How do you prefer to launch Mac apps?

[jtummins]

My favorite and most frequently used by far is LaunchBar, accessed with CMD-Space.

[kolepard]

1. Launchbar
2. Launchpad
3. Dock
4. Applications folder

[chengengaun (Eng Aun Cheng)]

I usually launch apps using Alfred or from the Dock:

Do You Use It? Launchpad on the Mac

I used to launch apps from Launchpad but eventually gave up. It became increasingly difficult to locate apps as I installed more of them. Upgrades, un-installation and re-installation would cause the order to become scrambled. Group apps into folders increases the number of clicks. My solution was to use Alfred, like many of us mentioned - type a few characters to find apps, start with a space to search for files, launch apps/terminal commands/Google searches with shortcuts - so handy, and it n…

I forgot to mention that Alfred works with other apps that makes app-launching very convenient. For example, I use Alfred and Bunch to launch, well, a bunch of apps. So instead of launching ten separate apps manually, I can just type “b Dev…” and Alfred will trigger Bunch to launch IDEs, terminals and text editors while hiding all other windows; “b OffComms” to launch communication apps e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype and Outlook. Bunch works with AppleScript/shell script/Moom etc. to position windows and trigger further shortcuts. They are quite a hack, but very convenient to start the work day by just typing two short ‘commands’ into Alfred.

[bhagara]

“Folder in the Dock”? The word Folder confuses me here.
I keep the apps I use in the dock.
If the app I need isn’t in the Dock, I check the recent apps in the Apple Menu, and if it’s not there, I switch to the Finder, Command-N for a new window and Command-Shift-A for the Applications folder.
Logically, I know that Command-Space would be quicker, but it’s not something that happens often and I just don’t think about it.
Spotlight has never been something I used. No reason beyond it just not being a habit I’ve ever cultivated - though if I give it a second thought, I feel like those functions changed enough over the years that I just don’t know what would happen when I try.
Maybe I will…

[fellwalker57 (BA55)]

bhagara: click and hold on the Applications folder in Finder and drag it to the dock. You can then access any app from the dock in a couple of mouse clicks.

[ace (Adam Engst)]

@paal

Raycast is new to me. Can you share why you switched?

At the moment, I’m just testing it to see if I like it better than LaunchBar. It has some additional features, but I’m having trouble finding time to incorporate them all.

[kat634e]

The apps I use often are in the dock, which I keep very small. I used Automator to set some apps to launch with key commands. These appear in the Finder’s Services menu. For some reason, these commands do not always work right after startup. I have to click on the Services menu, after which the application launch commands work as they should. Makes me miss QuicKeys.

For the benefit of those who never used the Mac OS prior to OS X, before X there was no dock. Being able to launch apps with just a keystroke using QuicKeys was lovely.

[bhagara]

I also miss QuicKeys

[galexa]

Another vote for Alfred
I also use the Dock
and right-clicking on documents in the Finder, helped by Service Station: https://servicestation.menu/

[granada29]

I use mostly the Dock and RecentApps which is Dock/Menubar application written by me. It uses the same data as the Recent Items menu item in the Apple menu.

The number of items displayed is configurable using System Settings/Desktop & Dock

When I want to use something that is not in either my Dock or Recent Items, I use Spotlight as a launcher.

[s1dorner (Steve Dorner)]

I’m not greatly fond of new things (famously), and it took me a very long time to start using LaunchPad, but I use it daily now. I keep my second tier of apps there (1st tier apps are in iCollections or the dock.)

I often launch them by typing a few keystrokes to narrow them down. This is ALSO how I usually launch apps on my phone, beyond the ones on the home screen; pull down to search and type. (One of the things I came to believe post-Eudora is that searching is better than filing.)

The Applications folder wasn’t reliable for me; I had some apps in the system-wide one and some in my home Applications folder, so what I wanted was often Not There.

[Brenda]

@terryk

For me, every frequently used app is kept in the Dock. Otherwise, I use the Applications folder, also in the Dock, as a list, alphabetized by name.

Thst’s me, essentially. I “heard” about the Launchpad, I’ve never used it. Not exactly sure what it does. After my first 10 or 15 years of living w/ digital technology, I got tired of learning new tricks which would become obsolete in no time to make room for even newer tricks, and I quit paying attention to any “improvements” suggested to me.

[Technogeezer]

I tend to keep the Dock as lean as possible, with my most frequently used apps there (Safari, Mail, Terminal, Calendar, VMWare Fusion, MS Word, etc). Any others I launch via LaunchPad. It’s set up to display on the F4 key, and then with one or two letters of the app name, the app I want appears on the display. Click and go.

I also tend to keep applications in both the system-wide /Applications folder, and an Applications folder local to my account (for downloaded apps that only I use). The nice thing about LaunchPad is that it picks up those apps as well. Compared to some to the other methods, I don’t have to maintain folders as I add and delete apps from my account Applications folder.

[gotow (Jon Gotow)]

I used to use LaunchBar, but now prefer my own implementation in the Quick Search window in Default Folder X 6 (disclosure: I’m the developer of Default Folder X). In addition to launching apps, I can quickly re-open recent documents and folders, which is what I need most often.

I was never a LaunchBar power user, though - my usage was primarily just launching apps and doing quick math. LaunchBar (and Alfred and Raycast) are much more than simple app launchers - their more sophisticated key combos and keystrokes to get to other info and functionality just never stuck for me.

[hjw65]

Quicksilver

[marcus.lynch]

Either in the Dock or via Alfred opened via key command

[fritzlangiam (Fritz)]

seldom the dock or app folder. never spotlight.
Mostly Quicksilver or kb shortcuts set in QS.

[nassi (Ike Nassi)]

Usually launch apps using Alfred.

[JoeKM (Joe Mithiran)]

I use the Dock 95% of the time & Launchpad for almost all the rest.

[Mark_Nagata]

Hey, Siri, launch Mail