diff --git a/apps/artcraft-launcher/src/main.rs b/apps/artcraft-launcher/src/main.rs
--- a/apps/artcraft-launcher/src/main.rs
+++ b/apps/artcraft-launcher/src/main.rs
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ impl Launcher {
     fn start(&mut self, settings: Option<Settings>, waker: &Arc<Waker>) {
         self.started = true;
         if let Some(settings) = settings {
-            self.ui.settings = settings;
+            self.ui.set_settings(settings);
         }
         self.waker = Some(waker.clone());
         let (wake, on_quit) = (waker.clone(), waker.clone());
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/app.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/app.rs
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/app.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/app.rs
@@ -173,6 +173,16 @@ const RESCAN_EVERY: i64 = 5 * 60;
 /// Coming back to the window re-checks, but not more often than this.
 const RESCAN_ON_FOCUS_AFTER: i64 = 30;
 
+/// Saved settings made fit for the page as it is now.
+fn for_this_page(mut settings: Settings) -> Settings {
+    // The page no longer offers Installed, Updates or Not installed, so a saved one would hide
+    // apps with nothing on screen to undo it.
+    if !matches!(settings.filter, Filter::All | Filter::Hidden) {
+        settings.filter = Filter::All;
+    }
+    settings
+}
+
 impl LauncherUi {
     pub fn new(ctx: &egui::Context, backend: Box<dyn Backend>, settings: Settings) -> Self {
         let lang = effective_lang(&settings.language);
@@ -181,12 +191,7 @@ impl LauncherUi {
         egui_extras::install_image_loaders(ctx);
         let caps = backend.capabilities();
         let platform = backend.platform();
-        // The page no longer offers Installed, Updates or Not installed, so a saved one would
-        // hide apps with nothing on screen to undo it.
-        let mut settings = settings;
-        if !matches!(settings.filter, Filter::All | Filter::Hidden) {
-            settings.filter = Filter::All;
-        }
+        let settings = for_this_page(settings);
         Self {
             backend,
             settings,
@@ -649,6 +654,12 @@ impl LauncherUi {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Takes in settings loaded after start-up (the desktop shell reads its file once the window
+    /// is up), cleaned up the same way as the ones given to [`LauncherUi::new`].
+    pub fn set_settings(&mut self, settings: Settings) {
+        self.settings = for_this_page(settings);
+    }
+
     /// The ids to show, filtered and sorted.
     pub(crate) fn visible_ids(&self) -> Vec<&'static str> {
         let needle = self.search.trim().to_lowercase();
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs
--- a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs
@@ -1591,6 +1591,21 @@ fn the_toolbar_has_no_filter_dropdown() {
     assert_eq!(h.state().as_ref().unwrap().settings.filter, Filter::All);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn a_saved_filter_loaded_after_start_up_is_dropped_too() {
+    use artcraft_launcher_ui_egui::settings::Filter;
+    let (mut h, _) = harness(ViewMode::Grid, egui::Theme::Dark, true);
+    h.run_steps(6);
+    // The desktop shell reads its settings file after the window is up: a filter saved by an
+    // older version must not hide the apps that are not installed.
+    if let Some(l) = h.state_mut().as_mut() {
+        l.set_settings(Settings { filter: Filter::Installed, ..Settings::default() });
+    }
+    h.run_steps(6);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().as_ref().unwrap().settings.filter, Filter::All);
+    assert!(h.query_all_by_label("DeckCraft").next().is_some(), "an app that is not installed is listed");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn narrow_header_keeps_the_view_switch_clear_of_brand_text() {
     use artcraft_launcher_ui_egui::TitleBar;