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Why are only 2 apps showing when I visit the Applications folder using Terminal?

When using Finder, my Applications folder shows a ton of apps. But when I go into it using Terminal, only two show up. What would cause such a weird situation?


Thank you!

iMac 27″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Aug 13, 2022 8:52 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 14, 2022 5:47 AM

There is the Applications folder that you see in the Finder window Favorites sidebar which contains installed Apple and third-party applications. There is a second Application folder within your home directory when you first open the Finder, and there should be nothing in it unless you put it there, as it is not targeted by installers, and is purely optional. Personally, I never use this local Applications folder, choosing to pretend it does not exist.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 14, 2022 5:47 AM in response to bentStaple

There is the Applications folder that you see in the Finder window Favorites sidebar which contains installed Apple and third-party applications. There is a second Application folder within your home directory when you first open the Finder, and there should be nothing in it unless you put it there, as it is not targeted by installers, and is purely optional. Personally, I never use this local Applications folder, choosing to pretend it does not exist.

Aug 14, 2022 1:13 PM in response to bentStaple

NOTE: I'm doing this on a Monterey 12.5 system, so if there are differences, they are operating system specific


Continuing with VikingOSX, you see the applications included with macOS (these cannot be deleted) using


/bin/ls /System/Applications


You see the applications you have installed that are available for all users using


/bin/ls /Applications


You see the applications just for your account using


/bin/ls $HOME/Applications


And you can see the core services applications using


/bin/ls /System/Library/CoreServices/Applications

Why are only 2 apps showing when I visit the Applications folder using Terminal?

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