diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 5008223..abca070 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ void add_entry (char *key, char *value)
 		launcher_max_icon_size = atoi(value);
 	}
 	else if (strcmp(key, "launcher_item_app") == 0) {
-		char *app = strdup(value);
+		char *app = expand_tilde(value);
 		panel_config.launcher.list_apps = g_slist_append(panel_config.launcher.list_apps, app);
 	}
 	else if (strcmp(key, "launcher_icon_theme") == 0) {
diff --git a/src/tint2conf/properties.c b/src/tint2conf/properties.c
index 60c3cb7..5aed407 100644
--- a/src/tint2conf/properties.c
+++ b/src/tint2conf/properties.c
@@ -1851,6 +1851,10 @@ void create_launcher(GtkWidget *parent)
 
 	fprintf(stderr, "Loading .desktop files\n"); fflush(stderr);
 	load_desktop_files("/usr/share/applications");
+	gchar *path = g_build_filename(g_get_home_dir(), ".local/share/applications", NULL);
+	load_desktop_files(path);
+	g_free(path);
+
 	load_icons(launcher_apps);
 	load_icons(all_apps);
 	fprintf(stderr, "Desktop files loaded\n"); fflush(stderr);
diff --git a/src/tint2conf/properties_rw.c b/src/tint2conf/properties_rw.c
index 488853b..3cb8c9a 100644
--- a/src/tint2conf/properties_rw.c
+++ b/src/tint2conf/properties_rw.c
@@ -409,7 +409,9 @@ void config_write_launcher(FILE *fp)
 		gtk_tree_model_get(GTK_TREE_MODEL(launcher_apps), &iter,
 						   appsColPath, &app_path,
 						   -1);
-		fprintf(fp, "launcher_item_app = %s\n", app_path);
+		char *contracted = contract_tilde(app_path);
+		fprintf(fp, "launcher_item_app = %s\n", contracted);
+		free(contracted);
 		g_free(app_path);
 	}
 
@@ -1079,8 +1081,10 @@ void add_entry(char *key, char *value)
 		gtk_spin_button_set_value(GTK_SPIN_BUTTON(launcher_icon_size), atoi(value));
 	}
 	else if (strcmp(key, "launcher_item_app") == 0) {
-		load_desktop_file(value, TRUE);
-		load_desktop_file(value, FALSE);
+		char *path = expand_tilde(value);
+		load_desktop_file(path, TRUE);
+		load_desktop_file(path, FALSE);
+		free(path);
 	}
 	else if (strcmp(key, "launcher_icon_theme") == 0) {
 		set_current_icon_theme(value);
diff --git a/src/util/common.c b/src/util/common.c
index 3675605..6e7ce19 100644
--- a/src/util/common.c
+++ b/src/util/common.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
-
+#include <glib.h>
 #include "common.h"
 #include "../server.h"
 
@@ -95,6 +95,43 @@ void tint_exec(const char *command)
 	}
 }
 
+char *expand_tilde(char *s)
+{
+	const gchar *home = g_get_home_dir();
+	if (home &&
+		(strcmp(s, "~") == 0 ||
+		strstr(s, "~/") == s)) {
+		char *result = calloc(strlen(home) + strlen(s), 1);
+		strcat(result, home);
+		strcat(result, s + 1);
+		return result;
+	} else {
+		return strdup(s);
+	}
+}
+
+char *contract_tilde(char *s)
+{
+	const gchar *home = g_get_home_dir();
+	if (!home)
+		return strdup(s);
+
+	char *home_slash = calloc(strlen(home) + 1, 1);
+	strcat(home_slash, home);
+	strcat(home_slash, "/");
+
+	if ((strcmp(s, home) == 0 ||
+		strstr(s, home_slash) == s)) {
+		char *result = calloc(strlen(s) - strlen(home) + 1, 1);
+		strcat(result, "~");
+		strcat(result, s + strlen(home));
+		free(home_slash);
+		return result;
+	} else {
+		free(home_slash);
+		return strdup(s);
+	}
+}
 
 int hex_char_to_int (char c)
 {
@@ -297,7 +334,6 @@ void adjust_asb(DATA32 *data, int w, int h, int alpha, float satur, float bright
 	}
 }
 
-
 void createHeuristicMask(DATA32* data, int w, int h)
 {
 	// first we need to find the mask color, therefore we check all 4 edge pixel and take the color which
diff --git a/src/util/common.h b/src/util/common.h
index 0c60317..de16063 100644
--- a/src/util/common.h
+++ b/src/util/common.h
@@ -43,6 +43,13 @@ int parse_line (const char *line, char **key, char **value);
 // execute a command by calling fork
 void tint_exec(const char* command);
 
+// Returns a copy of s in which "~" is expanded to the path to the user's home directory.
+// The returned string must be freed by the caller.
+char *expand_tilde(char *s);
+
+// The opposite of expand_tilde: replaces the path to the user's home directory with "~".
+// The returned string must be freed by the caller.
+char *contract_tilde(char *s);
 
 // conversion
 int hex_char_to_int (char c);