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A few years ago, a launcher would be the first app many people installed on a new Android phone. Yet as the native phone software has gotten better, launchers have become less essential. But that’s not to say that they don’t still deserve a place on your phone.
The Golden Age of Android Launchers Is Over
For Android’s first decade, a launcher was a vital tool in the arsenal of all of its enthusiasts. Launchers served two main purposes. They covered up the gaudy first-party software skins that manufacturers were so keen on, and they added vital (and sometimes basic) functionality that was missing from the phone.
I was a huge fan of Nova Launcher. Thinking back through my own phone history, I had it on my Galaxy S3 to hideSamsung’s horrible TouchWiz softwareas much as I could. After I switched to Nexus phones, I continued using it because Google’s software had so few options for customization. The gestures, animations, and endless settings of Nova were a dream for a tinkerer.
But Igave up on Novaat least three phones ago because the problems it was solving for me no longer exist.
Most manufacturers have significantly upped their software game. There are still the odd lapses in taste, especially from some of the Chinese manufacturers, but these are often more about aping Apple than doing anything truly outlandish. For everyone else, the software is more refined.Samsung’s One UI is in a different leaguefrom the old TouchWiz abomination.
With these changes comes greater consistency. A launcher once helped make it easier to move to a new device, but even a non-tech user can switch from one phone maker to another today without any problem getting up to speed. And now that the basic features that once needed a launcher are all built in, the idea of needing to “fix” your phone’s interface has largely disappeared.
Just as more advanced practices like rooting and installing custom ROMs died out, so launchers are heading the same way. The days when it would be the first piece of software you install are over.
But Launchers Still Matter
That doesn’t mean launchers don’t have a place on Android phones in 2025. But their role might have changed.
For me, a modern Android launcher isn’t about adding more stuff, but about taking it away. No notification badges, no cluttered home screens, no news feed. I increasingly want to use my phone just for things I want to do, and not have my attention stolen by constant distractions.
As such, my favorite Android launchers aren’t the ones that want you to micromanage the look and feel of everything on the phone. There are plenty of people who still want that, of course, but I want a launcher with a more minimalist approach that provides real practical value.
Where they do add features, I like the focus to be on enhancing the UI rather than replacing it or adding clutter. Now that the first-party launchers are so slick and refined, it’s unlikely that third-party developers are going to improve the user interface in the way that they used to. But enabling you to tweak how many apps you can fit on your home screen or use icon packs lets you personalize your phone in more subtle or useful ways.
The fewer features you get, the better it is for privacy and security, too. A fully powered-up launcher will ask for a vast array of permissions that give it access to pretty much everything on your phone. A lighter, more minimalist launcher will ask for fewer permissions, or maybe even none at all.
Which Minimalist Launchers Should You Try?
My favorite launcher isOlauncher. I installed it a while back, andit’s perfect for reducing my screen time. I don’t even use it all the time; I switch between that and the native software on my phones. Whenever I feel my screen time is creeping up a bit too high, I load it up, and the minimal, text-based layout drops me right back to an hour a day.
Olauncher is free, open-source, and requires no permissions. It’s pretty much ideal.
Along similar lines, and perhaps a better option for many, isNiagara Launcher. It also takes a minimalist approach with a predominantly text-based look, but is not quite as austere as Olauncher.
It’s designed to help one-handed use and to let you focus on the things you want to do. Butit’s a little more customizableand nicer looking. It shows your app icons, for instance, and also supports a growing range of themes to help you personalize how it looks. By showing that minimalism doesn’t have to mean bare-bones, it’s a more accessible choice.
There are two more that are worth checking out.NoLauncheris tiny and has basically no features at all. It’s designed primarily for low-end phones but provides a remarkably ultra-minimalist experience.KISS Launcheris even smaller and replaces the app icons with a search bar—just type in the first letters of an app’s name to open it. If you’re familiar withSpotlight on Mac, it’s kind of like that.
The improvements that the likes of Samsung, OnePlus, and Motorola have made to their phone software over the years, along with the polish added to Android as a whole, mean that a third-party launcher is no longer the essential tool it once was.
But if you’re still feeling overwhelmed by your phone’s features, or would like to cut down on distractions, minimalist launchers can still serve a vital purpose. The best launchers no longer add features. They just keep out of your way.
