{
  "schema": "https://storagestudio.us/schema/wiki-page.v1",
  "title": "The All Apps grid and its shortcut",
  "slug": "the-all-apps-grid",
  "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-all-apps-grid",
  "markdown_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-all-apps-grid.md",
  "category": "Apps",
  "category_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/apps/",
  "tags": [
    "apps",
    "keyboard shortcuts",
    "launcher"
  ],
  "summary": "The All Apps grid shows every app as a large icon you can search and open from the keyboard. A global shortcut, Control-Space by default, brings it up from any app, and you can change or turn off that shortcut.",
  "published_at": "2026-10-01T06:19:30.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01T05:31:32.000Z",
  "headings": [
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "What's in the grid",
      "id": "what-s-in-the-grid"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Using it from the keyboard",
      "id": "using-it-from-the-keyboard"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "The right-click menu",
      "id": "the-right-click-menu"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Sorting and filtering",
      "id": "sorting-and-filtering"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "The global shortcut",
      "id": "the-global-shortcut"
    }
  ],
  "links_out": [
    {
      "slug": "the-apps-window",
      "label": "Apps window",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-apps-window"
    },
    {
      "slug": "shortcuts-pane",
      "label": "Changing keyboard shortcuts",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/shortcuts-pane"
    },
    {
      "slug": "keyboard-shortcuts",
      "label": "Keyboard shortcuts",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/keyboard-shortcuts"
    },
    {
      "slug": "show-apps-in-dock",
      "label": "Show in Dock",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/show-apps-in-dock"
    }
  ],
  "links_in": [
    {
      "slug": "shortcuts-pane",
      "title": "Changing keyboard shortcuts",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/shortcuts-pane"
    },
    {
      "slug": "junk-yard-shortcuts",
      "title": "Junk Yard shortcuts",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/junk-yard-shortcuts"
    },
    {
      "slug": "keyboard-shortcuts",
      "title": "Keyboard shortcuts",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/keyboard-shortcuts"
    },
    {
      "slug": "show-apps-in-dock",
      "title": "Show in Dock",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/show-apps-in-dock"
    },
    {
      "slug": "the-apps-window",
      "title": "The Apps window",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-apps-window"
    }
  ],
  "diagrams": [
    {
      "kind": "flowchart",
      "caption": "Finding and opening an app from the keyboard",
      "outline": "- Press the shortcut\n  - leads to Type part of the name\n- Type part of the name\n  - leads to Is the top match the one you want?\n- Is the top match the one you want?\n  - Yes: leads to Press Return to open it\n  - No: leads to Press Tab, then use the arrow keys\n- Press Tab, then use the arrow keys\n  - leads to Press Return to open the highlighted app\n",
      "source": "%% caption: Finding and opening an app from the keyboard\nflowchart LR\n  A[Press the shortcut] --> B[Type part of the name]\n  B --> C{Is the top match the one you want?}\n  C -->|Yes| D[Press Return to open it]\n  C -->|No| E[Press Tab, then use the arrow keys]\n  E --> F[Press Return to open the highlighted app]"
    }
  ],
  "images": [],
  "screenshots_pending": [
    {
      "alt": "The All Apps grid in Demo Mode with \"pa\" typed in the search box, the top match highlighted, one tile showing the external-drive badge and one faded offloaded tile",
      "caption": "Searching the All Apps grid"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [
    {
      "question": "How do I move apps to an external drive on a Mac and still launch them?",
      "answer": "Dragging an app to another drive can break it, because macOS expects it in /Applications. Storage Studio relocates the app to your external drive and leaves a shortcut in place, so it still launches normally from Launchpad, Spotlight, and the Dock — and you can move it back in one click.",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/faq"
    },
    {
      "question": "How do I use an external SSD as extra storage on a MacBook?",
      "answer": "Plug in a USB-C or Thunderbolt SSD and let Storage Studio pair it with your internal drive as one workspace. It moves big folders, libraries, and apps to the SSD with a shortcut left behind, so your MacBook behaves like it has a much bigger disk — fast enough to work directly off the external drive.",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/faq"
    },
    {
      "question": "Can I move my Photos or Final Cut library to an external drive?",
      "answer": "Yes — large Photos, Final Cut, and iMovie libraries are common space hogs. Storage Studio relocates them to an external drive while keeping them usable, leaving a shortcut so your apps still find them. Moving a folder to your fast drive keeps its files' modified and created dates, permissions,…",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/faq"
    },
    {
      "question": "Will moving files to another drive break my apps or Spotlight?",
      "answer": "Not the way Storage Studio does it. It leaves a shortcut (symlink) at the original location, so apps, Finder, and Spotlight resolve everything as if it never moved — and the move is fully reversible.",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/faq"
    }
  ],
