How to access the Applications folder on a Mac?

How to find the Applications folder on a Mac? It is relatively straightforward.

Open the Finder and click Go from the menu bar. Choose Go to Folder. Scroll down and click Applications.

This should open a folder containing the files and shortcuts of every app you’ve ever downloaded or own/use by default.

Other ways to access the folder include running a Spotlight or Siri search or opening it using any keyboard or mousepad shortcuts you’ve got in place.

Now, within this folder, you should be able to find every app you’ve ever downloaded. Only native macOS apps can’t be removed. But everything else is easy to delete. If your Mac isn’t performing as good as it once did, take the time to go through and drag into Trash anything that is taking up space you’d prefer to reassign to something else.

Find your Application folder via Launchpad

There are two kinds of Mac users: some prefer the Finder, others trust Launchpad. Launchpad is a classic Mac feature worth the praise for its looks alone. You can find and delete your apps right from there. But only if they were installed from the App Store and only a few of those installed from the developer’s website.

Launchpad trick: Can you make your apps dance?

When you click the Launchpad icon in the Dock you will see your apps and widgets. 

1. Click and hold any app — the apps will start shaking.
2. Click the hovering [X] to delete any app you want.

How to find hidden Applications

Some of your apps don’t show up in either Finder or Launchpad. Such apps could be small supporting programs or intentionally stealth software. But as the saying goes, there’s no lock without a key. There are tools to see your hidden apps and folders, and some are even free to download, like CleanMyMac X by MacPaw.

This highly popular tool comes with a tool called Space Lens. This is another way to find your Applications folder if you don’t like browsing the Finder. With its help, you can visualize your entire storage and uncover all your files and folders.

1. Download CleanMyMac X (get it for free here) and open the app.
2. Choose Space Lens.
3. Click Scan to build your storage map.
4. Choose Applications folder.

Occasionally, a Mac user can lose or misplace a folder from where it was situated in the Finder sidebar, and some will also place this folder in the Dock. Here is how you can put the folder back where it belongs.

How to restore a missing Applications folder?

1. Go to the Finder menu.
2. Click Settings.
3. Choose the Sidebar tab within Settings.
4. Select the option to show Applications in the Finder Sidebar.
5. Now, it should show up again in the Finder Sidebar and Dock.

With access restored, it should be easier to manage the applications you need — and those you don’t — in your Mac.

I hope you find this article useful. Thanks for reading!