Pixel Launcher

anon(8312128)

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Dec 4, 2013
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Am I correct in that you can not have folders in the app drawer with Pixel Launcher? Just wanted to make sure I'm not missing something obvious here.

Looks like you're only option is to have folders on the home screen(s) ... which is fine, but then you're on your own to alphabetize them yourself? Very iOS-esque. UGH! This is why I ditched iOS and Apple.

You'd think there would at least be an option to auto-alphabetize the apps once they're in a folder.
 
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Thanks, Gary. I'm very much aware of the other launcher options. It just puzzles me as to why Google wold choose not to include such a basic feature. I mean, I know it's a bare bones style kind of launcher, but this really makes folders useless in my mind.

I certainly understand what you're saying. When I get a new Google phone I always give the native launcher a try. It doesn't take me long to be disappointed and change to my Nova Launcher Prime. I might add that the the feature to have folders and tabs in the app drawer is only available with Nova Launcher Prime.
 
I certainly understand what you're saying. When I get a new Google phone I always give the native launcher a try. It doesn't take me long to be disappointed and change to my Nova Launcher Prime. I might add that the the feature to have folders and tabs in the app drawer is only available with Nova Launcher Prime.

Good to know, thank you
 
Am I correct in that you can not have folders in the app drawer with Pixel Launcher?
...
but then you're on your own to alphabetize them yourself?
You're correct on all fronts.
Perhaps Google just doesn't want to put the other launcher developers out of business. They could certainly do a better job with this one if they listened to their users...
 
For those of you using Pixel Launcher exclusively, do you create/use folders despite the limitations? Do you manually alphabetize them, or just not bother?
 
I use a folder on my home screen and put the most used ones closer to the easiest spots to reach one handed.
 
For those of you using Pixel Launcher exclusively, do you create/use folders despite the limitations? Do you manually alphabetize them, or just not bother?

I have 5 folders on my homescreen of varying sizes. Some are alphabetized manually (mildly inconvenient as I mastered my ABCs a long time ago) and others have their contents ordered by logical function (e.g., in my audio folder I have audiobook apps on one row and music player apps on another row)
 
multiple folders on the home screen, don't care much to alphabetize within the folder...... arranged the apps in the order they are most used.
 
Several folders on my home screen - one for the minor Google apps, one for Italian language stuff, one for banking apps, and so on.

More importantly - and some people don't seem to be aware that you can do this - I also have folders in the very bottom row - the row that doesn't change as you swipe to other home screes. Camera-related stuff in the folder at far left, messaging in the one next to it, and Internet-related stuff in the 2nd from the right.
 
Its painful not using Nova...Its like living in a bare bones cabin in Alaska:p
 
Its painful not using Nova...Its like living in a bare bones cabin in Alaska:p

Not for me..

As a Nova user on any other phone that I had, except for the gestures (that I miss a lot) I find the stock pixel launcher works flawless and smoother :)
 
Yeah, I've never enjoyed an OEM launcher as much as I do the pixel. I still switch around but for speed and fluidity I'm sold on it. As for folders not being able to put in the app drawer. There are plenty of other places. Not been an issue. One thing I would like tho is the ability to hide certain apps I never use. keep the app drawer clutter down a bit. I also have Nova set up just like the pixel launcher so there is that. Still really enjoying this device tho.
 
Its painful not using Nova...Its like living in a bare bones cabin in Alaska:p

Some see austerity...others (like me) elegant simplicity.

I'm a long time user of Nova and still use it on my 2 tablets, my spare Moto E4 Plus and 3 "throwaway" phones (cheapos that I picked up to play with). My Pixel 2 is the only one where I went with the default launcher over Nova. As smooth as Nova is, the Pixel Launcher is still smoother.
 
For those of you using Pixel Launcher exclusively, do you create/use folders despite the limitations? Do you manually alphabetize them, or just not bother?

Yes, I create/use folders and manually arrange apps within the folders by frequency of use.
 
Its painful not using Nova...Its like living in a bare bones cabin in Alaska:p

As others have said, I'm enjoying the simplicity and fluidity of the Pixel Launcher. I've previously had 3 Motorola phones and 2 Nexus tablets and have used Nova Launcher Prime exclusively on those devices. When I got my Pixel 2, I thought I'd give the stock Pixel Launcher a go and it's working perfectly fine for me. I like the Now Playing and At a Glance features too.

Nova has a lot of nice customization bells and whistles which I liked in my earlier Android days, but I guess I'm going back to the basics now.

One thing I'm not sure about though...with Nova Launcher, you can backup your homescreen settings so if you have to do a factory data reset, it's super easy to restore your launcher settings. I haven't had to do an FDR on my Pixel 2, but I'm thinking if you have to do one, you'll have to re-build your homescreens from scratch. Does anyone know if that's true?
 
Speaking of Nova ... do any of you experience any bugs/glitches when it comes to folders? I'm checking out Nova now .. everything seems great, except folders seem to be kinda buggy ... I'll go back and check a folder and there's apps in there that I didn't put in there (weird stuff). The way I'm building folders is:

Settings > app & widget drawers > drawer groups > folders > + > add apps

Is that the right way to do it?