“Do you still need to be allowed to decorate and modify your own home?”
Yes.
Yes.
My Nova Launcher-config has survived in one form or another for 8+ years on multiple phones, so yes?
Too bad they sold out to a data analytics company
I agree with you. I still use Nova, they had a solid update recently and my phone is feeling snappier than ever. It does concern me, however, that they’re tracking every interaction with my phone now 😮💨
I’m normally very privacy centric - very conflicted about Nova Launcher because I like the launcher so much…
You could download an earlier version from before they were bought, it’s what I’m doing. Still better than every other launcher I’ve tried. I’m also preventing it from accessing the internet via GrapheneOS settings, but I don’t think every OS can do that.
try neo launcher
Neo Launcher is decent, but it’s definitely not in the same league as Nova yet in customizability.
I’m not sure why it’s just about the only classic style FOSS launcher though. Everything else is some sorta search or widget based thing.
Neo kinda sucks, and looks like it’s abandoned so no hope in f it ever getting better.
I don’t know if this will fix it for sure, but you could try to download a VPN app with per-app network blocking (like AdGuard) and fully block Nova from accessing the internet
I use Netguard to block internet access for half of my apps - the ones that shouldn’t be using my mobile data anyway
I still use version 7 because Nova is the only launcher that gives me tabs and treats icons the right way. No other launcher manages to do it, it’s baffling.
I really wish there was another launcher that allowed all of
•Multiple pages for widgets and things
•Empty pages
•Scrolling wallpapers
•A totally transparent home page
Every other launcher I’ve tried allows for maybe one of those.
Yes!
Yes.
If you want to do something crazy, like not have a search bar on your home screen, then yes.
What does this mean? I don’t have a search bar on my home screen, and I’m not using a third-party launcher.
Depends what phone you have - Pixels have a search bar on the home screen by default (not sure if they can be turned off on later models, maybe?)
I haven’t used anything other than Nova on my Pixel 7 Pro since I almost immediately realized I couldn’t find a way to turn it off in Pixel Launcher. The whole ad campaign that they ran around personalization was a complete joke, feels like an iClone and I hate it.
Agreed - although, just to check you know about Nova being bought out a few months ago by a firm known for data harvesting? If you did and/or are fine with it no worries. If you didn’t, it’s worth looking into (and sorry to be the bearer of bad news).
I used Nova for years, but have switched to Total - less slick and user friendly to set up, but very customisable, even more than Nova.
Sadly yes, I’ve been exploring a few alternatives in case it starts looking like a data mining nightmare but nothing so far, maybe I’ll give total a shot
That’s a pixel problem, not an Android problem.
That’s my point.
You may be using the default launcher that came with your phone, but if you don’t have the search bar, then it’s still a 3rd party launcher. Google’s launcher forces an immovable search bar on to your home screen.
-Edit-
It’s possible this has changed in the years I’ve been using an alternate launcher. It’s been several years since I switched and never really checked back to see if it was still true.
This made me realize that I have a search bar on my home screen that I literally never use and I do use a third party launcher that it could be turned off. Very funny indeed
Yep.
I recently got a Samsung device for work. I really gave the launcher a shot since I didn’t want to tinker with it. But after 2 days I couldn’t stand it anymore. So the answer to the post is yes!
Samsungs out of the box experience gives me anxiety to be honest. Had a few for work, luckily their singular purpose is running the authenticator app.
I’m using the Samsung S24 out of the box. What are you missing with it?
Curious, because I want to switch if there’s good arguments to do so.
I am not really missing anything specific rather than thinking the default layout and appearance is quite bad and gives a bad expression. As mentioned its basically an overpriced authenticator -tamagotchi to me so I put zero effort into changing it.
On my private phone I run nova launcher, though.
samsung roms in general
unless you want android to turn into ios then yes
there’s so much i can do in nova that i can’t do in one ui or the pixel launcher
Use nova for years, but never found an of the features beneficial. I’ve been using One UI since moving to the s24u and I have noticed no real difference in functionality.
folders, grid size, customising badge notifications, dock size, multiple docks, multiple tab pages in app drawer, hide icons in app drawer, drawer groups, etc. those are some of the things i like in nova :)
Grid size is the big one for me, it’s so nice
I don’t know what’s required for KLWP support in a launcher, but KLWP is a live wallpaper with touch interaction. Don’t know if stock support that on my phone. But some cool setup like media player functionality, time and such, in the font and size I want. And some other disguised shortcuts.
But for me in actual Nova, it being able to style app icons individually, swipe actions on app icons, and the dock at the bottom being able to slide to have more apps. And pretty standard now, but swipe up for app drawer and down for notifications. It works especially well with OnePlus gestures that I’m still holding on to.
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Yes
Yes.
I’ve been using Niagara launcher. This launcher is has been great for larger screens and I can use the phone one handed.
I’m on Nova, but I’ve heard nothing but great things about it. Also played with it abit, I think I just wanted to tweak the pull down gestures a little more then default.
I don’t think it has any customizations for pull down gestures. Would be nice to have for certain people.
i fucking love niagara.
Although i’ve started to use Kvaesitso instead in recent times.
This is a gross violation of Betteridge’s law of headlines.
I agree
Yes.
Yup.
Question makes no sense, it’s a feature not a need. I have written a launcher for a specific usecase.
