It was already dead for a lot of users when they sold it to an analytics company in 2022.
this post was submitted on 07 Sep 2025
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I stopped using it then and I actually thought they went under, huh.
Yep - and I recall arguing at the time with one of the Nova people sent to Reddit to try and sell us on the idea that everything was just fine, and nothing would change, and hey, look over there, a huge distracting thing...
It was bullshit then, and so it's proved. What a waste of a truly exceptional launcher.
yeah i didn't know it still exists lol
I've been using it for ages and didn't even know about all of this. What a shitshow, jesus christ.
I'm getting a new phone pretty soon anyway so after I stick Graphene on there I'll find something new instead for sure.
I've been using Kvaesisto as my daily, which is a nice hybrid of the drawer-style launchers and search-based launchers. It's coded from the ground up, has an impressive number of integrations, themed widgets that slide out of sight, etc.
KISS launcher is the original and still the best of the search based launchers. Okay, I have no idea if it is really the original, but it's been around for over a decade now, and still has an active development community. It's been forked hundreds of times into similar projects which add some additional features, but if you want a minimal launcher that gets out of your way, then this is what you're looking for.
A similar, minimal style launcher is OLauncher, which has also been around for a few years and has been forked like crazy.
One of the best traditional drawer-style launchers is Lawnchair, which has sprung back to life after a hiatus from updating. It's built on the Android launcher, with lots of additional customizations.
I don't know of any current project that approaches the maximal customization philosophy of Nova Launcher. It was really one of a kind. All of the above are FOSS, but even in the closed software space, I don't think there is anything like Nova.
Deny network permissions and keep using Nova until it won't work.
I don't think you even can deny apps network permission on most Android builds anymore. Didn't Google kill that option years ago for the sake of ads? (I'm on GrapheneOS now, where it certainly is possible, but if I remember right I couldn't do it on the stock Pixel OS.)
You can deny network permission in any Android builds, without root it can be done via a mock VPN client so that all traffic is directed through an app who can block or control traffic per app. And on devices with root this can be done via iptable configurations.
There are multiple apps for doing both approaches.
Especially why wouldn't you have root anyway, in this day and age if you don't have root, well may Google has mercy on you LMAO (hint: they won't lol)
GrapheneOS.
So, yes, you're right. But I don't fuck around with stock shit.
I'm using firewall features from RethinkDNS to block internet connections per app. Still using Nova Launcher v7.0.58 with auto update disabled.
You could use netguard, tracker control or rethinkdns for this. Surely there are other apps as well.
I didn't even know google gave this option, been using netguard since 2017.
I don't think you even can deny apps network permission on most Android builds anymore. Didn't Google kill that option years ago for the sake of ads?
The solution to this is rooting your phone. Root allows you to get around those arbitrary blocks.
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They can still communicate through Google services, even without network permission themselves. If i recall correctly gmaps doesn't really use the network permission, but uninstall Google Play Services and suddenly nothing loads.
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I would have just switched to another launcher at that point. There are plenty of Launchers (Lawnchair) that have all the features Nova had, if not more. Plus, it values privacy and consumer first.
Nova arguably died a long time ago. People only wanted to stick with it this long due to the nostalgia and the fear of letting it go. It's a bloated app full of bugs.
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So Branch straight up fucking lied about open sourcing it.
If they didn't lie they wouldn't have asked the founding developer to stop.
Mozilla promised to open-source Pocket and they closed it without doing so also. It's common. Google did open-source Pebble stuff a decade later, so it's never too late!
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I’ve been a user of nova for quite a while now, and over time it’s become something I don’t really think about. My setup is minimalist and nova has always blended into that seamlessly. It doesn’t demand attention; it just works, letting me use my phone the way I want. For me, as long as this phone keeps on working, nova will stay right where it is, simple, reliable, and exactly what I need. Even if this phone gives up the ghost, I'll probably still consider using nova on whatever phone I get next....
Nova is gonna be really hard to switch from. 🫤
well you can have the icon pack with any launcher and the time/calender widget too
Bruh this is gorgeous
KISS launcher (minimal mode). FOSS available on fdroid.
I tried KISS but unless I didn't find how to, it didn't have multiple home pages and widgets were limited. I also don't like to type to find an app, it feels like too many inputs :/
I love KISS, its so simple yet has a decent amount of customization. It's all you need in a launcher.
Anyone have any alternatives they like?
Lawnchair is great
I tested a few launchers that were not to my liking, and then I settled on Lawnchair.
I might change at some stage, but so far it's working for me.
I use Kvaesitso, highly recommended
I second this, have been using it for years and can never go back
I installed Lawnchair yesterday, so far, for my needs at least, I like it. It doesn't have a paged app drawer, but I just created folders instead and I'll get used to it.
I had Nova Pro back in the day and decided to give KISS a try. It's a completely different philosophy but I ended up liking it and I've been using it for years now. I can't imagine a faster launcher nowadays, it just gets out of your way.
I like Niagara. Simplistic. Minimalist.
For full features you need a subscription. For a phone launcher. Hard no.
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@not_that_guy05 @candyman337 FOSS?
KISS is very similar to Niagara, and is FOSS. I have used it for years
No
I've found Total Launcher to be an easy 1:1 replacement for Nova and has some useful, additional features
Not FOSS though.
I used it for a while and really liked it, but the not-FOSS aspect didn't sit well, especially since I'm starting to migrate off of proprietary services - including Play services.
I use Total too - I wouldn't say it's quite 1:1 as it's not as intuitive, but in terms of customisability, it's amazing.
Neo launcher:
Last release 2022. There are a few bugs that I endured for more than a year, then I moved.
Lawnchair now is my best friend.
Since the new release of Lawn Chair I have the bug (listed on Github issues) where I can't add widgets, so I'm stuck with Neo Launcher for now
But I can't wait to switch back
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I made a switch to Smart Launcher which has been quite fantastic. They don't rely on a subscription model like most other launchers which is a huge plus in my book. They offer quite a bit of options for customizing your screen. Not as much as Nova, but it's still good. I used Nova for a long time as well, but this has made it easier to transition to. Aside from that, Hyperion Launcher has plenty of options as well.
I switched to Smart Launcher. Tried all the recommended launchers for some time but none met my needs. After some time getting used to it and changing the settings, Smart launcher is the one.
I moved to Nova because ADW stopped getting supported. I still prefer the latter, and I guess I have no reason to use the former now
I use Apex Launcher. It's not exactly the same but it works for me.
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Niagara Launcher is a great, but different launcher. A modern + minimalist Android home screen optimized for one-✋ access and staying focused. Designed by a German team who really cares, believe they group just went fulltime after having been done with university. They also allow you purchase the apk to avoid Google. They have a free version and a trial of the premium version.
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