's impossible for someone who is at war with themselves to be at peace with you.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

On Oct 31, 2025 at 9:08:46 AM MST, "Brock McNuggets" wrote <6904df0e$4$20$882e4bbb@reader.netnews.com>:

By default there is an Apps icon in the dock. It brings up the Applications section of Spotlight. I did not have LaunchPad on my Dock and on the update Apps is not there. Fair enough. But if I want it, how do I get it?

I assume I could kill the Dock preferences and get the default... and then add
back all my icons... but seems more work than it is worth just to have it.

A little disappointed that there does not seem to be a good answer to this.
Not important enough for me to wipe out my Dock settings...
--
It's impossible for someone who is at war with themselves to be at peace with you.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.advocacy

On Nov 1, 2025 at 12:47:06 PM MST, "Brock McNuggets" wrote <690663b9$4$23$882e4bbb@reader.netnews.com>:

On Oct 31, 2025 at 9:08:46 AM MST, "Brock McNuggets" wrote <6904df0e$4$20$882e4bbb@reader.netnews.com>:

By default there is an Apps icon in the dock. It brings up the Applications >> section of Spotlight. I did not have LaunchPad on my Dock and on the update >> Apps is not there. Fair enough. But if I want it, how do I get it?

I assume I could kill the Dock preferences and get the default... and then add
back all my icons... but seems more work than it is worth just to have it.

A little disappointed that there does not seem to be a good answer to this. Not important enough for me to wipe out my Dock settings...

OK, even easier for a laptop -- four finger pinch. Still works.

This is all pretty much academic. I rarely used Launch Pad and only sometimes will use this. My dock is pretty crowded (I am OK with that, and use the
hidden "spacers" feature to help group things). When I do use Spotlight to
open an app I mostly just type the name in the main section. I also have my Applications folder on my dock, AND a folder of some apps I do not use THAT often but often forget their names when I do want them so I set up shortcuts. --
It's impossible for someone who is at war with themselves to be at peace with you.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2