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Android users who don't use the stock launcher - what launcher do you use, and what do you like about it?

Maybe something for the Pixel phones? I’ve been using ADW for a long time now, and was wondering what some frequently used launchers are. (I used Cyanogen for a long time, too.)

There are lists all over the internet, but I’m interested in what the Lemmy crowd likes. Thanks!

Edit: Thanks guys - a few of these were on my radar, some I hadn’t heard of or seen in the Play/f-droid lists. Having the reasons why you like each of them helps me figure out what I want from a launcher (for instance, the purchase of Nova by a company known for its data collection is a big turn-off even though it seems loved) - since you guys laid out some pros and cons of a bunch of launchers, it gives me a better picture!

Edit 2: You guys, this is a great resource for figuring out which launchers look like something worth trying (for me), and which ones are in the stores but not what I’m looking for. Without just trying them all, that is… And considering that I hadn’t even heard of all of them…

This has been a huge help for me, and I hope some others out there got something out of the post! I should be replying to everyone, but I’m not … Sorry. But I did read everything and have already started compiling a list in my head, and started tagging and categorizing. And those who included screen shots and links and lists and opinions and FOSS alternatives/forks - they helped! This whole thing helped!

arthur ,

Niagara for my phone, just a simple short list of most used apps, the time and climate as front. I like the minimalism on the small screen.

For my tablet, I use Action Launcher. It have some nice features like a easily accessable (by gesture) alphabetically ordered list of apps.

Carter ,

I forgot Action Launcher even existed. I used to use it years ago. Just downloaded it again and it’s certainly changed over the years.

rishabh ,

What I really like about Niagra is that the whole app drawer is on your finger tips. One just intuitively starts holding a certain point on screen which will roughly open the alphabet with which the app you are looking for starts.

loutr ,
@loutr@sh.itjust.works avatar

Niagara is awesome. It’s the best launcher by far if you want something to access your apps as quickly as possible, while still looking good and providing a couple of relevant info like the weather or media playing.

bloopernova ,

Pixel 6 pro. I use Nova launcher. It works great and is very customizable, especially with icon placement. I recommend it.

bionicjoey ,

Sadly Nova was purchased by a Chinese company with a history of invasive data harvesting last year.

manned_meatball ,
@manned_meatball@lemmy.ml avatar

I had premium up until a year ago, but I can’t recommend it anymore after their purchase.

Choose open source, people.

TheAnonymouseJoker ,
@TheAnonymouseJoker@lemmy.ml avatar

Ah yes, China bad! Branch.io is a USA based surveillance metrics company. Stop being a Sinophobe. USA is the world champion of spying.

novalauncher.com/branch

Edit: I love how [email protected] bullshit comment is upvoted intentionally, even though Branch.io is a USA based company with nothing to do with China. Its almost as if any spying is intentionally tagged to China/Russia baddies, even when they do not spy.

MonkderZweite ,

Only “Android” users?

I use Lawnchair on Lineageos.

huginn ,

My brother in Christ, LineageOS is still Android.

MonkderZweite ,

Not at all. “Android” is a brand name for AOSP based operating systems, allowing vendors to distribute Play Services (and Play Store). It has a strict certification procedure with certain requirements (Chrome as default browser, Google folder on home screen, etc.), some of them anticompetitive (Vendors not allowed to distribute other operating systems) for which Google was sued by the EU in the past. Don’t know if they still do this shit.

huginn ,

lineageos.org

Headline, big and bold:

LineageOS Android Distribution

Pedant can’t even be pedantic correctly.

KrimsonBun ,
@KrimsonBun@lemmy.ml avatar

Lineage is android

FunderPants ,

I use the Niagara Launcher, it serves favorite apps up in a vertical list, and other apps in an alphabetical list. It’s very quick and easy to navigate and quite customizable with some widget support. It works with music apps, has a dark mode, makes changing icon packs easy. You can swipe up to search, or add a search button. I just love how minimal, clean and functional it is.

