7 launchers you need to use as an alternative of Nova Launcher

For those who’ve been utilizing Android telephones so long as me, it’s not possible that you simply haven’t dabbled in Nova Launcher sooner or later. In actual fact, I’d say that Nova Launcher has been the go-to app for Android customization for properly over a decade. It earned that well-deserved standing by giving customers extra management than inventory launchers ever may, from how icons appeared to how gestures labored to how the app drawer was laid out. However all good issues come to an finish, and the event of the app has drawn to a detailed.

Anybody following the business would’ve seen the writing on the wall when the app received taken over by Department Metrics some time again. All that to say that updates and future compatibility stay unlikely. And when you haven’t been maintaining with alternate launchers for some time now — I do know I haven’t — properly, it’s time to begin planning for what comes subsequent. The excellent news is that Android’s launcher scene has grown wealthy and diverse, and I’ve frolicked testing and revisiting a variety of choices that can enchantment to you not provided that you’re on the lookout for a Nova different, but additionally if you wish to attempt one thing contemporary. These are seven of my favourite Nova Launcher alternate options that stand out proper now.

Niagara sits on the high of my record as a result of it doesn’t attempt to copy Nova in any respect. It’s a floor rethink of what a launcher needs to be by stripping every little thing again to a vertical record which you could simply scroll with one hand. Notifications combine immediately into the record, and the entire expertise feels designed for pace and focus. On large telephones, it’s a reduction to cease stretching throughout the display to succeed in icons. And the simplistic interface rapidly turns into muscle reminiscence for reaching out and launching apps with out even trying on the display. Greater than that, although, I’ve been on a minimalism kick, and the pared-back expertise has helped me quite a bit with slicing down digital noise.

In fact, this implies Niagara doesn’t replicate Nova’s granular customization. You don’t get grid layouts or multi-layered docks. There’s a single slot for widgets, although you possibly can swipe via them carousel fashion. However what you lose in customisation, in return you acquire a cleaner interface that reduces distractions and makes your telephone really feel like a software as an alternative of a toy. As soon as you reside with it, it’s arduous to return to the litter.

If Niagara is a bit an excessive amount of outdoors your consolation zone, Lawnchair provides the right snug dose of familiarity. It appears and behaves like Pixel launcher, however with extra flexibility, which makes it a straightforward soar for Nova customers. In actual fact, the app is kind of actually a port of Pixel Launcher with extra options tacked on. It helps Materials You theming, third-party icon packs, and even computerized organisation of apps, in addition to higher widget dealing with. Whereas not good, Lawnchair has additionally gone a great distance in the direction of bringing again the nerfed gesture actions to the launcher. As a result of it’s open supply and backed by a neighborhood, improvement is fairly fast, and the staff actively provides in options with nightly releases.

The one space the place it nonetheless trails Nova is in excessive customization. Nova veterans who dived deep contained in the settings menu or, like me, had a behavior of exporting and reimporting years’ value of dialed-in settings and format organisation will discover lacking toggles right here and there. However for most individuals, Lawnchair will get the steadiness proper. It’s acquainted, it’s quick, and it makes it pretty straightforward to get your house display trying precisely the best way you need it to look.

Nearly as good as Motion Launcher is, it’s all the time been thought-about a tier-2 different to Nova even if Motion Launcher has been round virtually so long as Nova. Nevertheless, with Nova Launcher out of the image, it is likely to be time for Motion Launcher to shine. The app has constructed up a definite id with options like Quicktheme, which pulls colours out of your wallpaper — Materials You fashion. There are different cool additions as properly, with Shutters being my favourite. As a lot as I like widgets, I don’t need them to occupy house on my house display on a regular basis. Shutters enables you to swipe an app icon to disclose the accompanying widget. One other swipe and it’s again to an icon. Very cool. You additionally get commonplace options like notification dots and unread counts for emails and widgets. Motion Launcher goes a step past in its visible tweaks with options like adaptive icons and enjoyable transitions when launching an app. Which will or will not be what you need, however it’s definitely distinctive and makes the launcher expertise really feel way more dynamic than what Nova has supplied. Furthermore, the updates have continued steadily, which is essential now that customers are on the lookout for reliability as a lot as customization.

The app isn’t solely free, however the fee for an improve to the Professional pack is reasonably priced. Extra so contemplating you’ll possible use the app every single day for years to return. The enchantment of Motion Launcher is that it covers a lot of the identical floor as Nova whereas providing methods Nova by no means did, and it does so in a means that feels polished slightly than experimental. It’s a good selection for Nova customers on the lookout for a brand new house.

The place Motion Launcher is about including new and flashy options, Hyperion narrows its give attention to pace. I’ve dabbled with it over time, and what stands out is how mild, easy, and fast it feels in operation. Extra so than Nova ever did, particularly on older or mid-range {hardware}. Animations are crisp, the interface is uncluttered, and it will likely be acquainted to any long-time Nova or Pixel launcher person. Furthermore, it nonetheless offers you adequate customization to get your desktop and app drawer trying precisely how you’re feeling. For those who have been the form of person who likes adjusting the nook radius in Nova, Hyperion may not minimize it for you, however the characteristic set is basically there.