  "text": "The All Apps grid is a launcher for every app on your Mac, including the ones you've moved to your external drive. Type a few letters and press Return to open an app, or browse the icons with the arrow keys. A global keyboard shortcut, ⌃ Space unless you change it, brings the grid up from any app. What's in the grid The grid shows every app in your Applications folders, including your personal Applications folder and the Utilities folder. Each tile shows where the app lives: Tile Meaning Normal icon The app is on your Mac Small external-drive badge The app was moved to your external drive and opens normally Faded icon with a tray badge The app is offloaded and can't open until you restore it Hover over a tile and right-click to see its App size and its Data & caches on your Mac. The footer adds it all up: On this Mac (apps still on your Mac plus their data and caches) and Fast drive (moved and offloaded apps). While Storage Studio is still adding up caches, it says (summing caches…) . Using it from the keyboard Finding and opening an app from the keyboard Flowchart outline: Finding and opening an app from the keyboard Press the shortcut leads to Type part of the name Type part of the name leads to Is the top match the one you want? Is the top match the one you want? Yes: leads to Press Return to open it No: leads to Press Tab, then use the arrow keys Press Tab, then use the arrow keys leads to Press Return to open the highlighted app Type in Search apps . The best match comes first: an exact name, then names that start with what you typed, then names with a word that starts with it, then anything containing it. Return in the search box opens the top match. A floating Opening … panel appears, the search is cleared, and the window tucks into the Dock so the app comes to the front. Tab moves from the search box to the grid (on macOS 14 and later). The arrow keys then move the highlight, and Return opens the highlighted app. Esc closes the window. With the mouse, one click selects a tile and a double-click opens it. Offloaded apps don't open; right-click them to restore. The right-click menu Every action in the Apps window is also on the tile's right-click menu, and each one runs the same safe steps as the buttons on the other tabs: For an app on your Mac: Open , Reveal in Finder , Move to Fast Drive , Offload to Fast Drive , Uninstall… For a moved app: Open , Reveal in Finder , Move Back to This Mac , Uninstall… For an offloaded app: Restore to This Mac , Remove from Fast Drive… While an app is being moved, offloaded or uninstalled, its tile shows a spinner and can't be clicked. Sorting and filtering The menu next to the search box sorts by Name , Last used , Size or Safety , and filters by category or by location: All locations , Internal , Moved or Offloaded . Unlike the Internal tab, the grid ignores the age and running-app filters, so it always shows every app you can open. The global shortcut The shortcut works from any app, even when Storage Studio is in the background, and doesn't need any extra macOS permission. In the Advanced view , it opens the Apps window on the All Apps grid. In the Intelligence view , it opens the main window on its Apps tab. Pressing it again while that window is in front switches between Home and Apps . To change it or turn it off , open Settings and choose Shortcuts . Under Apps , the Open the Apps grid switch turns it on or off, and the menu next to it picks one of: ⌃ Space , ⌥ Space , ⌘⌥ Space , ⌃⌥ A or ⌘⌥ A . The same choice is in Advanced under Keyboard Shortcut . A combination already used by a Junk Yard shortcut isn't offered, so two actions never share one. If the shortcut does nothing, macOS may already use that combination. ⌃ Space, for example, is often the macOS shortcut for switching input sources. Pick another one. See also: Changing keyboard shortcuts · Keyboard shortcuts · Show in Dock Common questions How do I move apps to an external drive on a Mac and still launch them? Dragging an app to another drive can break it, because macOS expects it in /Applications. Storage Studio relocates the app to your external drive and leaves a shortcut in place, so it still launches normally from Launchpad, Spotlight, and the Dock — and you can move it back in one click. How do I use an external SSD as extra storage on a MacBook? Plug in a USB-C or Thunderbolt SSD and let Storage Studio pair it with your internal drive as one workspace. It moves big folders, libraries, and apps to the SSD with a shortcut left behind, so your MacBook behaves like it has a much bigger disk — fast enough to work directly off the external drive. Can I move my Photos or Final Cut library to an external drive? Yes — large Photos, Final Cut, and iMovie libraries are common space hogs. Storage Studio relocates them to an external drive while keeping them usable, leaving a shortcut so your apps still find them. Moving a folder to your fast drive keeps its files' modified and created dates, permissions,… Will moving files to another drive break my apps or Spotlight? Not the way Storage Studio does it. It leaves a shortcut (symlink) at the original location, so apps, Finder, and Spotlight resolve everything as if it never moved — and the move is fully reversible.",
