Applications Folder Empty in Finder

I've had my Macbook Pro since 2008. Currently, I'm running 10.6.8. For some reason, when clicking on the applications folder, it is completely empty. Before when I clicked on the folder I would see applications like Word, Google Chrome, Photoshop, etc. available to click on and open. I'm not sure why it doesn't show up anymore. Has anyone else experienced this?

That's interesting that it works like that. I used to go the MacHD>users>yourname>applications folder and they populated, but now they don't anymore so I'll just have to click on the HD and then applications.
Thank you!

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I accidentally deleted my Application folder from my Finder. How can I get it back?

I accidently deleted my Application folder from my Finder. How can I get it back?

Hope you didn't empty the Trash.
Double click the Trash icon in the Dock.
In the window that opens up, highlight and right click the application folder entry.
Select "Put Back" from the contextual menu.
If not, restore from your backup.
Best.

Applications folder inaccessible through finder?

So I recently downloaded an application that I decided I wanted to delete. However, when I try to go to "Applications" by clicking on it through the Finder sidebar, It shows up blank for a split second and then the window dissapears. When I look in the Applications folder under my name in /Users/, the folder is empty. When I try to "get info" on the folder in my finder sidebar, it is unable to calculate the size. When i search "Applications" in spotlight, there are no results, for both applications and the folder itself. When I try to access my applications by clicking on an application in the dock and selecting "Show in Finder", the window appears and dissapears again. I have tried getting a system update and restrating my computer and finder multiple times, but nothing is working. Also, sometimes my background photo and my dock dissapear and are replaced by a gray background.

I would try finding and opening Disk Utility and running a permissions repair on the drive in question.
If you can't find or run Disk Utility, try this if you still have your Mac OS install CD:
• Insert the disk and Hold c or option key down and tap the power button to boot from the installer disk. Let the installer start, but before actually installing:
• Select Disk Utility from under the Installer Utilities menu at the top of the screen.
• Select your drive or partition on the left, click First AId > Repair Disk & Permissions.
If you are a 10.7+ user - hold command r to boot from Lion Recovery HD partition (only, use no disks), it's a bootable section on the boot drive itself that's like install cd.
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Applications folder empty

when you dbl click the HD on the desktop a window opens up.
in the places is your directory name. when i click that it gives me options like applications. it's empty and never was. can someone explain.

HI,
Your Mac OS X applications are not stored in your Home Folder.
Double click your MacHD icon which *will open a Finder window.*
Select MacintoshHD in the Sidebar on the left. Depending on how you have your Finder window set to view it's contents you will see your Applications folder.
Carolyn

Mac OS 10.6.8 Application folder in finder is missing the applications

All applications are on the harddrive but are missing from the applications folder in the finder. How do I repopulate the folder? Thank you for your help.

Seventy one,
Thank you.
I don't have Time Machine enabled. ( You would think I would give up on learning the hard way right? :-) Is there another way to do what seems like creating an alias of the applications in the Home Folder? ( House icon)
Let me try to do better stating the problem.
Finder --> Home Folder --> Applications Folder ( It is this folder that is void of applications.) The Home Folder also contains Desktop , Documents, Downloads folder. all of which are fine. The Applications Folder,which can be moved to the Doc is the folder that is empty of programs.
Finder ---> Applications -- Where Application is item marked "A" under "Places" populates with all programs on Harddrive. No problem here.
Thanks again,
Curtis

Applications folder in Finder

I somehow made the Applications folder disappear from the Finder sidebar.
There's still an Applications folder, of course. I can get at it through finder/Go/Applications.
I put an Applications folder for my desktop. It works. But if I make a new Applications folder for the Finder sidebar and move the desktop folder to trash, no apps will work because "[app] is in the trash."
When I try Shift/Apple/A to go the Application folder in Finder, it shows only a Utilities folder in my Applications window.
Any ideas on restoring the status quo ante, with the original Applications window in the Finder sidebar and no window on the desktop or in the trash?
Thanks!
iMac (Power PC) iSight 20" 2.1G Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Hi James
It sounds like you might have moved all your applications into the folder that's on your desktop, for one thing. First, close all your open applications (except for Finder). If any of them are still in the trash, get them out, and move them all back to the correct location. While many applications will work fine wherever they are, it's a good idea to keep them in the main Applications folder at the top of the hard drive.
Once the apps are back where they should be (and the desktop folder is empty), trash the desktop folder. Then, open a new Finder window, and click on the Macintosh HD icon in the sidebar. You should see your Applications folder on the right, which you can now pull into the sidebar to create a shortcut.
Matt

Applications folder is empty--how to restore?