Whereas Hyperion additionally provides a premium tier, the free tier is completely usable without having to improve. Some superior instruments, like locking your apps behind a fingerprint lock, sit behind a small premium improve. For most individuals, the efficiency acquire will outweigh the few lacking extras. It’s the launcher I attain for after I desire a telephone to really feel model new once more, even when it isn’t, and it’s my go-to suggestion for anybody on an older telephone.

In comparison with Nova Launcher and even among the different launchers on this record, Sensible Launcher 6 takes a completely totally different strategy. As a substitute of leaving you to arrange every little thing your self, it categorizes your apps routinely and adapts its look based mostly in your wallpaper colours. Until you want getting within the weeds with customization, Sensible Launcher is a strong alternative in order for you one thing that’ll get you going inside seconds.

Moreover, in contrast to different app launchers, Sensible Launcher deploys a horizontally aligned format by default. Mixed with the automated folder categorisation, I discover it fairly nifty for navigating giant app collections rapidly. The layouts are versatile, widgets might be resized simply, and the general vibe is extra fashionable and user-friendly. It feels prefer it was designed to maintain litter at bay and doesn’t require an entire lot of setup to present your telephone an entire new look. My solely gripe with Sensible Launcher is that it doesn’t really feel fairly as speedy as Nova Launcher and even Motion Launcher, however that’s simply me nitpicking.

Like most different launchers, in order for you deeper tweaks, you’ll want the paid model, and I’m not an enormous fan of how overt Sensible Launcher’s push to premium is. However I like the way it turns the house display into one thing useful right away, particularly for individuals who don’t wish to dig via pages of settings. It’s the launcher I’d hand to somebody who’s by no means used a customized launcher earlier than and simply desires their telephone to really feel organized.

I’ll be sincere, Nova Launcher by no means actually labored all that nice for me on foldable telephones. And when you’re rocking a foldable or flip telephone, you need to have a look at Octopi as an alternative. Its large thought is that it enables you to create separate layouts for outer and inside screens, so you possibly can design a compact setup when the telephone is closed and a extra expansive one when it’s open. It additionally helps all the standard options like widget stacking and a turbo search characteristic that pulls up apps immediately as you kind.

There’s ample customization to be discovered right here, starting from choices to take away labels, alter padding, scale icons, and extra. All of those are commonplace for launchers that concentrate on customisation, so it shouldn’t be a shock. The true distinction, like I discussed earlier, is that the setup in your telephone’s inside show is totally unbiased of the outer display. Octopi might be not going to be a drop-in substitute for Nova for each person, however when you’re utilizing a foldable telephone, it’s one of many few choices that allow you to actually maximise the capabilities of your {hardware}.

Lastly, when you’re on the lookout for an entire new strategy to Android launchers, you’ll wish to give Kvaesitso a shot. Whereas I nonetheless can’t pronounce the identify proper, I actually like what this launcher is doing. In actual fact, my colleague Andy known as it one of the best different to Nova Launcher. So, what’s all of it about? Kvaesitso is an open-source launcher that places minimalism and a search-driven interface proper on the heart.

The house display is deliberately clear and naked, and every little thing else lives in a clear vertical record. As a substitute of folders, Kvaesitso makes use of an all-new tag-based strategy to organising apps. It is a very nifty trick that allows you to place apps underneath a number of classes. Elsewhere, search lies on the coronary heart of the app. You will get web site previews or carry out fundamental calculations proper within the app drawer. It operates very equally to Highlight search on the iPhone. Even widgets get an all-new strategy with a single pane that homes all of them. Once more, impressed by the iPhone’s widget-exclusive display.

It gained’t match everybody’s wants, however Kvaesitso is fingers down one of the vital distinctive launchers obtainable proper now with its solely actual draw back being availability. The app isn’t obtainable on the Play Retailer, and also you’ll need to sideload it from F-Droid or GitHub. But when that doesn’t hassle you, it’s positively value making an attempt out.

The Android launcher scene is alive and thriving

Nova Launcher was, maybe, probably the most standard Android launcher for a superb cause. No single launcher can tick each field from Nova’s characteristic record. Niagara provides minimalism and one-handed pace whereas Lawnchair delivers familiarity. In the meantime, Motion Launcher offers you good options which are in contrast to something Nova by no means did. And Kvaesitso flips the script solely by making search the default. You catch my drift.

Whereas your greatest transfer could be to check out every of those apps and resolve which one sticks, I’d begin by selecting out what you worth and wish most. If you would like the closest Nova-like, Lawnchair is likely to be a strong alternative. Foldable customers ought to positively give Octopi a shot. And in order for you one thing totally different, Niagara and Kvaesitso provide you with an entire new means to make use of your telephone.

As a lot as I’m going to overlook Nova Launcher, you don’t have to mourn the demise of Android customization simply but. There are quite a lot of apps that may fill the Nova-sized hole. Some may even shock you with how they exceed Nova’s characteristic set. The ecosystem is stronger than ever, and if something, this is likely to be your likelihood to take a break from outdated favourites and take a look at one thing new and contemporary.