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Get the new Nexus launcher look with this simple Nova recipe

If you can't wait to get your hands on the new Google Nexus launcher you can recreate it right now using Nova Launcher, Zooper Widgets and this easy guide.
By
August 2, 2016

It will probably only take the Nova team a few days to incorporate the new Nexus launcher into their app proper, but if you’re simply dying to have it right now, you can. Using Nova Launcher, a couple widgets and an icon pack, you can pretty effectively recreate the new Google launcher right now on your very own device, even if it isn’t a Nexus.

Industrious Nova user and XDA contributor Corey Zonin came up with the recipe. It uses:

New Google Nexus launcher Nova

How to build the Nexus launcher in Nova

To get things setup you’ll need to first install Nova as your default launcher as you normally would. Then install Polycon icon packinstall Zooper Widgets Pro and download the two Nexus launcher widgets. Move these .zw files to sdcard/ZooperWidget/Templates

Long press on your home screen to add a 4×1 Zooper Widget right up top. Tap it and choose configure > select SD Card > select nexus_launcher_top to get the Google button and date widget. Resize as necessary.

Back on the home screen, add another Zooper Widget, this time a 1×1 which you should center right above the dock icons. Tap it and locate the other .zw file on your SD card: nexus_launcher_drawer and back out of Zooper to finalize.

Now, in Nova settings (just long-press the home screen and choose settings), apply the following settings and values:

Desktop

  • Width padding > None
  • Persistent search bar disabled
  • Page indicator > None

App & widget drawers

  • App drawer style > Vertical
  • Card background disabled
  • Background > White at 10% transparency
  • Enable fast scrollbar enabled
  • Scroll accent color > teal
  • Transition animation > Slide up

Dock

  • Dock Background:
    • Shape > Rectangle
    • Content > Tint > White
    • Transparency > 90%
  • Dock icons > 5

Folders

  • Folder preview > Grid
  • Folder background > N Preview

Gestures & inputs

  • Swipe up > App Drawer

You’ll now access Google Now by tapping the Google button and Calendar by tapping the date. You can swipe up from anywhere on the home screen to launch the app drawer, but tapping the little arrow on top of the dock will achieve the same. If you don’t really like this feature you can always just leave it out of the steps above. You can grab the leaked 2016 Nexus wallpapers to complete the look.

Seems those rumors of Android 7.0 doing away with the Android app drawer weren’t entirely incorrect after all.

What do you think of the new Nexus launcher? Do you prefer this app drawer method to the current one?

Don’t miss: Download the leaked Galaxy Note 7 wallpapers here