That’s because Nova Launcher needs to be set as your default Home app. You can choose to start fresh, find an old Nova Launcher setup, or use your current home screen as a basis, as well as decide whether you want an apps button, and dark mode settings.Īfter this though, you’re likely to be kicked back to your regular home screen. To get started, launch the app and it’ll walk you through the process of setting up your Nova Launcher homepage.

Remember, you’ll need both the Nova Launcher and Nova Launcher Prime apps installed to use your Prime benefits. If you’re not convinced, ask for your money back - the Google Play Store lets you refund any app purchase made less than 48 hours ago. Run it through its paces and see if you like it and if you find yourself bumping up against its limitations, consider making the purchase.Īlternatively, consider buying Nova Launcher Prime and trying it for a day. It’s a lot to consider, but here’s our recommendation: Unless there’s a Nova Launcher Prime feature you don’t think you will be able to live without, try the free version first. In short, quite a lot of additional custom options. You also get custom drawer groups, which let you create new tabs or folders in the app drawer, an option to hide apps from the app drawer, custom per-folder and per-icon swipe gestures, and an expanded list of scroll effects. Nova Launcher Prime lets you assign gestures (e.g., pinch, double-tap) to apps on the home screen, and adds unread counts - little overlay badges that indicate unread messages - across the launcher. What’s the difference between Nova Launcher and Nova Launcher Prime? It comes down to customization. Install it like you would any other app by heading to the Google Play Store, where you will face your first big decision: Whether to settle for the free version of Nova Launcher, or spring for the paid version - Nova Launcher Prime ($5). First thing’s first: You have to download Nova Launcher in order to use it.

Custom app launcher