Launchpad Toggle

A free and open source macOS application to toggle between the Classic Launchpad and the new Tahoe Apps experience.

Download

Download LaunchpadToggle-0.1.0-arm64.dmg

• Requirements: macOS Tahoe (macOS 15+)
• Architecture: Apple Silicon (ARM64)
• Size: ~50MB
• License: Free and open source

Features

• One-Click Toggle: Switch between Classic Launchpad and Tahoe Apps instantly
• Automatic Backups: Creates timestamped backups before making any changes
• Restart Guidance: Clear prompts to restart for changes to take effect
• Safe Operation: Modifies only the SpotlightUI feature flag with proper backups
• Native Design: Liquid-glass visuals with Apple-like polish
• Free & Open Source: MIT licensed with source code available

How It Works

1. Detection: Reads the SpotlightUI feature flag to determine current state
2. Backup: Creates a timestamped backup at /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain/SpotlightUI.plist.bak-{timestamp}
3. Toggle: Safely modifies or removes the feature flag
4. Restart: Prompts you to restart for system-wide changes

Important Note

Spotlight Caveat: Enabling Classic Launchpad will also revert the modern Spotlight to its older version. For enhanced search functionality, consider using Raycast as a powerful alternative.

Development

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• macOS Tahoe or later

Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/aramb-dev/launchpad-toggle.git
   cd launchpad-toggle

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Run in development:

   npm run dev

4. Build for production:

   npm run build

Project Structure

├── main.js           # Main Electron process
├── preload.js        # Preload script for security
├── renderer/         # Frontend UI
├── website/          # Marketing website (Vite + Tailwind)
└── .github/          # GitHub Actions for deployment

Building

The app uses electron-builder with Apple Developer ID signing:

npm run build:mac

Requires proper code signing certificates in your keychain.

Website

The marketing website is built with Vite and Tailwind CSS v4. It's automatically deployed to GitHub Pages via GitHub Actions.

• Live Site: https://aramb-dev.github.io/launchpad-toggle/
• Source: website/ directory

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details.

Support

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Star this repo if you find it useful!