It's not a GrapheneOS issue. We didn't change anything which could have caused this.
3rd party launchers gesture issues
GrapheneOS I do not know who is responsible and could help to fix that. Is it Google to check this, as Launcher3 is Google's? I am in the situation that I avoid using my Pixel 8 Pro since month, and keep using my old Andorid 10 phone which is unpatched since years (!), because 3rd party launchers do seem to not run propertly on GOS (I have tried a lot of em and they all show the same issue). I'm not pointing with the finger to GOS or anyone else, I am just looking for help. I ask for help since several month in this matter and do the best I can do by investigate and provide informations myself, with the very limited knowledge and possibilties I have. What else can I do?
I know this doesn't really help you, but I have no issues like the one you are facing using Lawnchair 14.
Vagabond8630 I know this doesn't really help you, but I have no issues like the one you are facing using Lawnchair 14.
Thank you for your feedback. Which version are you using exactly? Owner profile only, or other profiles as well? The last tests I did with Lawnchair was some weeks/month ago and had the described issue (as well as a couple of other 3rd party launchers too). Lawnchair honestly isn't on my list anymore, as changing settings completely messed up the whole home screen (widgets gone, layout gone).
Is split screen working with Lawnchair? When I use split screen with a 3rd party launcher, I get a crash too in launcher3. Same issue, using a 3rd party launcher, but the stock launcher crashed in background (quickstep?).
Have tons of issues as well with O launcher, freezes every now and than, sometimes app drawer does not open and you have to force stop launcher app for some reason in settings.
TRInvictus Which version are you using exactly? Owner profile only, or other profiles as well?
I've been with Lawnchair 14 Beta 2 since they released it (Apr-3) and no issues. And yes, split screen works.
I use it in the Owner profile only with no fancy features enabled.
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I'm on the nightly version, and I have no such updates as the ones that you are seeing.
Owner profile only, and changing the settings does not impact my setup. If you are afraid of your home set up breaking, Lawnchair has a backup feature, so you can create a backup of your homescreen before making any changes.
Also no issues using split screen in Lawnchair.
One "issue" that I have with Lawnchair is that Lawnchair's Home settings
menu is like 30fps and is super slow, which is jarring to see after getting used to the 120hz high refresh screen. But nothing breaks, and all the menus all work, so it's only a cosmetic issue.
Thank you all for sharing your experiences, very much appreciated.
Oggyo I've been with Lawnchair 14 Beta 2
Tried that release now too, but still the same issue, black screen now and then, and an exception in Launcher3.
Vagabond8630 Owner profile only, and changing the settings does not impact my setup
When I add a row/column to the home screen, or to the dock, for example, the complete home screen is reset and messed up. I'd say ok that this happen when removing a row (as there might not be enough space left), but adding one, or even add one more icon to the dock, that mess should not happen :-(
Vagabond8630 Also no issues using split screen in Lawnchair.
Oggyo And yes, split screen works.
Good that you mention that, I get an exception when using split screen. Happens with other 3rd party launchers too.
May I kindly ask which device you're running GOS on?
I'm on a Pixel 8 Pro. Maybe there's an incosistency in the implementation of Launcher3 not causing issues on every Pixel....?
Anyhow, I'm desperate. Tried so many launchers, same issue since month. Repeating myself, using the phone is a pain, exposing myself to risks by keeping my holey Android 10 for everyday-use.
What shall I do? Reset, re-flash the phone? Loosing everything I set up carefully, with zero guarantee for success?
Launcher3 is part of the system, I cannot imaging how I messed that up, making it that "bitchy" versus 3rd party launchers?
Any advices? Thank you
UndercoverBozo
Nova Launcher has been spyware since 2020 or earlier.
Maybe Nova Launcher has always been spyware?
I used it on a Fairphone 3+ and then also on the Fairphone 4.
Without network authorisations, of course.
But since I've been using GOS, I no longer need to replace system apps like the dialer, launcher, keyboard, camera, PDF, etc. with third-party software because the few apps that come with GOS are all pretty good.
And if you're not an app collector, but only install the necessary apps and only arrange the ones you need all the time on the home screen, you don't have to scroll on the Pixel 8 Pro to see them all (but you do on the Pixel 7 Pro …).
TRInvictus I'm on 8 Pro having graphical issues with all 3rd party launchers I tried. Not as extreme as yours but still. I guess it's not grapheneos but an android problem based on what people say on the internet. Maybe 3 button navigation instead of gestures could help.
UndercoverBozo dont allow network privileges
TRInvictus When I add a row/column to the home screen, or to the dock, for example, the complete home screen is reset and messed up.
Hmm, you're right. I made a back-up before trying to add a new row, and every icon and widget that I had set up all got pushed and squished to the top, instead of an empty row getting added to the bottom with the icon and widget placements intact.
