A shortcut, from any app
⇧⌘Space opens and closes it. Turn off Spotlight's shortcut and CubbyPad takes ⌘Space by itself, or record any keys you like.
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⇧⌘Space opens it over whatever you're doing. Press it again, or Esc, and it's gone.
Your apps, back in a grid.
Apple took Launchpad out of macOS 26. CubbyPad brings back the full-screen grid, with folders, pages you swipe, and search that does things.
Open it the way your hand already goes.
The Launchpad key works again
F4, the old Launchpad key or the newer Spotlight key, opens CubbyPad. ⌘Space still opens Spotlight, and nothing needs a permission.
Push into a corner
Pick a corner of any display. It fires once per visit, so the pointer resting there won't keep flicking it open.
Pinch, like you used to
Pinch three fingers on the trackpad to open it and spread them to close, as with Launchpad. A click on its menu bar or Dock icon works too.
Search that does things.
Initials are enough
gc finds Google Chrome. Arrow keys pick a result and Return opens it.
It does the sum
Type 24*18, 200*15% or √16 and the answer is the top hit. Return copies it.
Settings, by what is on them
“dark mode” opens Appearance, “wifi” opens Wi-Fi, “open anyway” opens Privacy & Security.
Your recent files come with it
Name an app and the files you last opened in it show up underneath, ready to open.
Or say what you want to do
With Apple Intelligence on, CubbyPad asks the on-device model which of your apps fit. Nothing leaves your Mac.
Or just say it
Click the mic or press ⌘D. Say “Open Safari” and Safari opens. A pause ends listening.
Fifty apps, sorted before your coffee cools.
Settings › Organize puts every app in a folder by what it's for, using Apple Intelligence on your Mac. You see the folders before anything moves, and Undo puts it all back.
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The apps you want at this hour, already there.
The strip above the grid shows what you tend to open at this time of day, on this kind of day, with recent weeks counting more. The history stays on your Mac.
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Go on, move things.
Hold an icon until the grid wobbles, then drag. Drop one app on another and they become a folder, named after what's inside. This one is real: try it.
No pointer needed in the app: ⌥ and an arrow moves an icon, space selects it, ⌃⌘N makes a folder of what's selected. VoiceOver hears where it lands.
Hold any icon
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And the things Launchpad never did.
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Your old Launchpad comes along
Coming from macOS 15? The first run brings over your pages and folders from what Launchpad left behind.
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A layout for every Focus
Keep Work and Personal layouts, each with its own pages and folders, and let your Focus switch between them.
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The same grid on every Mac
Layouts, folders and app names follow you to your other Macs through iCloud Drive.
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Badges and dots
The red badges apps show in the Dock, added up on folders, and a dot under the ones that are open.
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Cleanup
Finds apps you haven't opened in months and moves them to the Trash with the files they left in your Library.
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Shortcuts and Siri
“Open Games in CubbyPad.” Open, search, open a folder or back up your layout from Shortcuts.
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A grid your size
From 4 × 3 up to 12 × 8, with or without names under the icons.
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Keeps itself up to date
Updates arrive through Sparkle, and only install when they carry CubbyPad’s own signature.
It speaks 20 languages and follows your Mac's.
Put your apps back where they belong.
Opening it the first time
CubbyPad is an independent app that isn't distributed through Apple, so macOS asks once before it opens.
- Open the DMG, drag CubbyPad to Applications and open it. Click Done on the message.
- Go to System Settings › Privacy & Security, scroll down, and click Open Anyway next to CubbyPad.
- Confirm with Open Anyway. From then on it updates itself, with no more warnings.