TL;DR
To find the Applications folder on Mac:
- Open Finder from the Dock.
- Click Applications in the sidebar.
- Double-click an app to open it.
Tried and Tested ✅: The methods and steps mentioned in this article have been tried and tested firsthand by Ojash Yadav on his MacBook Pro M3 and rechecked for errors on Hashir’s MacBook Air M2.
It can be frustrating to dig through menus just to open an app on your Mac. After trying different methods, I found a few simple ways to make it easier. In this post, I’ll share six quick methods to access your apps without an issue.
How to Find the Applications Folder on Mac
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There are multiple ways to find the Applications folder on your Mac, and below, I’ll share each method with a step-by-step guide:
1. From Finder
Here’s how to find the Applications folder on Mac using Finder:
- Click the Finder icon in the Dock or right-click the desktop to bring up the Finder menu bar.
- In the left sidebar, click Applications. This will display all the applications installed on your Mac.
- To open an application, simply double-click its icon.
2. From Launchpad
Here’s how to find your Applications on Mac via Launchpad:
- Click the Launchpad icon in the Dock.
- It will display all Applications on your desktop.
3. From the Go Menu
Here’s how to use the Go menu to find the Applications folder on Mac:
- Click Go in the menu bar.
- Select Applications from the drop-down menu.
The Applications folder will now open in a new Finder window.
4. From the Dock
Here is how to use Dck to access Applications folder:
- Find the Applications folder via Finder.
- Drag the Applications folder to your Dock next to the Bin icon.
- Click the Applications icon in the Dock, and it will display your applications.
- You can also right-click the Applications icon and select Open “Applications” and it will open the Applications folder in Finder.
5. From Spotlight
Follow these steps to find the Applications folder on Mac using Spotlight:
- Click the magnifying glass icon in the top right corner of the screen to open the Spotlight window.
- In the Spotlight window, type Applications.
- Click the Show More button next to the search results for Applications to launch the Applications folder.
6. From Siri Search
To use Siri search to locate the Applications folder on your Mac, follow these steps:
- Open Siri by clicking the only colored icon in the menu bar.
- Now, say Open the Applications Folder, and Siri will automatically open it.
Did You Know? You can change how apps are displayed in Launchpad! Press and hold any app until it starts jiggling (just like on an iPhone), and you can move them around or even create folders to organize them.
Why Is There No Applications Folder on Your Mac?
If you previously had the Applications folder in your Finder’s sidebar, but it is now missing, simply restore the Applications folder in the Finder sidebar:
- Open the Finder.
- In the menu bar, choose Finder > Settings or use the keyboard shortcut Command ⌘ + ,.
- Select Sidebar in the Finder Settings and check the box next to Applications.
After trying these steps if the Application folder isn’t visible then it is best to contact Apple Support to resolve the issue.
Quickly Access Your Applications on Mac
Now that you know how to find the Applications folder on Mac and troubleshoot common issues when opening the folder, you can improve your productivity further with these tips:
- If your Mac is acting up, a corrupted app may be the cause. Fix that by uninstalling corrupt apps on your Mac.
- Update your apps on Mac to avoid security and performance issues.
- Close apps on Mac if you’re not using them to save system resources.