Here is my home screen. Note there is no left or right screen to swipe to .

https://lemmy.ca/pictrs/image/1cd10bf3-0220-4b41-9091-4975dc7f1721.jpeg

Here is the app list, under N.

https://lemmy.ca/pictrs/image/0472da63-f24b-4921-b868-99a14047b9b2.jpeg

Some settings

https://lemmy.ca/pictrs/image/ad826ca7-44ed-4959-8209-c6388ddec547.jpeg

And the app store link:

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=bitpit.laun…

can ,

Subscription 🤢

mustbe3to20signs ,

LawnChair, it’s open source, customizable and has drawer folders

cynber ,
@cynber@lemmy.ca avatar

I’ve been using Nova Launcher for years now, but I explored other options a few months ago because of the ownership change. Lawnchair was the best one I found, but I didn’t switch to it because it looked like it was missing features I needed. Folders was an important one.

Which version / source are you using for the app? I got a bit lost trying to find a recent version. The last release on the GitHub is from 2018, and the last prerelease is from a year ago. There’s also an issue for the folders which I was following, and it actually just went stale: github.com/LawnchairLauncher/lawnchair/…/2471

I also see Lawnchair2, but that looked like a fork or something

SyJ ,

Nova, but the devs sold out and are VERY aggressive towards the community if they question the motives of the new owner, so if I wasnt so ingrained in it, I probably wouldnt recommend it.

FurtiveFugitive ,

I still use NOVA but it is the version before they merged in the buyout stuff. One day it might break but it’s the best option for me right now.

One feature I haven’t found on any other launcher is the ability to use both folders and tabs in my app drawer. In Nova I have my app drawer in 3 tabs. Apps (ones I use daily), games, and everything else. On top of that I like to use a few folders in the main app page to collect things like all my home automation apps, food apps, work apps, etc.

Lawnchair came closest a couple years ago but could only do tabs or folders but not both.

jackpot ,
@jackpot@lemmy.ml avatar

any foss launchers?

Evkob ,
@Evkob@lemmy.ca avatar

Neolauncher!

reallyzen ,
@reallyzen@lemmy.ml avatar

I use KISS. it’s super minimalistic, allows fro hiding all the unremovable crap all phones come with today, and is basically a search bar with 5 icons on top. I have my Proton Calendar as the sole widget and that’s it. Single screen, no fuss.

LongPigFlavor ,

Seconding KISS. I love the minimalism.

theshatterstone54 ,

I use Niagara Launcher, because it’s minimal and quite comfy.

EDIT: The latest update (that I just applied) has put a lot of the features I use (custom font, battery percentage) behind a paywall. I will be looking for alternatives.

hruzgar ,

I mean if you really like it why don’t just give the devs some support?

MaggiWuerze ,

10€ per year or 30€ for a one time payment seems a bit steep for a launcher, especially when it is more on the slim side feature wise

tommy ,

Since Nova has been bought I’ve replaced it with Neo Launcher. I like it 'cause it gives the option to resize widgets, customize the size of the home screen grid and add swipe up actions to home folders.

fmstrat ,

Thank you! Lawnchair wasn’t doing it for me, bit Neo is near perfect. Time to contribute to change a couple of things.

kala_telo ,
@kala_telo@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Pie launcher from f-droid, before I used KISS, but it’s too slow for me. Pie is more minimalistic, APK size is literally 150KiB and minimum android version is 2.3

kala_telo ,
@kala_telo@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

My connection was lagging and I posted like 3 same comments accidentally :(

NENathaniel ,
@NENathaniel@lemmy.ca avatar

I refuse to use Pixel Launcher until I can remove the Google search bar

I’d also like to be able to change my icons. I use Nova atm

lps2 ,

Check out Lawnchair2

lawnchair.app

portside ,

KISS launcher, it’s simple and quick. It is a search based launcher. It is also open source and on fdroid

ted ,

I switched from Nova/Pixel Launcher to KISS and it made my phone experience so much better.

dendrichor ,

Smart Launcher. The app drawer is set up like my Palm Pilot (tabbed categories). Over the years it has added more features but the only gesture I really use is double tap to turn off the screen.

Nova was my first third party launcher but SL has an easier set up for the same effect (for my case).

squaresinger ,

KISS Launcher. Perfect companion for a hardware keyboard (github.com/Dakkaron/Fairberry).

In general, you use it like the Windows start menu. Type the first few characters of an app name, hit enter and there you are.

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