How to Organise Your Mac Apps With Smart Groups

Most Mac users have 50+ applications installed. Finding the right one shouldn't require scrolling through an alphabetical list or trying to remember its exact name. ShortcutDock Groups let you organise apps the way you actually work - by context, not by alphabet.

What Are Groups?

Groups are custom categories you create in ShortcutDock. Think of them like smart folders for your applications. Unlike Launchpad's rigid grid or the Dock's single row, Groups let you create meaningful collections that match your workflow.

Here are some popular group configurations our users have created:

• Browsers - Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Arc
• Dev Tools - VS Code, Xcode, Terminal, GitHub Desktop, Docker
• Design - Figma, Sketch, Pixelmator Pro, Preview, ColorSync
• Communication - Slack, Discord, Zoom, Messages, Teams
• Media - Spotify, Photos, VLC, IINA, QuickTime
• Writing - Obsidian, Notion, Bear, Pages, Word
• Utilities - Calculator, Activity Monitor, Disk Utility, Terminal, Console

Launch an Entire Workflow

The real power of Groups isn't just organisation - it's batch launching. Click the launch button on any group, and every app in that group opens simultaneously. This is a game-changer for context switching.

Consider a typical morning workflow for a designer:

1. Open Figma for design work
2. Open Slack for team communication
3. Open Chrome for reference material
4. Open Notion for project notes
5. Open Spotify for focus music

Without Groups, that's 5 separate app launches - opening Launchpad or the Dock each time, finding the icon, clicking it, waiting, then repeating. With a "Morning" group in ShortcutDock, it's one click. All five apps launch simultaneously.

How to Set Up Groups

1. Open ShortcutDock from the menu bar
2. Click the Groups tab at the top of the dropdown
3. Click the "+" button to create a new group
4. Give your group a descriptive name (e.g., "Dev Tools")
5. Drag apps from your app list into the group
6. Reorder apps within the group by dragging them

Most users set up 3–5 groups and immediately feel more organised. It takes two minutes but saves time every single day.

Group Strategies That Work

Strategy 1: By Project

If you work on multiple projects, create a group for each one. Your "Client X" group might contain the specific browser profile, project management tool, design app, and communication channel for that client.

Strategy 2: By Time of Day

Create "Morning" (email, calendar, Slack), "Deep Work" (code editor, terminal, documentation), and "Wind Down" (music, notes, personal browser) groups.

Strategy 3: By Category

The classic approach - group apps by type (browsers, dev tools, creative apps, utilities). Simple, intuitive, and works for everyone.

Pro Tips

• Pin your most-used apps to the Favourites bar for instant access regardless of which group you're viewing
• You can add the same app to multiple groups - no restrictions. Chrome can live in both "Browsers" and "Dev Tools"
• Use emoji in group names for visual recognition: "🎨 Design", "💻 Dev", "📧 Comms"
• Reorder groups to put your most-used ones first

Stop hunting. Start launching. Your apps should be organised by how you work, not by what letter they start with.