Google Now Launcher Archives

Poll: Which Android Launcher are You Using?

Kellen April 18, 2018 173

A reader asked us earlier today if we could run a poll or question on which Android launchers you are all using these days, so let's do that. After looking back, this is a more-than-overdue topic that hasn't been asked since 2014 or something. Yikes! Things...

Google Now Launcher May Retire in a Few of Weeks

Kellen February 3, 2017 53

The Google Now Launcher, a launcher that runs on Nexus devices and is often one of the first we install on devices that feature terrible skins (LG and Huawei's phones come to mind), may be put to bed here in the coming weeks. According to an email sent out to...

Google App Re-Introduces “Allow Rotation” to Home Screens, Auto Tweaks Icon Sizes

Kellen January 13, 2016 27

Back in the Android M Developer Preview 2, Google briefly enabled an option in the Google App's settings of "Allow rotation," which gave phones the ability to rotate home screens into landscape, assuming they were also using the Google Now Launcher. Then, in...

Tip: Set a Shortcut to Your Google Reminders After Setting a Reminder

Kellen December 17, 2015 15

In the most recent update to Google Calendar, Google finally made reminders a centrally functional feature across a variety of Google apps, including Calendar, Inbox, and Keep. Before this update, there was a chance that a reminder set in one app wouldn't ever...

Friday Poll: Vertical or Horizontal App Drawer?

Kellen September 25, 2015 123

Today's poll is as simple as it gets because there is clear controversial divide about the way an app drawer should scroll in 2015. Google forced the vertical scroller on many of you this morning in an update to the Google app, so it's time to decide once and...

Yep, Your Google App Drawer Now Scrolls Vertically!

Tim September 25, 2015 139

For those using the Google Now Launcher, it's likely that you woke up this morning or saw late last night that a few major changes went down. What you are experiencing is part of the Google app update, which went live for a few users late last week. This...

Tip: Long-Press Google Now Launcher Drawer Button for Quick Searching

Kellen September 21, 2015 35

In the latest release of the Google App that brought search, recently used apps, and a vertical layout to the app drawer of the Google Now Launcher, Google included a handy trick to make searching through your apps easier. With a simple long press on the app...

Google Now Launcher Now Available to All Android 4.1+ Devices

Kellen August 1, 2014 54

A new update is rolling out to the Google Now Launcher, making it available to just about all devices running Android 4.1+. That's right, if you have been frustrated at the lack of compatibility for Google's own launcher with top devices, you can finally relax...