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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!

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.

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

Fisch ,
@Fisch@lemmy.ml avatar

I use Kvæsitso. I like that it’s more search focused and has a clean homescreen with just the clock and a search bar. You can scroll up to see widgets arranged vertically or scroll up to show the app drawer. It also looks nice because it supports the new Android design (Material v3) and dynamic colors. It also supports dynamically colored app icons like lawnicons and has an option to color all other icons as well.

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.

Vilian ,

Kvaesitso, it’s simple, beautiful but has a lot of functionality, customizable and open-source :)

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

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

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.

jackpot ,
@jackpot@lemmy.ml avatar

any foss launchers?

Evkob ,
@Evkob@lemmy.ca avatar

Neolauncher!

NightOwl ,

Just in case people aren’t aware Nova was acquired by Branch. Putting it out there so people can decide whether that matters or not.

androidpolice.com/nova-launcher-acquired-by-branc…

ada ,
@ada@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

I’ve used Action Launcher for something like a decade now. I love it, because it allows you to use folders with a “default” up. If you click on the folder, it launches the default app for the folder, but if you slide up on it, then you can see all of the apps in the folder to access them.

However, it doesn’t work well on my zfold, so I’ve had to retire it. I’m still looking for a good alternative

whoisthisguy4395 ,

https://feddit.de/pictrs/image/169c2cbb-4e08-4c2b-becb-62a7760e299b.jpeghttps://feddit.de/pictrs/image/be8789e6-a996-4404-984f-89f45ec95a93.jpeghttps://feddit.de/pictrs/image/697bda80-7574-42d4-a45d-b2ec6ee3c440.jpeg

mlauncher- a minimal text based open source fork of Olauncher

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.

R9442 ,

I use KISS nowadays, simple, if I need to open an app, I search it; no need to look for it on the home screen. More than enough for what I do on my phone.

That said, I need to give a shout-out to TUI Launcher. I love the amount of customization it gives you plus the terminal-esque functionality. I’d have probably stuck with it if only it had the search menu that KISS has since I want to see my icons again.

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