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Full App Launcher entry
How-to guide

Configuring the App Launcher for user navigation

The App Launcher works out of the box for new orgs. Admin work is about controlling visibility per profile and configuring Connected Apps if SSO is part of the deployment.

By Dipojjal Chakrabarti · Founder & Editor, Salesforce DictionaryLast updated May 16, 2026

The App Launcher works out of the box for new orgs. Admin work is about controlling visibility per profile and configuring Connected Apps if SSO is part of the deployment.

  1. Review default app visibility on profiles

    Setup, App Manager. For each Lightning App, check Visible to Profiles. Confirm trial, community, and partner profiles do not see admin-only apps.

  2. Set the Default App per profile

    Setup, Profiles, edit the profile. Under App Settings, set the Default App. Support profiles default to Service Console, sales profiles default to the Sales app. Saves a click per login.

  3. Add Connected Apps to the Launcher

    Setup, Connected Apps. For each Connected App, enable Start URL and Mobile Start URL, configure Visibility (Profiles or Permission Sets). The app appears in the All Apps section after the changes propagate.

  4. Train users on the search bar

    Many users do not realize the App Launcher search bar searches tabs and items, not just apps. A 5-minute training accelerates daily navigation across the team.

  5. Audit the All Items list quarterly

    Setup, Tabs. Confirm new objects and custom tabs are visible to the right profiles. The All Items section auto-updates, so audits catch the rare case where a new tab is hidden incorrectly.

Key options
Visible to Profilesremember

App-level setting that controls which profiles see the app in their Launcher. Permission sets can extend visibility beyond profile.

Default Appremember

Per-profile setting for which app opens after login. Saves a click on every session for high-frequency users.

Connected App visibilityremember

Per-Connected-App configuration that adds OAuth-driven external apps to the Launcher.

App reorderremember

Per-user drag-and-drop ordering of apps within the Launcher panel. Persistent across sessions.

Search barremember

Top-of-Launcher search across apps, tabs, and items. The fastest navigation path for trained users.

Gotchas
  • App visibility is the union of profile and permission set grants. A user might see an app you forgot you granted through a permission set. Audit when access seems unexpected.
  • The Default App setting per profile applies on login. Users who switch apps during their session do not return to the Default App on the next page load.
  • Connected Apps require the Start URL configured to launch correctly from the App Launcher. Without it, clicking the Connected App entry goes nowhere.
  • The Launcher search is fuzzy but case-sensitive in some places. Typing partial matches usually works; obscure abbreviations may not.
  • Mobile App Launcher and desktop App Launcher share the access model. A change in profile visibility applies to both surfaces simultaneously.

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