I'm a Nova refugee, and I've been satisfied with Lawnchair as a replacement. It isn't as feature rich, but it hits the key notes.
Edit: Lawnchair site: https://lawnchair.app/
this post was submitted on 01 Jul 2025
60 points (100.0% liked)
Android
19619 readers
268 users here now
The new home of /r/Android on Lemmy and the Fediverse!
Android news, reviews, tips, and discussions about rooting, tutorials, and apps.
πUniversal Link: [email protected]
π‘Content Philosophy:
Content which benefits the community (news, rumours, and discussions) is generally allowed and is valued over content which benefits only the individual (technical questions, help buying/selling, rants, self-promotion, etc.) which will be removed if it's in violation of the rules.
Support, technical, or app related questions belong in: [email protected]
For fresh communities, lemmy apps, and instance updates: [email protected]
π¬Matrix Chat
π°Our communities below
Rules
-
Stay on topic: All posts should be related to the Android OS or ecosystem.
-
No support questions, recommendation requests, rants, or bug reports: Posts must benefit the community rather than the individual. Please post to [email protected].
-
Describe images/videos, no memes: Please include a text description when sharing images or videos. Post memes to [email protected].
-
No self-promotion spam: Active community members can post their apps if they answer any questions in the comments. Please do not post links to your own website, YouTube, blog content, or communities.
-
No reposts or rehosted content: Share only the original source of an article, unless it's not available in English or requires logging in (like Twitter). Avoid reposting the same topic from other sources.
-
No editorializing titles: You can add the author or website's name if helpful, but keep article titles unchanged.
-
No piracy or unverified APKs: Do not share links or direct people to pirated content or unverified APKs, which may contain malicious code.
-
No unauthorized polls, bots, or giveaways: Do not create polls, use bots, or organize giveaways without first contacting mods for approval.
-
No offensive or low-effort content: Don't post offensive or unhelpful content. Keep it civil and friendly!
-
No affiliate links: Posting affiliate links is not allowed.
Quick Links
Our Communities
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
Lemmy App List
Chat and More
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
I second this, just be sure to backup your settings if you upgrade, it likes to forget things on upgrades I've noticed.
I'm ootl, what happened to Nova? I have it on my old phone.
I think it's been bought by a shitty spyware company who swore that they will not be mining your data. I bought it many years ago and that made me switch to Kvaesitso.
Development of Nova went to shit after it was bought out, too. I dropped it when some major bug I now forget the details of was introduced and my reports went ignored for a full year.
I still have it and I can't get off it because my whole flow depends on a feature that no other launcher seems to have.
I have all my apps in folders, but the folders when tapped will launch the first app in the folder. If I swipe up on them the folder opens.
So for exameple I have what looks like a Camera icon. If I tap it Camera opens as expected, but if I swipe up on it all my photo related apps are there. It allows me to keep a simple easy to use home screen but then all my apps are grouped underneath. It's awesome and the best feature Nova ever made.
Action Launcher had that before nova, both went to poop sadly
load more comments
(1 replies)
Same, also a Nova refugee using Lawnchair.
One thing I don't like though, is if you change the homescreen grid size it destroys everything and you have to start over with your homesdreen icons.
Same. It doesn't do crazy fancy things, and just works. But then I've long since given up on my phone doing any fancy things. I'm fine with it being boring. The only thing I want is folders on the main screen and a couple widgets.
Niagara:
Niagara user here, I think it's worth every penny, and it's so cheap, and the developer is very receptive. It's a very simple purchase.
I've tried it but it doesn't click for me. I can be more efficient with a normal launcher.
Niagara Launcher did teach me how to improve my setup: if something isn't important enough to be on the one and only home screen, it goes in the drawer. No more arranging folders for apps I rarely use.
I agree with the philosophy.
If you want to have an aneurysm, I present to you my setup from when I was deep into ingress:
Oh wow any more jpeg? Sorry the screenshot is very old and apparently Google has decided this would be the only copy.
That's really nice and clean! I think I will give Niagara a try.
What icon set are you using?
It's a built-in one called "sticker"
I've been using it for years now. Simple, elegant and stable.
It has my vote.
Also been using it for years. Love the unique interface. Wish they'd do more substantial updates than those seasonal icon packs though, especially given the amount of income they must have from subscriptions.
load more comments
(1 replies)
...FINE.. guess I'm going to try Niagara again because this looks so clean. .... But i'm not happy about it. (they type from a samsung, JKJK this looks dope and yeah ima give it another go)
load more comments
(2 replies)
I'm still using Nova as it's so feature-rich. I've had 0 problems with it, but I had no idea people were dropping it. Also had no idea it for bought out either, so maybe it's time to look into using another launcher instead...
I'm also on Nova for now, but I disabled the updates. You can never be too sure once a project changes hands like that.
I really like nova, I just want customized icons with no text, which for some reason nothing else will do. search based is pointless to me, I barely have one screen of apps... nova is fine for this but I did block it from all network connections after the sale happened
I use whatever the stock launcher of the ROM is...
I am a full screen gestures user and for me the 3rd party launchers are broken since A12, or probably before that, even with usage of the GestureNavContract API they are still not smooth enough for me...
With that said, if you are rooted you can get away from that limitation with Lawnchair and quickSwitch, or if you use navigation buttons you are gold with almost all the launchers I'd say.
I would suggest Octopi Launcher. Started using during the alpha and switched back and forth between it and Nova. But now I am fully on Octopi. I really like the widget stacking, now I just have one page homescreen. The dev recently implemented drawer categories and tags. The dev is active and listens to feedback on the subreddit.
KISS Launcher.
I'm currently trying fast draw, it was in fdroid π€·ββοΈ
Kinda like smart launcher where you set up categories along the bottom, can select a widget at the top. I miss being able to search for a specific app but it's usable.
I really didn't think I was going to like a minimal launcher after so many years with Nova and then AIO, but OLauncher really clicked for me.
Since then, I upgraded to ProLauncher, which mostly adds shortcut icons on the right (I believe that's what I upgraded for anyway). It's been great.
load more comments
(1 replies)
Neo launcher does everything I need it to
Have you remembered Charles' present?
load more comments
(1 replies)
I like Smart Launcher. It's freemium, but I think the paid version is really nice.
My ideal launcher would be a mix of Smart Launcher with the addition of the app list from Niagara.
load more comments
(2 replies)
i've been on smart launcher since checks purchase history 2013, and while it's still the best ux i've found, they have been doing some scummy shit over the years, like move features from the paid version into "content packs" that cost extra.
load more comments
(1 replies)
This is the launcher I use. I love the app drawer categories.
I mainly use Foss software. But, this is one app which is not Foss and I use.
load more comments
(1 replies)
I like Kiss.
i been trying folder luancher also on fdroid
I'm using ADW Launcher EX 1.3.4.0 which is about a decade old now.
I'm also a nova refugee after loving it for years. Currently using Before. It's list based that functionally makes me use search a lot. But it's quick, clean and while not particularly feature rich. It does have a lot of personalization and customization, such as setting any font type ya can download.
I renamed all my apps to what they are actually used for. Where? is maps, What? is my to do list, Huh? controls my hearing aid.
Have you considered reporting the battery drain issue to the Kvaesitso devs? They could fix it if it can be reproduced.
I tend to switch every month or two between Kvaetsivo and IAO, which is my main driver now. I find it handy and hihgly configurable.
view more: next βΊ