Nova Launcher is popularly called the king of Android launchers due to its wondrous capabilities to transform your boring Android device into a most prized possession. The application is free for download from the App market Google Play Store, made by TeslaCoil Software and available in two versions, Nova Launcher & Nova Launcher Prime costing only $5.
When you download the free Nova Launcher, you may find in its Settings that some of the features you would like to access are locked for Prime-only functionality, and that can be a bit frustrating. Although, there is a Gestures option in the Nova Launcher Settings which will get to later. For now, let’s explore some of the Nova Launcher tips, tricks, and Controls For Android in 2017. Shall we?
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Some Cool Nova Launcher Tips and Tricks 2018
1. Unscramble Your Home Screen
A cool feature in Nova Launcher allows you to unscramble your home screen and hide the frequently used or similar apps into a neat folder. But, unlike you commonly drag items into one specific folder, you can actually hide them under one umbrella and even pick one of them as your folder icon. So, you see how easy it is to free up the vast visual space? All you need to do is drag and drop and pick an icon. Long press the folder and you will be presented with two options, Edit & Remove. Click Edit to Rename the folder or pick a different folder icon. While the Remove takes off the entire folder off of the home screen.
You can also signify gestures, as in swipe up to open or tap to explore, etc. You can also make the folders transparent by going to Nova Settings –> Folders –> Under Window, click on Background. Then pick the background color and the percentage of transparency you want.
Unscramble Your Home Screen
Simultaneously you can also tweak the way folders look. Go back to Nova Launcher Settings –> Under Icon click Folder background & select the type of folder background, between None, N Preview, Circle, Square, Platform, Disc or a custom made. Also, change the folder preview from the same place, Nova Launcher Settings –> Under Icon click Folder Preview and select between Stack, Grid, Fan or Line. Return to the home screen and see the changes taking place.
2. Double Tap To Lock
Most of you Android users out there are already familiar with this feature. Double tap to sleep, and double-tap to wake up your Android smartphone. But, what you don’t know is when you use different launchers, such as Nova Launcher, for instance, it takes over the functionality of your smartphone, and changes a few things. These changes don’t just take place on the front-end, which is the interface between the user and the Android device, but also on the back-end a few things are altered automatically. So, the double-tap to lock feature may not automatically work even when you try.
But, there is a workaround and you can get this to work by simply visiting the Nova Launcher Settings –> Gestures & inputs –> Under Button Actions, select Home button –> select Screen lock.
Double Tap To Lock
Now, return to your home screen, by clicking on the Android’s home screen and double-tap on the ‘O’ symbol, which is the home screen button. The first time when you do it, Nova Launcher will present you with two options, first to set up a PIN lock, and the second to turn off the screen only for 5 seconds after you double-tap the home button and, after 5 seconds the phone will go to sleep/lock mode. When you double-tap again to wake up the phone it will either ask you for a lock code if you had chosen for that option (recommended) or if you chose the latter option, then your phone will open right up to the home screen.
Using the same steps as mentioned above, you can also assign an app to open with the home button. As in, when you double-tap the home button, the device will initiate an app. It can be Twitter, Facebook, a Messaging app, or anything of your choosing. You can change this around as many times as you want even in the free version.
To set this up go to, Nova Launcher Settings –> Gestures & inputs –> Under Button Actions, click Home button & select Apps from the middle. Now, simply choose an app that you wish to open with a tap on the home button.
Open App With Home Button
Side Note:
Under Button Actions, you will see an open ‘Only on default page’ which is active by default. You can turn this off by swiping left over the button. What it does is it allows you to double tap on the home screen button, and takes you to the default page on the first tap and then opens the app assigned to the home button.
4. Interface Alteration
With Nova Launcher you can also alter the interface, and play around with the ‘look & feel’ of your device. Simply proceed to Nova Launcher –> Look & feel –> click Icon theme, a pop-up will open to display the options it contains.
Interface Alteration
You can also alter the Screen orientation, Set the Scroll speed, Animation speed, & alter the App animation & tweak the Notification Bar & Search settings.
5. Set-Up Night Mode
Just like you can set up the ‘Do Not Disturb’ option from the notifications bar, the Nova Launcher also has a Night Mode option in Nova Launcher Settings. You can select the activation time, and the end time, which is presented in a neat manner. You get to set the times by moving the hour & minutes hand, which can be a bit of fun.
Night mode
Concurrently, you can also apply the Night mode on the Search bar, Drawer, Drawer icon, & Folders to use the dark theme if activated.
Wrapping Nova launcher tips & tricks,
With all the positives of Nova Launcher, there is certainly a major drawback with its lack of themes. Which is why we at Android Crush, have curated another article dedicated to the nova launcher themes. Be sure to check that out as well. If you liked these nova launcher tips & tricks post, be kind to share, follow and comment below about your experiences!
