diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6ef6d91..c575b63 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ get:
 	go get github.com/joshuarubin/go-sway
 	go get github.com/allan-simon/go-singleinstance
 	go get "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	go get github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify
 
 build:
 	go build -o bin/nwg-drawer .
diff --git a/bin/nwg-drawer b/bin/nwg-drawer
index d76b8c7..9bea3c4 100755
Binary files a/bin/nwg-drawer and b/bin/nwg-drawer differ
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 3f18a8c..4ef0ff9 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ go 1.16
 
 require (
 	github.com/allan-simon/go-singleinstance v0.0.0-20210120080615-d0997106ab37
-	github.com/dlasky/gotk3-layershell v0.0.0-20210331230524-5cca0b819261
-	github.com/gotk3/gotk3 v0.6.0
+	github.com/dlasky/gotk3-layershell v0.0.0-20210827021656-e6ecab2731f7
+	github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.5.1
+	github.com/gotk3/gotk3 v0.6.1
 	github.com/joshuarubin/go-sway v0.0.4
 	github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.8.1
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 43ae0c6..4e40637 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@ github.com/allan-simon/go-singleinstance v0.0.0-20210120080615-d0997106ab37/go.m
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.0/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 h1:vj9j/u1bqnvCEfJOwUhtlOARqs3+rkHYY13jYWTU97c=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
-github.com/dlasky/gotk3-layershell v0.0.0-20210331230524-5cca0b819261 h1:eoXn91ckLWKMXmQKX34UHEF2XMyQpRnnP80fDiu+kys=
-github.com/dlasky/gotk3-layershell v0.0.0-20210331230524-5cca0b819261/go.mod h1:d56Gslp3IaiT8lqxD/lO1Msz1wYgD8D/HTKHgSdg9tU=
-github.com/gotk3/gotk3 v0.5.3-0.20210223154815-289cfb6dbf32/go.mod h1:/hqFpkNa9T3JgNAE2fLvCdov7c5bw//FHNZrZ3Uv9/Q=
-github.com/gotk3/gotk3 v0.6.0 h1:Aqlq4/6VabNwtCyA9M9zFNad5yHAqCi5heWnZ9y+3dA=
-github.com/gotk3/gotk3 v0.6.0/go.mod h1:/hqFpkNa9T3JgNAE2fLvCdov7c5bw//FHNZrZ3Uv9/Q=
+github.com/dlasky/gotk3-layershell v0.0.0-20210827021656-e6ecab2731f7 h1:LDo0kwt+oW9a4lWlj2OakIgMW1ySXXVRGFt8GHUdYYA=
+github.com/dlasky/gotk3-layershell v0.0.0-20210827021656-e6ecab2731f7/go.mod h1:JHLx2Wz4mAPVwn4PFhC69ydwyHP4A3wQvlg7HKVVc1U=
+github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.5.1 h1:mZcQUHVQUQWoPXXtuf9yuEXKudkV2sx1E06UadKWpgI=
+github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.5.1/go.mod h1:T3375wBYaZdLLcVNkcVbzGHY7f1l/uK5T5Ai1i3InKU=
+github.com/gotk3/gotk3 v0.6.1 h1:GJ400a0ecEEWrzjBvzBzH+pB/esEMIGdB9zPSmBdoeo=
+github.com/gotk3/gotk3 v0.6.1/go.mod h1:/hqFpkNa9T3JgNAE2fLvCdov7c5bw//FHNZrZ3Uv9/Q=
 github.com/joshuarubin/go-sway v0.0.4 h1:dpmIwQ/LytG+oMrjmaVKdk1aPdW2feXK/+wAcLKIx4A=
 github.com/joshuarubin/go-sway v0.0.4/go.mod h1:qcDd6f25vJ0++wICwA1BainIcRC67p2Mb4lsrZ0k3/k=
 github.com/joshuarubin/lifecycle v1.0.0 h1:N/lPEC8f+dBZ1Tn99vShqp36LwB+LI7XNAiNadZeLUQ=
@@ -26,5 +27,6 @@ go.uber.org/multierr v1.1.0 h1:HoEmRHQPVSqub6w2z2d2EOVs2fjyFRGyofhKuyDq0QI=
 go.uber.org/multierr v1.1.0/go.mod h1:wR5kodmAFQ0UK8QlbwjlSNy0Z68gJhDJUG5sjR94q/0=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20190412183630-56d357773e84 h1:IqXQ59gzdXv58Jmm2xn0tSOR9i6HqroaOFRQ3wR/dJQ=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20190412183630-56d357773e84/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20191026070338-33540a1f6037 h1:YyJpGZS1sBuBCzLAR1VEpK193GlqGZbnPFnPV/5Rsb4=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20191026070338-33540a1f6037/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210630005230-0f9fa26af87c h1:F1jZWGFhYfh0Ci55sIpILtKKK8p3i2/krTr0H1rg74I=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210630005230-0f9fa26af87c/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 050790d..d7dd05e 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -28,9 +28,8 @@ var (
 	configDirectory string
 	pinnedFile      string
 	pinned          []string
-	//src             glib.SourceHandle
-	id2entry      map[string]desktopEntry
-	preferredApps map[string]interface{}
+	id2entry        map[string]desktopEntry
+	preferredApps   map[string]interface{}
 )
 
