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foss launcher for phones
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selfmate lemmy.zip selfmate@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-01-03
Quote

Is there a good launcher with a newer release than 2022 like neo launcher?

Neo launcher works, I experience no bugs but it feels odd to have such an old launcher running.

Kvaesito is great but follows a slightly different paradigm and neo has "hidden" folders which are amazing

57   Original
morto piefed.social morto@piefed.social
Joined: 2025-07-03
#2 · Quote Reply

So... you like it and have no problems with it, but want to change it anyway?

6
selfmate lemmy.zip selfmate@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-01-03
#3 · Quote Reply

So... you like it and have no problems with it, but want to change it anyway?

Only because it seems outdated? Aren't we updating apps regularly also because of security issues?

4
lime! feddit.nu lime@feddit.nu
Joined: 2024-08-21
#4 · Quote Reply

Only because it seems outdated? Aren't we updating apps regularly also because of security issues?

not if they don't have any

7
DarkSirrush piefed.ca DarkSirrush@piefed.ca
Joined: 2025-06-07
#5 · Quote Reply

not if they don't have any

I mean, neo launcher also has many breaking bugs, eg deleting all your widgets if you change anything at all.

All of the FOSS launchers I have tried are either missing features I use, or are buggy and have no releases in years.

I finally just gave in and got octopi launcher, because at least it has swipe gesture actions on folders, which I got very used to with nova launcher

7
ropatrick lemmy.world ropatrick@lemmy.world
Joined: 2026-03-28
#6 · Quote Reply

Lawnchair is great. I was able to 100% replicate what I had with Nova.

https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/app.lawnchair

No trackers.

36
Daniel Quinn lemmy.ca danielquinn@lemmy.ca
Joined: 2023-06-07
#7 · Quote Reply

I've been using the FOSS version of Kvaesitso and I quite like it.

14
whatsgoingdom rollenspiel.forum whatsgoingdom@rollenspiel.forum
Joined: 2023-10-17
#8 · Quote Reply

I've been using KISS launcher and I'm really happy with it.
It takes some getting used to though, as it has a different search based approach.

13
TiredTiger lemmy.ml TiredTiger@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2026-02-22
#9 · Quote Reply

I tried the Fossify launcher today and gave up pretty quickly. Feels like it doesn't have anywhere near enough settings, has zero documentation, and aesthetically leaves something to be desired.

4
Skyrocket0006 feddit.nl Skyrocket0006@feddit.nl
Joined: 2023-08-01
#10 · Quote Reply

I've been using KISS launcher and I'm really happy with it. It takes some getting used to though, as it has a different search based approach.

Kiss launcher is great. Typing and opening an app is much faster than searching for it in the app drawer

5
hexagonwin lemmy.today hexagonwin@lemmy.today
Joined: 2026-02-07
#11 · Quote Reply

if it works, there's no problem in continuing its usage

not foss but i still run adw launcher ex 1.3.3.9

1
Alavi programming.dev somegeek@programming.dev
Joined: 2023-06-25
#12 · Quote Reply

Kiss, kvaesto (?), unlauncher.

I've been using unlauncher for about a year or so. It's great.

2
PandaInSpace kbin.earth PandaInSpace@kbin.earth
Joined: 2024-09-06
#13 · (edited) Quote Reply

  1. Kvaesitso
  2. Lawnchair
  3. Murine
  4. Ion Launcher

I've been testing new launchers, and since most are unfortunately just text based or "minimalist", your options are limited.

Lawnchair and Kvaesisto just works at least on my phone. Search on lawnchair wasn't great. Murine is the one I'm trying and seems to be one of the better ones in the new set.

You can try Launcher314, but it's choppy on my phone, almost like the app drawer scrolling is below 60Hz.

Another one I used was Yagni, but it's in Alpha stage. And the dev kept renaming the project so often it got confusing

9
KryptonBlur slrpnk.net KryptonNerd@slrpnk.net
Joined: 2024-01-18
#14 · Quote Reply

Only because it seems outdated? Aren't we updating apps regularly also because of security issues?

Yeah I'd say that's a very sensible reason to change launcher

3
iByteABit lemmy.ml iByteABit@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2025-11-08
#15 · Quote Reply

On my previous phone I used KISS, now I use μLauncher which is really similar to KISS but I think I like slightly more

7
bad1080 piefed.social bad1080@piefed.social
Joined: 2026-02-27
#16 · Quote Reply

Lawnchair is great. I was able to 100% replicate what I had with Nova. https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/app.lawnchair No trackers.

rocket lawnchair!

2
manuallybreathing lemmy.ml manuallybreathing@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2023-08-02
#17 · Quote Reply

the launcher i'm using isnt not foss but i think it was removed from the googleapp store in 2016 :p

1
Dessalines lemmy.ml dessalines@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2019-04-17
#18 · Quote Reply

Minimo launcher is my new fave. Its simple, decreases addiction, and surpasses Olauncher in features.

4
nfms lemmy.ml nfms@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2024-09-15
#19 · Quote Reply

Kvaesitso Lawnchair Murine Ion Launcher I've been testing new launchers, and since most are unfortunately just text based or "minimalist", your options are limited. Lawnchair and Kvaesisto just works at least on my phone. Search on lawnchair wasn't great. Murine is the one I'm trying and seems to be one of the better ones in the new set. You can try Launcher314, but it's choppy on my phone, alm...

I'm using Lawnchair because it allows folders in the app drawer and I fell the need to group apps. Does Murine do this?

