Display omitted •Negative impact of the desilication of ZSM-5 on the propane aromatization.•Negative impact of the desilication of ZSM-5 on the cyclohexane dehydrogenation.•No impact of the desilication of ZSM-5 on the n-hexane cracking.•At higher gallium content, a steric retention of coke precursors in the mesopores. Gallium containing ZSM-5 zeolites were prepared by ion exchange and mechanical mixture from the parent ZSM-5 and two desilicated zeolites to be tested in propane aromatization. The alkaline treatment was made by sodium hydroxide, with or without tetrabutylammonium hydroxide. The catalysts prepared from desilicated zeolites are less active in propane aromatization and cyclohexane transformation and less selective into aromatics than those prepared from the parent zeolite. The desilication did not affect the acid properties, especially the strength of acid sites as seen by CO adsorption at 77 K and n-hexane cracking.