Removing the Google bar

[scgf]

This is what my Pixel 2 home screen looks like with Nova Launcher.
I reckon I must be the only Android user who fills his home screens with apps!
Up until the iPhone 5 I was very much an iPhone user and this is one thing that came over to Android with me. I can't see the point in acres of empty screen!

 

[TraderGary]

This is what my Pixel 2 home screen looks like with Nova Launcher.
I reckon I must be the only Android user who fills his home screens with apps!
Up until the iPhone 5 I was very much an iPhone user and this is one thing that came over to Android with me. I can't see the point in acres of empty screen!

For me the point is being able to fill the screen with my own photos and not have my photo cluttered up with icons!
A simple swipe up and I have all my icons.

 

[scgf]

A sort of portable photo frame? Cool if that floats your boat. Most of my photos are taken in landscape so that wouldn't really work for me anyway. I'm happy to browse Google Photos if I want to view a photo. I like a functional home screen. Don't you use widgets either? An interesting Android paradigm though.

 

[TraderGary]

That's the beauty of Android! You can float your boat and I can float mine! With iOS everyone has to be in the same boat!

 

[scgf]

Absolutely! I bought the iPhone X recently, knowing I could return it for refund. OMG! I really expected that iOS would have moved on since I used it on the iPhone 5. It hasn't. It's basically the same as it was from the start - a static grid of icons with zero flexibility. It felt like I was using a kiosk in a mall. Dreadful. Worse than dreadful. It felt so good when I returned it and got my refund!

 

[Mike Dee]

I thought I was going to hate having the search bar at the bottom, but I like so much better than the top of the screen now.

+1

 

[Mike Dee]

Absolutely! I bought the iPhone X recently, knowing I could return it for refund. OMG! I really expected that iOS would have moved on since I used it on the iPhone 5. It hasn't. It's basically the same as it was from the start - a static grid of icons with zero flexibility. It felt like I was using a kiosk in a mall. Dreadful. Worse than dreadful. It felt so good when I returned it and got my refund!

Agreed....no flexibility is a killer.

 

[Marc S2]

Agreed....no flexibility is a killer.

I think 90+% of us Android users would agree with that statement, which is why it just KILLS ME when Google doesn't understand that!

Give us the flexibility to trash that ginormous search bar eating up valuable real estate! This isn't a Google-subsidized phone in exchange for that. We all know how to search with Google when we want to!

 

[Knightmayre90]

I run Nova too, it's the first thing I install when I get an Android device. so many if us are so particular when it comes to our home screens. Nova let's me get it just right. the only sad thing is every phone I buy ends up looking the same lol. but that's the joy of Android, it's my home screen, it's my choice.

 

[ptkelly]

For me the point is being able to fill the screen with my own photos and not have my photo cluttered up with icons!
A simple swipe up and I have all my icons.

For me, by simply tapping one icon of the 26 on my Home screen, I get all my photos. My wallpaper is simply Gooey Licroice. I'm less concerned with how it looks than I am with the number of steps to get to what I want to use.

 

[TraderGary]

And that's the beauty of Android flexibility, ptkelly! You and I can change what we would like to do with Android at the drop of a hat. You gotta love it!

 

[cbreze]

I agree it should be removable or moveable but their are so many options with android that when I decide to go back to the pixel launcher for awhile it's really not a problem as I can leave it for another launcher anytime. What gripes me more about the stock launcher is the notification bar. I wish it had a hide option. Using an iphone at times I hate the rigidity of that OS and that top notification bar is annoying. A simple swipe down is all it needs to view. But having the option to have it either way as well as everything else is what makes android so popular. ....and so much better. Why Apple locks down the app grid to be a certain way is bizarre and a mystery. I see no point to it.

 

[idiotekniques]

Why Apple locks down the app grid to be a certain way is bizarre and a mystery. I see no point to it.

To cater to the lowest common denominator is the only answer I have.

Which is why the X is such a drastic change for Apple. Not even a software home button? In fact I bet it's way too much for a lot of Apple users.

 

[ptkelly]

Good luck with finding anything on that. Anyway if you feel that strongly about it then why buy the phone and give Google the $$$ in the first place?

I like my Pixel 2. But, I prefer using Firefox beta for my browser and DuckDuckGo as my default browser. On my computer, I use IxQuick for my search engine with Firefox beta.

What Google does well I appreciate. What they don't, I avoid. Unlike a government, with businesses we have choices.

 

[dust3yy]

YES there is a way to remove the Google Search Bar on most android device's!! Now I want you to follow these steps: GO TO settings - APPS: Do you see the little scroll bar above that says: downloaded / running / all: I want you to go to the ALL tab and find "LAUNCHER3" Tap on it HIT DISABLE - "RESTART" your ANDROID Device. The Search Bar should no longer be there. Thank you

 

[Knightmayre90]

I use Nova, not because the search bar is an issue only that I like to make my phone fully individual. I would say that the search bar being stuck there may be annoying but you've bought a Google phone, it's part if the deal I guess. I can't recommend Nova enough to those wanting to make their phone exactly as they want, I couldn't go back.

 

[sixty_four]

YES there is a way to remove the Google Search Bar on most android device's!! Now I want you to follow these steps: GO TO settings - APPS: Do you see the little scroll bar above that says: downloaded / running / all: I want you to go to the ALL tab and find "LAUNCHER3" Tap on it HIT DISABLE - "RESTART" your ANDROID Device. The Search Bar should no longer be there. Thank you

This makes no sense to me.

 

[Devhux]

YES there is a way to remove the Google Search Bar on most android device's!! Now I want you to follow these steps: GO TO settings - APPS: Do you see the little scroll bar above that says: downloaded / running / all: I want you to go to the ALL tab and find "LAUNCHER3" Tap on it HIT DISABLE - "RESTART" your ANDROID Device. The Search Bar should no longer be there. Thank you

Considering Launcher3 is the AOSP launcher and NOT what's installed on the Pixel 2, this advice is meaningless. All you've also done is forced another launcher to run instead that's pre-installed on your phone (hint: make sure there is another launcher before attempting something like this or you'll have to factory reset your phone)