For quite some time, what Apple called Launchpad or application launcher. It is nothing more than a place where we can organize the applications that we have installed in such a way that When we want to start any of them we don't have to enter the Finder and then go to the applications folder.
The style with which the applications can be organized within the Launchpad is similar to that of the Apple iOS mobile device system. We can order them in a grid four applications high by seven wide and on as many screens as we want. Also, and that's what this article is about, we can create folders to further organize those applications.
To create a folder, simply drag one application on top of the other and give the set a name. However, it seems that if we undo the union again, that is, remove the applications from that folder and leave it empty, what the system should do is delete the empty folder, but it seems that a bugs makes it stay there forever.
After doing some research on the net, we have learned that this problem is due to the fact that the database from which the Launchpad collects the information to display it would be corrupt. These databases are of the SQlite 3 type and could be edited with specific applications, being very rare that we can find the problem with the naked eye, it is better to regenerate that file using one of the following options using two commands for the Terminal.
The first one forces the Launchpad to return to its default settings, and if you look at the command, you will see that the first part, up to the semicolon, what it does is reset to the Launchpad and later close the Dock and restart with a new restored Launchpad, yes, we will have to reorganize everything what exists inside it since all the folders that we had would disappear.
defaults write com.apple.dock ResetLaunchPad -bool true; killall Dock
If after running the above command the empty folders are still there, what we have to do is completely delete those databases so that new ones are completely created again, for which we will use this command:
rm ~/Library/Application\ Support/Dock/*.db; killall Dock
So now you know, if you've had these annoying empty folders on your Launchpad for a long time, you already have two ways to try to get your system clean. What better today Sunday than to take advantage and give your system a little wax to make your Mac look better.