Where Is the Applications Folder on Mac? How to Access It & More

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Your guide to locating and using your Mac’s Applications folder
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Do you need to find a particular app in your Mac’s Applications folder but aren't sure where the folder is? We can help! The Applications folder is where all the apps on your computer are typically stored, and you can use the folder to open, delete, or make changes to them whenever you need to. Opening the Applications folder is as simple as using your Mac’s Finder feature or even typing a quick shortcut on your keyboard, so read on, and we’ll show you everything you need to know about the Applications folder on a Mac.

Opening Your Applications Folder on Mac

  • Launch the Finder app and select Applications from the lefthand sidebar.
  • Press Shift + Command + A on your keyboard to open the Applications folder.
  • Open Finder, select Go from the menu bar and click Applications in the dropdown menu.
  • Open Spotlight via the magnifying glass icon in the menu bar and search “Applications.”
Section 1 of 4:

Finding Your Mac’s Applications Folder

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  1. Launch Finder from your Mac’s Dock (the horizontal bar at the bottom of your screen by default) by clicking on it. The Finder icon is a square blue and white smiling face. Look to the left at the Finder’s sidebar, and then click on Applications to open the Applications folder. [1]
    • If the Finder app isn’t on your Dock, navigate to your Desktop and click on any empty space. This will set Finder to the default current app, and you can go to File > New Finder Window at the top-left corner of the screen.
  2. Launch Finder from the Dock (or by using the File > New Finder Window method above). Then, with Finder open, select Go from the top menu bar of your Mac. Simply scroll through the dropdown menu and click Applications to open the associated folder. [2]
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  3. With a Finder window open and active, press Shift + Command + A . This shortcut will open your Applications folder, where you can view all your apps.
  4. Open Spotlight by clicking on the magnifying glass icon at the top right of your screen on the menu bar. Alternatively, open Spotlight by typing the Command + Space shortcut. With Spotlight open, type “Applications” into the search bar that appears, then scroll down the results until you see the Applications folder and click on it. [3]
    • You can also view all of your apps from the Launchpad. Simply click the Launchpad icon from the Dock (look for a grid of small multicolored squares).
    • This will open the Launchpad, which lets you view and open any app on your computer, though it won’t open the Applications folder.
  5. Activate Siri by clicking on the colorful purple-red and green-blue Siri icon in your Dock (or by searching for Siri in Spotlight). With Siri open, command it to “Open the Applications folder,” and it’ll immediately open the folder for you. [4]
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Section 2 of 4:

Using the Applications Folder on Mac

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  1. In the Applications folder, you can look up an app’s total file size, publisher, version number, extension, and more. Simply hover over an app and Control + click its icon, then select Get Info from the dropdown menu that appears to check its information. [5]
    • Similarly, to view the contents of an app, Control + click on the app icon and select View Package Contents from the dropdown menu.
  2. If you want an app to appear in the dock (so you don’t have to use the Launchpad or Finder to open it), select the app’s icon and drag it anywhere onto the Dock. Then, you can click on that icon from the Dock anytime to open the app! [6]
  3. Open the Applications folder, then use Finder to locate the app you want to move. Click on the application’s icon, then drag and drop it into the Applications folder! If the application requires administrative privileges to move, you’ll be prompted to enter an administrator username and password. [7]
    • If you don’t see an app in the Applications folder, it might’ve been installed elsewhere on your Mac—likely in Downloads on your Desktop.
    • You can also use Spotlight or Siri to find a hidden app and add it to your Applications folder.
  4. If you want to delete an app from your Mac, find it in the Applications folder. Then, drag and drop the app (and all its contents) into the Trash icon on your Mac’s Dock. From there, you can select Finder > Empty Trash on the top right corner of your screen to permanently delete the Trash's contents. [8]
    • Alternatively, Control + Click on an app, then select Move to Trash from the dropdown menu.
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Section 3 of 4:

Recovering a Hidden Applications Folder

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  1. Sometimes, you may open Finder and see that the Applications folder isn’t in the sidebar. If that’s the case, select Finder > Settings from the top-left corner of the screen. In Settings, choose Sidebar , then make sure the box next to Applications is checked blue. This should make it appear in the Finder sidebar. [9]
  2. If you used to have a shortcut to your Applications folder in your Mac’s Dock, you can quickly re-add it (or add it for the first time). Launch Finder and locate the Applications option in the sidebar. Click on it, then drag it onto the Dock to the left of the Trash icon. This will add an Applications icon to the Dock. [10]
    • Anytime you click on that icon, a window with all of your current applications will open for easy access.
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Section 4 of 4:

Finding the Application Support Folder

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  1. The Application Support folder on a Mac is similar to the Application Data folder on a PC; it’s where apps store essential files that they need to operate. To open the Application Support folder on your Mac, do the following: [11]
    • Open Finder , then select Go in the menu bar.
    • Press and hold the Option key with the Go dropdown menu open.
    • Select the Library folder option that appears on the dropdown menu.
    • In the Library folder, scroll until you find Application Support and open it.

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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/organize-your-files-in-the-finder-mchlp2605/15.0/mac/15.0
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-sg/guide/mac-help/mchlp1236/mac
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-sg/guide/mac-help/mchlp1008/mac
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-sg/guide/mac-help/mchl6b029310/mac
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-sg/guide/mac-help/mchlp1774/mac .
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-sg/guide/mac-help/mh35859/mac
      7. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-sg/guide/mac-help/mchlp1014/15.0/mac/15.0
      8. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/install-and-uninstall-other-apps-mh35835/15.0/mac/15.0
      9. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-finder-settings-on-mac-mchlp2803/15.0/mac/15.0
      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-sg/guide/mac-help/mh35859/mac
      2. ↑ https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-Access-Hidden-User-Library-folder-on-Mac-OS.html

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