  "markdown": "The **All Apps** grid is a launcher for every app on your Mac, including the ones you've moved to your external drive. Type a few letters and press **Return** to open an app, or browse the icons with the arrow keys. A global keyboard shortcut, **⌃ Space** unless you change it, brings the grid up from any app.\n\n## What's in the grid\n\nThe grid shows every app in your Applications folders, including your personal Applications folder and the Utilities folder. Each tile shows where the app lives:\n\n| Tile | Meaning |\n| --- | --- |\n| Normal icon | The app is on your Mac |\n| Small external-drive badge | The app was moved to your external drive and opens normally |\n| Faded icon with a tray badge | The app is offloaded and can't open until you restore it |\n\nHover over a tile and right-click to see its **App size** and its **Data & caches** on your Mac.\n\nThe footer adds it all up: **On this Mac** (apps still on your Mac plus their data and caches) and **Fast drive** (moved and offloaded apps). While Storage Studio is still adding up caches, it says **(summing caches…)**.\n\n## Using it from the keyboard\n\n```mermaid\n%% caption: Finding and opening an app from the keyboard\nflowchart LR\n  A[Press the shortcut] --> B[Type part of the name]\n  B --> C{Is the top match the one you want?}\n  C -->|Yes| D[Press Return to open it]\n  C -->|No| E[Press Tab, then use the arrow keys]\n  E --> F[Press Return to open the highlighted app]\n```\n\n*Flowchart — Finding and opening an app from the keyboard. Outline:*\n\n- Press the shortcut\n  - leads to Type part of the name\n- Type part of the name\n  - leads to Is the top match the one you want?\n- Is the top match the one you want?\n  - Yes: leads to Press Return to open it\n  - No: leads to Press Tab, then use the arrow keys\n- Press Tab, then use the arrow keys\n  - leads to Press Return to open the highlighted app\n\n- **Type** in **Search apps**. The best match comes first: an exact name, then names that start with what you typed, then names with a word that starts with it, then anything containing it.\n- **Return** in the search box opens the top match. A floating **Opening …** panel appears, the search is cleared, and the window tucks into the Dock so the app comes to the front.\n- **Tab** moves from the search box to the grid (on macOS 14 and later). The **arrow keys** then move the highlight, and **Return** opens the highlighted app.\n- **Esc** closes the window.\n\nWith the mouse, one click selects a tile and a double-click opens it. Offloaded apps don't open; right-click them to restore.\n\n## The right-click menu\n\nEvery action in the [Apps window](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-apps-window) is also on the tile's right-click menu, and each one runs the same safe steps as the buttons on the other tabs:\n\n- For an app on your Mac: **Open**, **Reveal in Finder**, **Move to Fast Drive**, **Offload to Fast Drive**, **Uninstall…**\n- For a moved app: **Open**, **Reveal in Finder**, **Move Back to This Mac**, **Uninstall…**\n- For an offloaded app: **Restore to This Mac**, **Remove from Fast Drive…**\n\nWhile an app is being moved, offloaded or uninstalled, its tile shows a spinner and can't be clicked.\n\n## Sorting and filtering\n\nThe menu next to the search box sorts by **Name**, **Last used**, **Size** or **Safety**, and filters by category or by location: **All locations**, **Internal**, **Moved** or **Offloaded**. Unlike the **Internal** tab, the grid ignores the age and running-app filters, so it always shows every app you can open.\n\n## The global shortcut\n\nThe shortcut works from any app, even when Storage Studio is in the background, and doesn't need any extra macOS permission.\n\n- **In the Advanced view**, it opens the Apps window on the **All Apps** grid.\n- **In the Intelligence view**, it opens the main window on its **Apps** tab. Pressing it again while that window is in front switches between **Home** and **Apps**.\n\n**To change it or turn it off**, open Settings and choose **Shortcuts**. Under **Apps**, the **Open the Apps grid** switch turns it on or off, and the menu next to it picks one of: **⌃ Space**, **⌥ Space**, **⌘⌥ Space**, **⌃⌥ A** or **⌘⌥ A**. The same choice is in **Advanced** under **Keyboard Shortcut**. A combination already used by a Junk Yard shortcut isn't offered, so two actions never share one.\n\nIf the shortcut does nothing, macOS may already use that combination. ⌃ Space, for example, is often the macOS shortcut for switching input sources. Pick another one.\n\nSee also: [Changing keyboard shortcuts](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/shortcuts-pane) · [Keyboard shortcuts](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/keyboard-shortcuts) · [Show in Dock](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/show-apps-in-dock)\n\n- **How do I move apps to an external drive on a Mac and still launch them?** Dragging an app to another drive can break it, because macOS expects it in /Applications. Storage Studio relocates the app to your external drive and leaves a shortcut in place, so it still launches normally from Launchpad, Spotlight, and the Dock — and you can move it back in one click. (https://storagestudio.us/faq)\n- **How do I use an external SSD as extra storage on a MacBook?** Plug in a USB-C or Thunderbolt SSD and let Storage Studio pair it with your internal drive as one workspace. It moves big folders, libraries, and apps to the SSD with a shortcut left behind, so your MacBook behaves like it has a much bigger disk — fast enough to work directly off the external drive. (https://storagestudio.us/faq)\n- **Can I move my Photos or Final Cut library to an external drive?** Yes — large Photos, Final Cut, and iMovie libraries are common space hogs. Storage Studio relocates them to an external drive while keeping them usable, leaving a shortcut so your apps still find them. Moving a folder to your fast drive keeps its files' modified and created dates, permissions,… (https://storagestudio.us/faq)\n- **Will moving files to another drive break my apps or Spotlight?** Not the way Storage Studio does it. It leaves a shortcut (symlink) at the original location, so apps, Finder, and Spotlight resolve everything as if it never moved — and the move is fully reversible. (https://storagestudio.us/faq)\n"
}