One of Android’s most beloved customization tools is coming to an abrupt end. Nova Launcher, the third-party home screen that powered countless phones for more than a decade, is shutting down, and the community that grew up with it is openly grieving the loss.
For many Android users, Nova wasn’t just an app; it was the default way to make any phone feel personal, fast, and consistent. Its exit closes a formative chapter in Android’s modding culture.
What happened to Nova Launcher
Founder and longtime developer Kevin Barry announced that he has left Branch, the analytics company that acquired Nova Launcher in 2022, and that active development has ceased. In a public note to users, Barry said he had been the sole maintainer for the past year and had been preparing to release Nova as open source—work that was halted, leaving no community handoff.
Nova’s last stable update landed in May 2024. The app remains installable for now, but with no ongoing maintenance, compatibility will inevitably erode as Android evolves and OEM skins change. Barry’s departure follows workforce reductions at Branch in 2024 that, by his account, left him alone on the project.
Why Nova mattered
Since its early 2010s debut, Nova Launcher earned a reputation as the gold standard for Android customization. According to Google Play data, it surpassed 50 million installs, a staggering figure for a power-user tool that thrived on word of mouth and long-term trust.
Nova offered granular control that stock launchers rarely matched: custom grid sizes, subgrid positioning, gesture shortcuts, icon packs and dynamic badges, per-drawer tabs, and deep backup/restore. It gave enthusiasts the flexibility of a custom ROM without unlocking the bootloader, and it gave everyday users a way to standardize the experience across wildly different phones.
Crucially, Nova kept pace with Android’s constant shape-shifting—from the Holo era to Material Design to gesture navigation—often delivering new capabilities faster than OEM launchers. It’s hard to overstate how many reviewers, themers, and accessibility-focused users built their workflows around it.
A community says goodbye
Reaction across Reddit’s Android communities and long-running forums was immediate and heartfelt. Users called Nova “legendary,” sharing screenshots of home screens that had survived multiple phone upgrades—Nexus to Pixel, Galaxy to OnePlus—thanks to Nova’s reliable backups and consistent feel.
Several longtime fans framed the shutdown as the end of an era, noting that Nova helped define Android’s identity as the platform where you can make your phone truly yours. Barry acknowledged the outpouring, responding to messages of support and reflecting on the difficulty of stepping away.
The broader challenge for third‑party launchers
Nova’s fate also highlights how tough the launcher business has become. System-level changes since Android 10—particularly gesture navigation, per-app recents integration, and OEM-specific permissions—have made deep customization harder and more brittle. Every major Android revision forces launchers to reimplement core behaviors with limited hooks.
Sustainability is another factor. Premium one-time purchases (like Nova Prime) fund development up front, but they don’t guarantee long-term revenue to cover years of maintenance. Without a broader team or an open-source safety net, a single maintainer model carries inherent risk—one departure can end the project overnight.
What users can do now
If Nova is still running well on your device, it won’t stop immediately. The risk is future compatibility and bug fixes. Before switching, export your Nova configuration using the built-in backup tool so you have a snapshot of your layout and settings for reference.
As for replacements, several credible options remain. Lawnchair offers an open-source approach with Material You theming and a familiar layout. Niagara focuses on a minimalist, one-handed list UI that’s great for large screens. Hyperion caters to power users with extensive theming and gesture support. Mainstream alternatives like Microsoft Launcher and Smart Launcher provide robust features, though none replicate Nova’s entire toolkit.
No substitute is a one-to-one match, but mixing careful icon pack choices, gesture settings, and backup habits can restore much of what made Nova special. The community has already begun sharing migration tips and template layouts in forums and on Reddit.
A defining app bows out
Nova Launcher didn’t just tweak home screens; it helped set expectations for how customizable Android should be. Its shutdown is a reminder that even pillar apps can be vulnerable when platforms shift and business models tighten. For millions who tailored their devices with Nova, it’s a poignant goodbye to a tool that shaped their daily experience—one swipe and icon at a time.