I’ve seen quite a few launchers on F-Droid, but I really fail to see what their advantages over the stock one are. I mean, what can be meaningfully different about arranging apps in a grid? But I guess the existence of so many options goes to show I just don’t get the gist of it.

So what launchers actually provide some interesting features that make it worth switching to them?

  • verdigris@lemmy.ml
    5·
    4 hours ago

    I primarily switched (to Kvaesitso) because I don’t use Google search and it was impossible to remove the Google search bar from my home screen on a Pixel. I do enjoy the greater degree of customization as well.

  • J52@lemmy.nzEnglish
    2·
    3 hours ago

    Went from Nova via a few others and ended up with a minimalist beauty that demands nothing : Mako (f-droid) (I miss the double tap off but use the quick settings ‘lock screen’ button).

  • exu@feditown.comEnglish
    1·
    3 hours ago

    I can somewhat recommend Dragon Launcher. It’s gesture based around “app circles”. You arrange your apps in custom circles of arbitrary nesting and swipe to get there.

    The main downside imo is the extreme pace of development; most releases fix this or the other issue while introducing new bugs. The config format also doesn’t appear particularly stable through upgrades, it’s probably time for a config reset for me.

    • makingStuffForFun@lemmy.ml
      1·
      2 hours ago

      I remember when that was launched and thought it looked like a novelty, but checking it now it looks incredibly mature. I’ll give it a go today. It actually looks really good. Thank you.

      • exu@feditown.comEnglish
        1·
        2 hours ago

        It’s definitely polished a lot. Still I’d be happy for development to slow a bit now.

  • NewOldGuard@lemmy.mlEnglish
    4·
    6 hours ago

    I use kvaesitso and love it, but it’s certainly an opinionated approach. But while it is search focused, you can customize it to make it more traditional

  • gbzm@piefed.socialEnglish
    1·
    4 hours ago

    Yantra launcher for weirdos who like the feeling of cli. I used to love tui-launcher but it was abandoned. I tried switching back to normal launchers but even minimal search-based ones feel clunky. It’s the only kind I’ve tried that felt qualitatively different

  • rowinxavier@lemmy.world
    16·
    8 hours ago

    I switched to KISS launcher a while ago (years ago?)and I absolutely love it. It is search based but you can have tags for apps which allow you to have something akin to folders. If an app fits two tags then so be it, it will show up in all the tag folders, so organisation can be much cleaner. It is also blazingly fast and keeps things clean.

    • Skyrocket0006@feddit.nl
      3·
      6 hours ago

      I love kiss launcher too! Why bother with folders if you can find the app with typing in two letters in the search bar? A few apps as favorite is pretty useful too

  • IDew@lemmy.zip
    26·
    9 hours ago

    Lawnchair seems to be a better experience over stock, as it has a lot more customisation options. Though my experience with it is that it has rather slow updates and icon packs don’t work saperate from the app drawer and home screen. It should, but it didn’t work for me

    • The Infinite Nematode@feddit.ukEnglish
      3·
      7 hours ago

      I also use this one, with one line of fixed apps and one line that changes based on usage levels. I use the delta app icon pack as well to standardise the look a little. Search for everything else, supporting tags so that e.g. 3 different parking apps come up when I type parking

      When I see other people paging left and right searching for their app from a disordered list, I’m really glad I switched

  • Sanctus@anarchist.nexusEnglish
    13·
    9 hours ago

    I wish Niagara was FOSS and actually let me costumize my home screen without AI bullshit. I just like my alphabetical list.

    • ThePantser@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      4·
      8 hours ago

      You have AI bullshit on Niagara? I looked around on mine and dont see it. I’ll uninstall right away if I see it.

        • ThePantser@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          4·
          6 hours ago

          I dont use those, once I see it in the features like AI chatbots its gonna go. Many of the “Ready Made Themes” are the same images that have been in Niagara since it was in beta. So I dont doubt there are AI themes but many in there are older than AI.

  • Dessalines@lemmy.ml
    6·
    8 hours ago

    The minimalist ones take a different approach, and are really great at encouraging less phone use: minimo launcher, fokus launcher, olauncher and its variants, etc. There’s some theory around why grayscale and text are less addictive than colorful icon grids, widgets, and multiple pages, but I can’t find it right now.

    I’m currently on murine launcher because I have a tiny phone, but I use black and white icons with arcticons.

  • thermogel@lemmy.ml
    4·
    9 hours ago

    I like InkOS, minimalist, in an epaper kinda way. Just dont like the notification module but I disable it. And I use Snowbell as the font, love it.

  • mcSlibinas@lemmy.world
    4·
    9 hours ago

    For me is important what launcher (or any other app) doesn’t have. No bloatware, no games, no ads nor trackers. And then number two - it should have enough features for simple use, after that it should look simple. Yagni launcher on F-droid.