How to change the default launcher (home app) on Android
Set a new launcher as your default home screen on Pixel, Samsung and other Android phones, switch back at any time and move your layout over. Step by step.
By Syed Zaman · Updated · 2 min read
Quick answer
Install the launcher, then open Settings > Apps > Default apps > Home app and choose it. On Samsung phones the path is Settings > Apps > Choose default apps > Home app. To switch back, select your original launcher in the same place.
What a launcher is
The launcher is the app that draws your home screen, app drawer, folders and dock. Every Android phone ships with one, such as Pixel Launcher or Samsung One UI Home, and you can replace it with another launcher from Google Play without rooting or changing anything else on the phone.
Step 1: install the launcher
Install the launcher from Google Play and open it. Many launchers walk you through setup and offer to set themselves as the default. If yours does not, use the steps below.
Step 2 on Pixel and most Android phones
- Open Settings.
- Go to Apps > Default apps. On some phones it is under Apps > Advanced.
- Tap Home app and choose your new launcher.
- Press Home or swipe up from the bottom to see your new home screen.
Step 2 on Samsung Galaxy phones
- Open Settings > Apps.
- Tap Choose default apps.
- Tap Home app and select your new launcher.
Other phones
Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo, Motorola and other brands use slightly different menus. Open Settings and search for "Home app" or "default launcher"; the right screen is usually the first result. On some phones, pressing Home after installing a launcher also shows a chooser.
How to switch back
Your original launcher stays installed. To go back, open the Home app setting again and select it. Uninstalling the new launcher also returns the phone to its built-in home screen.
Moving your layout to a new launcher
- Take screenshots of your home screens before switching, so you can rebuild them.
- Expect to add widgets again. Widgets belong to each launcher and do not carry over.
- Let the launcher do the sorting. Kore Launcher's Organize into folders sorts apps into categories such as Games, Social and Productivity, and keeps calls and messaging apps on the dock.
- Your apps and their data are not affected. Only the home screen layout changes.
Gestures and the recent apps screen
Gesture navigation works with third-party launchers on current Android versions. On some phones, the recent apps screen or the swipe-home animation looks slightly different from the built-in launcher. That comes from the phone's system software, not from the launcher.
Questions
Is it safe to change the default launcher?
Yes, when you install it from Google Play. A launcher only changes your home screen. Your apps and data stay as they are, and you can switch back at any time.
Will changing launchers delete my apps?
No. Apps stay installed. Only the arrangement of icons, folders and widgets belongs to each launcher.
Why does my phone keep switching back to the old launcher?
Aggressive battery optimization on some phones can stop a third-party launcher. Set the launcher's battery usage to unrestricted, then select it as the Home app again.
Does Kore Launcher cost money?
Kore Launcher is a one-time purchase on Google Play, with no ads and no subscription. The price for your region is shown in Google Play.
Kore Launcher
Home screen launcher for Android
Kore Launcher is a one-time purchase with no ads or subscription: themes, icon packs, Widget Studio, smart folders, several home layouts, universal search and app lock.