# AppMenu Metadata Type in SFDX

> AppMenu controls the global sort order and visibility of custom applications, connected apps, and networks across the Lightning App Launcher (AppSwitcher), Salesforce Mobile Navigation (Salesforce1), and NetworkMenus.

- Source: https://sfdxtalk.com/docs/metadata/app-menu-metadata-type/
- Category: Metadata
- Applies to: Salesforce Winter '27 (API version 68.0)
- Level: intermediate
- Published: 2026-11-12
- Last updated: 2026-11-12
- Publisher: SFDX Talk Editorial (unofficial; not affiliated with or endorsed by Salesforce)
- License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

## Architectural Overview

The `AppMenu` metadata type defines the global sequence and default visibility of applications inside the Lightning Experience App Launcher (`AppSwitcher`), the Salesforce Mobile App (`Salesforce1`), and Experience Cloud navigation menus (`NetworkTabs`).

For a Senior Salesforce Architect, `AppMenu` ensures that newly onboarded users immediately see core business apps (such as a custom Commercial Banking Console or Field Service Portal) at the top-left of the App Launcher rather than buried beneath dozens of legacy standard apps like `Chatter`, `Content`, or `Community`.

```mermaid
flowchart LR
    A["AppSwitcher.appMenu-meta.xml"] --> B["sf project deploy start"]
    B --> C["Global AppMenuItem SortOrder"]
    C --> D["Profile & PermissionSet Filter"]
    D --> E["Lightning App Launcher Tiles"]
```

## Directory Location and File Suffix

| Property | Value |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Metadata Type Name** | `AppMenu` |
| **XML Root Element** | `<AppMenu>` |
| **SFDX Directory** | `force-app/main/default/appMenus/` |
| **File Suffix** | `.appMenu-meta.xml` |
| **Standard File Names** | `AppSwitcher.appMenu-meta.xml`, `Salesforce1.appMenu-meta.xml`, `NetworkTabs.appMenu-meta.xml` |

## Key Metadata Fields

The `<AppMenu>` root element contains an ordered list of `<appMenuItems>` (`AppMenuItem`) elements. The position of each `<appMenuItems>` block in the XML file determines its global sort order:

| Field | Type | Required | Description & Architectural Significance |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `appMenuItems` | `AppMenuItem[]` | No | Ordered array of menu items representing applications, connected apps, or tabs. |
| `appMenuItems.name` | `string` | Yes | The API name (`DeveloperName`) of the referenced [CustomApplication](/docs/metadata/custom-application-metadata-type/), [ConnectedApp](/docs/metadata/connected-app-metadata-type/), or standard tab. |
| `appMenuItems.type` | `AppMenuItemType` | Yes | Categorizes the referenced item. Valid values include `CustomApplication`, `ConnectedApp`, `ServiceProvider`, `StandardAppMenuItem`, and `TabSet`. |

> [!WARNING]
> `AppMenu` is a **monolithic** metadata file. Deploying `AppSwitcher.appMenu-meta.xml` requires every `<name>` referenced in the file to exist in the target org. If a sandbox has an extra Connected App or a missing AppExchange package compared to production, deployment will fail with `In field: name - no CustomApplication named X found`.

## Declarative XML and Package Manifest Examples

Below is a clean `AppSwitcher.appMenu-meta.xml` placing a custom `Commercial_Sales_Console` first in the App Launcher:

```xml title="force-app/main/default/appMenus/AppSwitcher.appMenu-meta.xml"
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<AppMenu xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <appMenuItems>
        <name>Commercial_Sales_Console</name>
        <type>CustomApplication</type>
    </appMenuItems>
    <appMenuItems>
        <name>standard__LightningSales</name>
        <type>CustomApplication</type>
    </appMenuItems>
    <appMenuItems>
        <name>standard__LightningService</name>
        <type>CustomApplication</type>
    </appMenuItems>
    <appMenuItems>
        <name>Chatter_Desktop</name>
        <type>ConnectedApp</type>
    </appMenuItems>
    <appMenuItems>
        <name>Salesforce_to_Salesforce</name>
        <type>StandardAppMenuItem</type>
    </appMenuItems>
</AppMenu>
```

```xml title="manifest/package.xml"
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <types>
        <members>AppSwitcher</members>
        <members>Salesforce1</members>
        <name>AppMenu</name>
    </types>
    <version>68.0</version>
</Package>
```

## Querying AppMenuItem via SOQL

Because `AppMenu` maps directly to the standard `AppMenuItem` sObject, you can audit the current App Launcher order and visibility using standard SOQL:

```soql
SELECT Id, Name, Label, Type, SortOrder, IsVisible, IsAccessible, ApplicationId
FROM AppMenuItem
ORDER BY SortOrder ASC
```

## Senior Architect Best Practices and Gotchas

1. **Do Not Track `AppSwitcher.appMenu-meta.xml` in Scratch Org Pipelines with Optional Packages:** Because Connected Apps (`CPQ`, `Docusign`, `Slack`) vary across environments, many enterprise teams exclude `AppSwitcher.appMenu-meta.xml` from `.forceignore` during scratch org builds and only deploy it to staging/production release branches.
2. **Enforce Access via Permission Sets, Not AppMenu:** Setting an item's visibility in the App Menu UI only hides its tile from the App Launcher drawer; users with the direct URL can still access the app unless `applicationVisibilities` in their [Profile](/docs/metadata/profile-metadata-type/) or [PermissionSet](/docs/metadata/permission-set-metadata-type/) revokes access.
3. **`Salesforce1` Menu Controls Mobile Navigation:** In `Salesforce1.appMenu-meta.xml`, the top 4 items become the persistent bottom navigation bar in the Salesforce Mobile App for users browsing mobile-only navigation. Place your highest-frequency mobile items (`Events`, `Tasks`, `Dashboards`) at the top of `Salesforce1.appMenu-meta.xml`.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What are the three valid member names for the AppMenu metadata type?

The three valid member names are AppSwitcher for the Lightning App Launcher, Salesforce1 for the Salesforce Mobile App navigation menu, and NetworkTabs for Experience Cloud site switching.

### Why does deploying AppSwitcher.appMenu-meta.xml often fail across sandboxes?

AppSwitcher lists every custom app and connected app in the org. If your XML references a managed package app or connected app that is not installed in the target org, deployment fails.

### Does hiding an app in AppMenu revoke security access to that app?

No, setting visible to false in AppSwitcher only hides the tile in the App Launcher. True security access must be revoked via Profile or PermissionSet applicationVisibilities.

### Can I query AppMenuItem records via SOQL?

Yes, you can query the standard AppMenuItem object in SOQL to inspect Label, Name, Type, SortOrder, IsVisible, and ApplicationId across the org.

## Official References

- https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/api-metadata/references/meta-types/metadata-appmenu.md