I suppose the best way would be to first predetermine your grid size, and then create your desired home screen setup based on the set grid size. This seems like a Lawnchair issue, rather than a Pixel/GOS issue.
May I kindly ask which device you're running GOS on?
I'm on a regular Pixel 8.
What shall I do? Reset, re-flash the phone? Loosing everything I set up carefully, with zero guarantee for success?
What you're going through sounds like a major pain, I'm sorry you're going through that. One thing I suggest you try is to create a new user profile, which will essentially create a fresh install of GOS on a different "partition", without impacting your existing data.
See if the same issue happens on the other user profile, on the stock launcher, without you making any changes. If it does, then something is definitely wrong with your install of GOS (although unlikely), and you should try re-flashing GOS from scratch after a factory reset.
If not, then somehow & somewhere, some crucial UI setting must have been misconfigured while you were setting up your device, so a factory reset alone should be fine.
Eagle_Owl And if you're not an app collector, but only install the necessary apps and only arrange the ones you need all the time on the home screen, you don't have to scroll on the Pixel 8 Pro to see them all
I'm not an "app collector" I guess, but I have quite some. Even when grouped in folders, the stock Launcher3 on P8P has only a 5x5 grid, that's waste of space to me, especially vertically.
I was thinking about replacing my iPad Pro with a Pixel Tablet (with GOS of course), but only 5x5 on an even bigger screen is not the way I can go.
Jdjdoefndbej Thank you for sharing your experience, very much appreciated, sorry to hear it's a negative one too.
So AOSP, probably, changed something, breaking any 3rd party launcher that does not update to that? Hmm. I somehow can't imagine, they all release launchers without testing them? At least not testing them on Android 14. "Total Launcher" eg. stated in the last few releases, that it was updated to run on Android 14, but seems not to be the case in any case. Lawnchair 14, guess "14" means "compatible, ready for Android 14", but not in every case too.
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TRInvictus home screen is for widgets, for quick overview, not really for app shortcuts. If you really must have it, create up to five folders (I use 4x4 grid) with app shortcuts by category and place them in the dock (bottom of the screen). All my apps fit on one page in the app drawer (which you invoke by swiping up). I am certainly not an app collector, all my apps must have an absolute need to be on my device, all else is done via Vanadium. I am driven by effectivity and privacy. No Google Play Services utilized, all default apps apart from Gallery being used. Only one profile (to prevent upstream AOSP bugs) with always on VPN.
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Vagabond8630 I suppose the best way would be to first predetermine your grid size, and then create your desired home screen setup based on the set grid size. This seems like a Lawnchair issue, rather than a Pixel/GOS issue.
Seems to be an issue of a bunch of launchers sharing the same code base, don't remember the names, but they all behaved messy like that when changing the grid.
It's a handy feature to change the grid size when setting up the home screen, adding/resizing widgets etc. I don't know the "perfect" size in advance :-(
Vagabond8630 One thing I suggest you try is to create a new user profile, which will essentially create a fresh install of GOS on a different "partition", without impacting your existing data.
That's how I started with, a throw-away user to test launchers. Having the problems, I searched the internet, and read that non-owner is prone to problems with 3rd party launchers (due to AOSP I guess). Don't know the actual state of that (that was end of last year, if I recall correctly). So I moved on testing launchers in the owner profile, with the same result.
Vagabond8630 If it does, then something is definitely wrong with your install of GOS (although unlikely), and you should try re-flashing GOS from scratch after a factory reset.
If not, then somehow & somewhere, some crucial UI setting must have been misconfigured while you were setting up your device, so a factory reset alone should be fine.
I can't imagine how that could have happened....? Launcher3 is a system app, I can't mess with that. And I haven't set any dev settings or alike that may have an impact. I can't imagine that something went wrong when I flashed GOS, there's nothing that can go wrong such specifically.
Re-flashing is throwing away everything I set up "ultra sigh"
TRInvictus it's a known bug and launcher developers can't really do much unfortunately
https://www.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/s/jf7vI64sDs
https://www.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/s/lrrusiSKM9
Sorry for reddit links
So yeah I'm just praying graphene os devs will invest some time to improve stock graphene launcher customisation. I saw official graphene os account mentioned that they will work on phone, sms and gallery apps eventually. So maybe we'll be heard and some day they be willing to modernize the launcher too (at least more grid size options, for example I need 4x6)
[deleted] home screen is for widgets, for quick overview, not really for app shortcuts. If you really must have it, create up to five folders (I use 4x4 grid) with app shortcuts by category and place them in the dock (bottom of the screen)
I use the home screen for app shortcuts, grouped in folders. And 5x5 grid isn't enough for me. Same is the dock with a max of 5 shortcuts. That's with no widgets (yet).