uDock: A Fast App Launcher for Macs That Lost Launchpad
uDock is a $24 one-time app launcher for macOS that opens a customizable panel of your apps, files, folders and links with a keystroke, mouse click or screen edge. It's for Mac users who miss Launchpad or find the Dock too limiting, and it runs on macOS 10.13 or later with a 14-day free trial.
macOS Tahoe replaced Launchpad with an Apps view, and plenty of people want their grid back. uDock gives you one, with your own tabs and groups on top.
Quick facts
- Version: 6.0 (website edition)
- Developer: Naarak Studio
- Platform: macOS 10.13 or later, compatible with macOS 27, Intel and Apple silicon. No Windows version
- Price: $24 one-time, single user
- Trial: 14 days
- What we checked: the app inside the 27.7 MB installer dated October 11, 2026 reports version 6.0; price $24.00 on the order page on November 6, 2026. We read the manual but didn't run the app on a Mac
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Before you buy
Trial first. Naarak Studio gives no refunds once your activation key has been emailed, except when the product wasn't delivered within 24 hours, didn't work the same way as the trial, or for another technical reason.
License. One user, on all your home Macs. For commercial use it covers one computer at your company, and it may not be shared. VAT is added at checkout.
Overview
uDock lives in the menu bar and stays out of sight until you call it. Its panel shows your items in the middle, with tabs along the top, running processes on one side and your disks on the other. It doesn't replace the Dock so much as sit beside it, and many users could hide the Dock altogether.
Version 6.0 added Groups, a choice of app for opening each URL, and rounded icons for URLs, and earlier updates added a Recent Apps tab and glass effects. macOS 27 compatibility is listed from 5.3.6.
The uDock panel with app tabs along the top, running processes on the left and drives on the right.
Features
uDock opens however you like
Assign a keyboard shortcut, a mouse button, a screen edge or corner hotspot with a delay you set, or a touchpad gesture. With several monitors, you choose which screen holds the hotspot.
The Triggers settings for the key, mouse hotspot and mouse buttons.
uDock launches apps by hotkey
Give an app its own keyboard shortcut and it opens instantly. You set them by dragging items into the Hotkeys list.
The Hotkeys list with shortcuts assigned to apps.
uDock organizes more than apps
Tabs and Groups hold apps, documents, folders, URLs and text clips. Click a clip to insert its text in your document. Search, a Trash Bin and a Recent Apps tab are also built in.
uDock Drop Pad holds files in transit
Drop Pad stores aliases to files and folders as a temporary stop during drag and drop. Copy or move the alias later and the original file goes with it.
uDock has a basic SFTP client
Save a bookmark for an SFTP server, then browse, upload, download, rename and delete files and create folders from uDock. It's for quick jobs, not a replacement for a full client like Naarak's own Viper FTP.
The SFTP window browsing files on a server.
uDock looks the way you want
Change the size, color and opacity of the panel and the size of icons, so all your apps can fit on one screen. Effects include Dark Blur, Glass and Smoked Glass. iCloud sync can keep things in step between your Macs.
Benefits
- Fewer trips to Finder. Everything you use often is one trigger away.
- A cleaner screen. The panel is hidden until you need it.
- Your own layout. Tabs follow your work, not an alphabetical list.
Real-World Uses
- A video editor triggers uDock from a shortcut button, as one App Store reviewer does with a Stream Deck.
- A freelancer keeps a tab per client with apps, folders and links in each.
- A web developer opens an SFTP bookmark to fix one file without launching a full client.
- Someone on Tahoe sets a hot corner to open a Launchpad-style grid.
Who It's For, and Who Should Skip It
uDock suits Mac users who launch many apps and like to customize. If you're fast with Spotlight or Raycast, you may not need it. If you want a pure Launchpad clone with nothing else, a simpler app may suit you better, and if you want panels fixed on the desktop, look at Naarak's iCollections instead.
Usage Guide
- Download the DMG, install uDock and launch it. Its icon appears in the menu bar.
- Grant the Full Disk Access, Input Monitoring and other permissions that the manual explains, so that triggers and files work.
- Open Preferences and choose your triggers.
- Use Import Mac applications to fill the panel, then drag items into tabs and Groups.
- Add hotkeys for the apps you use most.
Where it falls short
- Mixed reliability reports on older versions. A 2022 reviewer had constant crashes under Catalina, and a 2021 reviewer reported serious trouble. Both are on versions long replaced, but check it on your own setup.
- Permissions to grant. A launcher that listens for triggers needs more access than most apps.
- Few independent reviews. Most English feedback is from the App Store.
What Users Say
App Store reviews
The current App Store listing has too few ratings to show an average. Written reviews from the US store:
"uDock offers a treasure trove of options and customizations that will make you smile while using a superior alternative to the Mac dock." WatermelonFeast, version 4.5.3, 5 stars
"I've tried many of these types of apps over the years and it's by far the best. Very simple, easy to configure, and MUCH better than the Mac interface." Marlon Thudpucker, version 3.4.1, 5 stars
"Also, when I had a problem with installation, their tech support got back to me fast with an answer." Marlon Thudpucker
"I have one shortcut key on my stream deck and ShuttlePro v2 that that pops the uDock up and I select what I want then it goess there and closes this on it's own." Musicmam22, version 2.0, 5 stars
"seems great under Monterey But crashes constantly under Catalina." rnetter, version 3.0, 3 stars
"rendered my MBP unusable to the point that I had to shut it down and wipe it to start all over." Tuggers1, version 2.4, 1 star
Long-time users like the configurability and the range of triggers. The two complaints date from 2021 and 2022, several major versions ago. French site VVMac has covered uDock twice, most recently on April 25, 2026.
Comparisons
uDock vs the macOS Apps view
Apple's Apps view is free and built in, and it works well with Spotlight search. uDock costs $24 and gives you tabs you arrange yourself, hotkeys, disks, processes and SFTP.
uDock vs iCollections
Both come from Naarak Studio. iCollections puts panels on the desktop, while uDock is one panel that appears on demand. Pick uDock if you want your desktop left alone.
Editions and Pricing
| License | Price at checkout | Where it installs | Payment |
|---|
| Single User | $24 | All your home Macs, or 1 computer at work | One-time |
| Small Business | $69 | 5 Macs in a company | One-time |
| Site | $249 | All Macs in a company | One-time |
Prices were read on the order page on November 6, 2026. Additional seats can be added during checkout. The App Store edition has its own plans, including a $29.99 lifetime license.
Buy Single User ($24)Buy Small Business ($69)Buy Site ($249)
FAQs
Does uDock work on macOS Tahoe and macOS 27?
Yes, uDock is compatible with macOS Tahoe and macOS 27, and it supports Tahoe icons and custom folder icons.
Does uDock replace the Dock?
uDock works alongside the macOS Dock and doesn't remove it. Hiding the Dock is your choice in macOS settings.
Can uDock import my installed apps?
Yes, uDock has an option to import your Mac applications, added in version 5.0.
Can I use uDock with a touchpad gesture?
Yes, uDock can open with a touchpad gesture you select in its Triggers settings.
Does uDock sync between Macs?
uDock has iCloud synchronization, which recent versions improved.
System Requirements
- macOS 10.13 or later, compatible with macOS 27
- 64-bit Intel or Apple silicon (M chips)
- About 28 MB download
Conclusion
uDock is worth $24 if you miss Launchpad or want your apps and files one trigger away. The reason to buy it is flexibility: tabs, Groups, hotkeys and a choice of triggers in one small app. The reason not to is that Spotlight and the built-in Apps view may already be enough. Try the 14-day trial, because refunds are limited once your key arrives.
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