2
zeezee slrpnk.net zeezee@slrpnk.net
Joined: 2024-12-03
#20 · Quote Reply

Lawnchair is great. I was able to 100% replicate what I had with Nova. https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/app.lawnchair No trackers.

It's such a shame that still only Nova supports multi-page dock icons and icon swipe gestures 🥲

5
heppen lemmy.ml hepp3n@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2025-01-09
#21 · Quote Reply

I just using stock LineageOS launcher. Is not this FOSS enough? :)

2
selfmate lemmy.zip selfmate@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-01-03
#22 · Quote Reply

I just using stock LineageOS launcher. Is not this FOSS enough? :)

Is probably the same as / like the one on gos. It is good, it works but it has no cover folders which is a really neat functionality

1
heppen lemmy.ml hepp3n@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2025-01-09
#23 · Quote Reply

Is probably the same as / like the one on gos. It is good, it works but it has no cover folders which is a really neat functionality

Ah right. It's pretty bare bones :)

1
sompreno lemmy.zip sompreno@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2026-03-23
#24 · Quote Reply

It's such a shame that still only Nova supports multi-page dock icons and icon swipe gestures 🥲

Icon swipe gestures is in lawnchair experimental features

3
Maerman lemmy.world Maerman@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-28
#25 · Quote Reply

On my previous phone I used KISS, now I use μLauncher which is really similar to KISS but I think I like slightly more

This is the way.

3
solbt feddit.org solbt@feddit.org
Joined: 2024-08-05
#26 · Quote Reply

I'm running this one, it's pretty good

2
BrianTheeBiscuiteer lemmy.world BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-17
#27 · Quote Reply

I use https://github.com/luantak/FokusLauncher and while I don't think it's all that great it hasn't annoyed me into switching back (which is a low bar given how easy it is).

2
Clay_pidgin sh.itjust.works clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2023-06-14
#28 · Quote Reply

It's such a shame that still only Nova supports multi-page dock icons and icon swipe gestures 🥲

Total Launcher has icon swipes.

1
PandaInSpace kbin.earth PandaInSpace@kbin.earth
Joined: 2024-09-06
#29 · Quote Reply

I'm using Lawnchair because it allows folders in the app drawer and I fell the need to group apps. Does Murine do this?

Last time I checked, it didn't

3
solrize lemmy.ml solrize@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2023-06-22
#30 · Quote Reply

There are tons of launchers on f-droid. No idea about comparisons.

3
besmtt lemmy.world besmtt@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-06
#31 · Quote Reply

I mean, neo launcher also has many breaking bugs, eg deleting all your widgets if you change anything at all. All of the FOSS launchers I have tried are either missing features I use, or are buggy and have no releases in years. I finally just gave in and got octopi launcher, because at least it has swipe gesture actions on folders, which I got very used to with nova launcher

Thank you for mentioning Octopi! This is fantastic!

1
SteakSneak retrolemmy.com SteakSneak@retrolemmy.com
Joined: 2025-04-28
#32 · Quote Reply

I'm in the same position as you. I'm stuck with nova. I have it firewalled so it doesn't have network access but I would love to love over to a Foss alternative. Nothing I've tried is as customisable and I can't seem to get things exactly how I like them. neo was close :(

2
pyramidengine lemmy.ml pyramidengine@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2026-06-25
#33 · Quote Reply

Lawnchair is great!

2
incogtino lemmy.zip incogtino@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2023-06-13
#34 · Quote Reply

Fossify Launcher Beta on F-Droid

The only thing missing for me is the ability to customise icons

1
Igris feddit.org Igris@feddit.org
Joined: 2026-06-20
#35 · Quote Reply

It's such a shame that still only Nova supports multi-page dock icons and icon swipe gestures 🥲

Launcher314 has a swipeable dock. I use it a few weeks now. Kinda like it. Although it's in early beta.

2
Igris feddit.org Igris@feddit.org
Joined: 2026-06-20
#36 · (edited) Quote Reply

Launcher314 is new and in beta. I'm checking it out for a few weeks and kinda like it.

3
kepix lemmy.world kepix@lemmy.world
Joined: 2024-01-06
#37 · Quote Reply

https://f-droid.org/packages/com.eblan.launcher/
the only launcher on fdroid that is not trying the "declutter" by being an ass text based launcher, or being a laggy mess. finally has icon customisation as well.

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swelter_spark reddthat.com swelter_spark@reddthat.com
Joined: 2025-03-06
#38 · Quote Reply

On my previous phone I used KISS, now I use μLauncher which is really similar to KISS but I think I like slightly more

I love KISS.

2
swelter_spark reddthat.com swelter_spark@reddthat.com
Joined: 2025-03-06
#39 · Quote Reply

I've been using KISS launcher and I'm really happy with it. It takes some getting used to though, as it has a different search based approach.

Tags are great, too.

1
robber lemmy.ml robber@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2022-11-25
#40 · Quote Reply

I've used KISS before, but moved to Blue Line Console some months ago. I'd say it's a bit more opinionated and less customizable than KISS but I guess I like the opinions.

1
ulemmyagain lemmy.world ulemmyagain@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-07
#41 · Quote Reply

Lawnchair is great. I was able to 100% replicate what I had with Nova. https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/app.lawnchair No trackers.

Plus 1 for lawnchair

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ComradeSharkfucker lemmy.ml sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2023-07-07
#42 · (edited) Quote Reply

Kvaesitso is my go to. You can make hidden folders by starting the folder name with a period no?

2
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