For some reason, my Applications folder in the finder is empty. All the applications exist, but i have to use Find or Spotlight to get to them (except those in the dock).
Any idea how to restore this?
Cheers

A couple of things:
1. The only thing Terminal shows as hidden is the custom icon for the /Applications folder itself, which is perfectly normal and shouldn't be changed. There is no reason to run the sudo command.
2. OS X has not used nor automatically created a .hidden file in...umm...forever. Not since Panther, although the Finder in both Tiger and Leopard will actually read a .hidden file if one exists. But unless one has been just running update since Panther, or you have created a .hidden file yourself, there won't be one.
I suspect the poster is simply opening the wrong Applications folder, that there is an Applications folder in the home folder, and that is one being opened. To check:
1. Type the name of a program in Spotlight in the menu bar
2. The "Top Hit" will be the program
3. Press and hold the Command key and click on program in the Spotlight list
A Finder window will open with that program high-lighted. You should see all the other programs as well, and you should be in the proper Applications folder. Change the View of the folder to Column view. In the Sidebar your startup drive should be select, in the next column the Applications folder will be selected, and in the next column all the applications will be listed, with the one you entered in Spotlight selected.
Francine
Francine
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After migrating an account to my MacBook Air, it still has its old settings and won't let me find the Applications folder - how do I fix this?

So I just migrated (using the Assistant) my Admin account from my old Powerbook G4 to my MacBook Air (used) , but now it's disregarding its new Trackpad settings (such as scrolling and double finger tapping, etc.) It also won't let me find my Applications folder (I used Finder), whereas the Admin account can, but see back on my old laptop I this account was an Admin. I feel like there's something written that's telling it to behave like it did on the Powerbook. I don't know - me no professional, yo, that's why I'm here. NOTE: Before I migrated, I'd started using the Admin account on here; for example, I signed in with my appleid since I figured the accounts could be merged - guess not. A family member's been helping me, but I wanted feedback from the forum.
Thanks, guys!

What exactly is the error you get?
How are you attempting this copy?
There's almost certainly a way to accomplish what you want to do (probably best from the terminal possibly copying the entire user dir and fixing up permissions, etc.) but I'm not sure you will end up with the results you want. There are plists in the preferences dir that you probably don't want to copy over (e.g., many of the com.apple.* prefererences). And many apps also create more than just plists. There may be stuff in Application Support, LaunchAgents, Internet Plug-Ins, etc.). And this would be stuff you do want to copy. Bottom line is it is not a trivial exercise which is probably why the system is slapping your hands for even attempting it

My Applications Folder seems to have gone missing from my dock. I can see it in the finder window but can't get it back to my dock. Any help would be appreciated!

I can see the Application folder in the Finder window but can't seem to get it back on to my dock.
Any help would be appreciated it!

Close all windows and quit all applications.
Launch Finder by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock.
Right click the "Application" folder and select "Get Info".
At the bottom of the resulting window there will be a blue folder icon in the preview section.
Drag the whole window to the right side of the desktop,closer to the Dock.
Now drag the blue preview folder to the Dock right of the separator line.
Right click the folder icon and select "Folder" under "Display as" if it is not shown as folder.
Best.

Application not listed in finder

I have an application in the dock, but it is not listed in the application folder in the Finder.

Control click on the Dock icon and choose "Show in Finder" to find its location.

When prompted, drag the Firefox icon into the image of your Applications folder. Doesn't happen; what next?

Trying to upgrade to latest version of Firefox as recommended. Have downloaded file as directed. Then nothing happens. Tried to add troubleshooter and got: "Troubleshooter 1.1a could not be installed because it is not compatible with Firefox 3.6."

