The 6 features of the Pixel Launcher that we detest

Summary

The 6 features of the Pixel Launcher ..On all Google Pixel phones, the Pixel Launcher comes pre-installed. Despite having a lot of features, Google’s stock launcher has few personalization choices.

The 6 features of the Pixel Launcher

That’s unfortunate, particularly when it’s been more than five years since Google broke custom launchers’ ability to use navigation gestures, making it challenging to switch to an alternate launcher. You can either utilize a custom launcher with glitchy gestures or the original launcher, which has less functions.
What, though, is wrong with Google’s launcher? These are our top six complaints regarding the Pixel Launcher.

1- limited ability to customize the app grid

maximizing the use of large screens

With the Pixel Launcher, Google allows you to personalize the app grid on the home screen. The choices are extremely constrained, which is the issue. There are variations ranging from 2×2 to 5×5. Although most users should be able to get by with the latter, Google ought to provide a 6×5 or 6×6 app grid option as well, particularly for larger devices like the Pixel 8 Pro. Additionally, there is no way to modify the size of the app icon.

You are unable to customize your Pixel’s home screen due to certain restrictions. Your modifications have to work within Google’s available options, which can occasionally feel constrained.

The 6.7-inch QHD+ display of the Pixel 8 Pro makes the 5×5 app grid size and the huge icons seem out of place. The very large space between the dock and home screen icons is even worse. Google has the ability to remedy this at any time, and since smartphones are here to stay, it should be a top priority for the business.

2- A Quick Overview widget

Good tools or unnecessary space?

Google forbids you from removing the At a Glance widget on the Pixel Launcher’s home screen, whether you like it or not. The widget is convenient and may display pertinent information quickly, such as the boarding gate for your trip, the status of your Uber journey, a cross-device timer, and more. You have to learn to live with it, though, regardless of whether you want this widget on your home screen.

The main features of At a Glance can be disabled, but the widget itself will always remain on your home screen, showing the current time, date, and weather. With the Pixel Launcher’s restricted customization choices for the app grid, you won’t have much room on your main home screen for widgets and app shortcuts.

3- Google Search bar was fixed.

An extraneous augmentation

The Pixel Launcher features a fixed Google Search bar at the bottom, as if the permanent At a Glance widget and the restricted app grid modification choices weren’t enough. No, you are unable to get rid of it.

With the widget, you can instantly search Google, use Google Lens, find contacts or messages, do voice search, and much more. The search box is very helpful. But, you are out of luck if you don’t want it.

4- App drawer customisation is lacking

Is Google familiar with folders?

The app drawer doesn’t offer the same customization choices as the Pixel Launcher, which allows you to create folders on your home screen for app organization. In contrast to other launchers, you are unable to divide apps and games into individual tabs or use folders to arrange them inside the drawer.

Rather, all you get is a vertically scrolling app drawer that is grid-style and supports searches. It may take some time to go through this list if you have a lot of installed games and apps. In contrast, you may hide the program icon labels in the app drawer, alter the grid size, and more using the Nova launcher.

It’s unfortunate that the Pixel Launcher lacks app drawer modifications for an OS that allows you to configure things the way you want.

5- No support for third-party icon packs

Content You are not the ideal answer.

Although icon packs are a common method of customizing the home screen of your phone, Pixel Launcher does not support them at this time. Rather, it makes use of themed icons, which can provide a cohesive appearance depending on your wallpaper. Still, there are drawbacks to this strategy. The lack of themed icon support in many apps after Android 13’s release more than a year and a half ago results in a patchy user experience.

Furthermore, Google hasn’t made a concerted effort to promote themed icons among app developers. The Pixel Launcher’s third-party icon pack support would free Google (and consumers) from relying on app developers to offer themed icons.

Integrating icon packs into the Pixel Launcher shouldn’t be too difficult. However, Google is unlikely to do so, and this is probably more a result of its goal than of a technical constraint. It’s unfortunate, considering the lovely icon sets for Android launchers that are out there. Fortunately, you can modify the app icons on your Pixel using a workaround.

6-Absent motions

Please provide us with some quick cuts. Google

In addition to having few customization options, the Pixel Launcher performs poorly when it comes to gesture support. It only supports two gestures: depending on your settings, a swipe up will bring up the app drawer or app search, and a swipe down on the home screen will expose the notification shade. Even worse, you cannot customize these gestures.

You can use gestures on third-party launchers to put your phone to sleep, access specific apps, and more. I can rapidly open desired apps or contacts on my phone by mapping Sesame search to a double-tap gesture in Nova Launcher. Swiping up with two fingers opens my wife’s Telegram chat, and swiping down with two fingers opens my phone’s settings menu.

Google has to improve the Pixel launcher

There isn’t much space for you to personalize the home screen of your Pixel due to all these Pixel Launcher restrictions. This is incongruous with an operating system that was previously advertised with a “be together. not the same” campaign, when Google displayed various Nova Launcher home screens on a billboard located in New York.

We think Android still need third-party launchers because of these limitations, and fortunately, there is a sizable collection of the finest Android launchers.