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Backup & Restore Launchie

Export your layout and settings so you can migrate or recover quickly.

Launchie can export your layout, hidden apps, Spaces, and settings into a portable backup file. This is perfect when you’re reinstalling macOS, moving to a new Mac, or experimenting with new configurations.1

Create a backup

  1. Open Launchie → Settings → Backup & Restore.
  2. Click Create Backup.
  3. Choose a destination (e.g., iCloud Drive, Dropbox, a USB stick).
  4. Launchie saves a JSON file containing your layout, folders, Spaces, and hidden apps.

Restore a backup

  1. Go to Settings → Backup & Restore.
  2. Click Restore Backup and pick the exported JSON file.
  3. Decide whether to enable Preserve Missing Apps (recommended):
    • When checked, Launchie creates placeholders for apps that no longer exist on disk but were present in the backup. Their positions, and Space memberships remain visible so you can reinstall later.
    • When unchecked, missing apps are removed entirely and their slots collapse immediately.
  4. Confirm the prompt—Launchie restarts with your previous layout.
  5. Regrant the Applications folder permission if macOS prompts you.

Best practices

  • Keep multiple backups so you can roll back incremental changes.
  • Store at least one copy outside your Mac (cloud or external drive).
  • After a restore, double-check App Directories permissions; macOS may require a new grant.

Troubleshooting

  • Restore fails: ensure the JSON wasn’t edited manually; corrupt files will be rejected. Re-export from the original Mac if possible.
  • Apps missing after restore: verify the apps still exist in /Applications; Launchie can’t resurrect uninstalled software. If you checked Preserve Missing Apps, placeholders will stick around until you reinstall those apps.

Footnotes

  1. Backup/restore support was introduced in Launchie 1.2.0 (see changelog.md). ↩