 var categoryNames = [...]string{
@@ -101,6 +100,8 @@ var (
 	status                  string
 	ignore                  string
 	showWindowTrigger       bool
+	desktopTrigger          bool
+	pinnedTrigger           bool
 )
 
 func defaultStringIfBlank(s, fallback string) string {
@@ -447,9 +448,28 @@ func main() {
 			}
 		}
 		showWindowTrigger = false
+
+		// some .desktop file changed
+		if desktopTrigger {
+			log.Debug(".desktop file changed")
+			desktopFiles = listDesktopFiles()
+			status = parseDesktopFiles(desktopFiles)
+			appFlowBox = setUpAppsFlowBox(nil, "")
+			desktopTrigger = false
+		}
+
+		// pinned file changed
+		if pinnedTrigger {
+			log.Debug("pinned file changed")
+			pinnedTrigger = false
+			pinned, _ = loadTextFile(pinnedFile)
+			pinnedFlowBox = setUpPinnedFlowBox()
+		}
 		return true
 	})
 
+	go watchFiles()
+
 	gtk.Main()
 }
 
diff --git a/tools.go b/tools.go
index c1d06a5..deced93 100644
--- a/tools.go
+++ b/tools.go
@@ -226,11 +226,17 @@ func getAppDirs() []string {
 		"/var/lib/flatpak/exports/share/applications"}
 
 	for _, d := range flatpakDirs {
-		if !isIn(dirs, d) {
+		if pathExists(d) && !isIn(dirs, d) {
 			dirs = append(dirs, d)
 		}
 	}
-	return dirs
+	var confirmedDirs []string
+	for _, d := range dirs {
+		if pathExists(d) {
+			confirmedDirs = append(confirmedDirs, d)
+		}
+	}
+	return confirmedDirs
 }
 
 func loadPreferredApps(path string) (map[string]interface{}, error) {
@@ -336,6 +342,7 @@ func setUpCategories() {
 }
 
 func parseDesktopFiles(desktopFiles []string) string {
+	desktopEntries = nil
 	id2entry = make(map[string]desktopEntry)
 	skipped := 0
 	hidden := 0
diff --git a/uicomponents.go b/uicomponents.go
index b4e4e7f..743b66a 100644
--- a/uicomponents.go
+++ b/uicomponents.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func setUpPinnedFlowBox() *gtk.FlowBox {
 					return true
 				} else if btnEvent.Button() == 3 {
 					unpinItem(entry.DesktopID)
-					pinnedFlowBox = setUpPinnedFlowBox()
+					//pinnedFlowBox = setUpPinnedFlowBox()
 					return true
 				}
 				return false
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ func setUpPinnedFlowBox() *gtk.FlowBox {
 			item.(*gtk.Widget).SetCanFocus(false)
 		})
 	}
+	flowBox.ShowAll()
 
 	return flowBox
 }
@@ -264,7 +265,6 @@ func flowBoxButton(entry desktopEntry) *gtk.Button {
 			return true
 		} else if btnEvent.Button() == 3 {
 			pinItem(ID)
-			pinnedFlowBox = setUpPinnedFlowBox()
 			return true
 		}
 		return false
diff --git a/watcher.go b/watcher.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..580db00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/watcher.go
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify"
+)
+
+// Thanks to Steve Domino https://medium.com/@skdomino/watch-this-file-watching-in-go-5b5a247cf71f
+var watcher *fsnotify.Watcher
+
+func watchFiles() {
+
+	// creates a new file watcher
+	watcher, _ = fsnotify.NewWatcher()
+	defer watcher.Close()
+
+	if err := watcher.Add(pinnedFile); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("ERROR", err)
+	}
+
+	for _, fp := range appDirs {
+		if err := filepath.Walk(fp, watchDir); err != nil {
+			fmt.Println("ERROR", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	done := make(chan bool)
+
+	go func() {
+		for {
+			select {
+			case event := <-watcher.Events:
+				if strings.HasSuffix(event.Name, ".desktop") &&
+					(event.Op.String() == "CREATE" ||
+						event.Op.String() == "REMOVE" ||
+						event.Op.String() == "RENAME") {
+					desktopTrigger = true
+				} else if event.Name == pinnedFile {
+					pinnedTrigger = true
+				}
+
+			case err := <-watcher.Errors:
+				fmt.Println("ERROR", err)
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	<-done
+}
+
+func watchDir(path string, fi os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+	if fi.Mode().IsDir() {
+		return watcher.Add(path)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}