---
title: "App Sources"
description: "Built-in scan paths, custom source management, source expansion, fuzzy search, and rescan behavior."
url: "https://docs.closex.org/launchnext/settings/app-sources.html"
markdown_url: "https://docs.closex.org/launchnext/settings/app-sources.md"
site: "CloseX Docs"
product: "LaunchNext"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2026-09-06T14:50:57.000Z"
alternates:
  en: "https://docs.closex.org/launchnext/settings/app-sources.md"
  zh-Hans: "https://docs.closex.org/zh/launchnext/settings/app-sources.md"
  ja: "https://docs.closex.org/ja/launchnext/settings/app-sources.md"
---

# App Sources

`App Sources` decides where LaunchNext scans for `.app` bundles and how launcher search responds while you type.

![App Sources](https://ucarecdn.com/e6a0e791-6325-49fc-b845-309a1e739b02/search.webp)

## Built-in sources

Default system paths are always present:

- `/Applications`
- `~/Applications`
- `/System/Applications`
- `/System/Cryptexes/App/System/Applications`

You normally do not need to change these.

## Custom sources

Add extra folders when you keep apps on:

- external drives
- custom tool directories
- dev/test app locations

## Search behavior

## Fuzzy search

`Fuzzy search` changes launcher results from simple substring matching to scored matching.

When enabled, LaunchNext can match:

- exact names
- prefixes
- word starts
- acronyms
- compact subsequence matches
- names that contain the query

This helps short queries find apps even when you do not type the full visible name.

### Chinese, Japanese, and Korean names

Fuzzy search also indexes a Latin transcription of app names written in Han characters, kana, or hangul, so you can reach them without switching input method.

- Chinese names match full pinyin and pinyin initials.
- Japanese kana and Korean hangul names match their romanized form. Initials are not generated for these.

The transcription index is built in the background once the app list has loaded, so on a very large library transcriptions can become searchable a moment after the names themselves do. Turning `Fuzzy search` off disables this as well — plain substring matching does not use the transcriptions.

## Search delay

`Search delay` controls how long LaunchNext waits before updating results while you type.

- Lower values feel more immediate.
- Higher values reduce result churn on slower machines or very large app libraries.
- The current range is `100 ms` to `600 ms`, with `300 ms` as the default.

## Common actions

## Add folders

1. Click `Add folders...`
2. Select one or more directories
3. Let LaunchNext scan and sync

## Remove one source

Click the remove button on that source row.

## Reset all custom sources

Use `Restore defaults` to clear all custom source entries.

## Offline badge

If a source path is not currently available, it shows an `Offline` badge.

This is common for unmounted external drives.

## Expand a source

From each custom source, you can expand details to:

- list apps found under that path
- remove individual apps from current layout

This helps when one directory contains temporary or duplicate apps.

## Troubleshooting scan issues

If a source is not reflected correctly:

1. Verify the folder still exists
2. Refresh LaunchNext
3. Remove and add the source again
4. Reopen LaunchNext if needed