If there are problems with updating or with the permissions then best is to download the full version and trash the currently installed version to do a clean install of the new version.
Download a new copy of the Firefox application and save the disk image file to the desktop
*Firefox 31.0: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all.html
*Trash the current Firefox application (open the Applications folder in the Finder and drag the Firefox application to the Trash) to do a clean (re)install
*Install the new version that you have downloaded
*https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Installing+Firefox+on+Mac
Your personal data is stored elsewhere in the Firefox profile folder, so you won't lose your bookmarks and other personal data when you uninstall and (re)install Firefox.
*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox

Application Folder Icon reverts to original Icon after Restart/Logout...

My custom icon for the applications folder in the Finder window sidebar reverts back to the original icon (pencil, ruler, paintbrush) after I restart/logout. In the "Get Info" pane of the applcation folder it shows the custom icon, but the icon in the sidebar displays the original! I have changed all my other icons in the sidebar and they have retained their custom icons, but Applications is the only one being stubborn.
I have searched the forums, and found an article where it says to log in as root user and then change it, but i did that and the icon still went bact to the original.
If anyone knows how to change it for good please help me.
Thanks.

The icns file you want is here:
"/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/ToolbarAppsFol derIcon.icns"
You'll need to do a Show Package Contents on CoreTypes.bundle to get there. Drag the icns file to your desktop--it will copy rather than move. You'll discover that it is much smaller than normal icons: only 32x32 pixels.
You'll need a program to allow you to create icns files. Iconographer is nice. I believe it has a free trial period.
Create your own icns icon and save it with the same name as the original.
Next you need to use Terminal. You'll rename the original with a mv command, then do a sudo copy of your version into the above Resources folder.
Still want to try?
Francine
Francine
Schwieder

I updated to OS X version 10.9 and now my applications in the applications folder are gone

When I click Finder-->katelynsmith(with the little house icon; under favorites)-->Applications folder all of the icons for my applications are gone (chess, iPhoto, etc.). However, when I search for "chess" (or any application names, for that matter), hilight the icon, and click the tiny applications folder on the toolbar on the bottom of the window (see photo attached), all of my applications are there and they still work.
Why did this happen and how can I get the applications back to the applications folder they used to be in? Do I need to just copy and paste all of them?
Thank you,
Katelyn

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
There are two Applications folders: /Applications (in the root level of the hard drive) and ~/Applications (in your user folder).
If you have a look at the bottom part of the screenshot, you can see where Chess is stored, and it indicates that it's stored in /Applications, so you are looking for applications in the wrong folder.
Open a Finder window, go to Finder menu (on the menu bar) > Preferences > Sidebar, and mark Applications. Then, close the Preferences window and you will be able to access to the Applications folder in the Finder sidebar. Another option would be to go to View menu (on the menu bar) and type:
/Applications

Can't overwrite anything in my Applications Folder

I can remove and add things but if I try to overwrite something it will say I don't have the privileges to do it. I have tired repairing permissions and repairing the disc. Help please!! This is angering me.

If you do a "get info" ie command-i on the primary Applications folder, you will find that it is owned by "system"
Each user can have his or her own user Applications folder to which they can add or subtract at ease.
The main Application folder usually asks for an admin password in order to change anything in it.
edit: Admin user can read and write to Applications (see "details" in "get info" but some applications themselves are owned by "system" and are "locked"; those you cannot change. For instance, iCal is owned by system and is locked, you cannot change the application. That does not mean that you cannot change your preferences and uses of the app, it simply means that you cannot change the application itself.
If you try to change system apps, you will create problems. That is why you have a user folder that has library, prefs, documents etc. Those change the results of the application but not the application itself.
Message was edited by: Rhyd

How do i get my application folder out of the trash

I was deleting some files from my computer and accidentally put my applications folder in the trash. Now I can't get it out. I still have my application folder visible in my finder but it doesn't have the Application Folder icon. It has a normal folder icon. All my apps are visible in both the trashed folder and the application folder in my finder, however, when I do a Spotlight search for a specific application, it says it's only location is in the trash.
How do I get my applications back?
Rimoeng

Click on the Trash icon which swill open the Trash window. Select the Applications folder and drag it to its original location which is the root directory of your hard drive. You may be asked to authenticate by entering your admin password.

Applications Folder Empty in Finder

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