Niagara Launcher: Why You Should Install It For Android - Screen Rant

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Niagara Launcher, one of the newest Android launchers to hit the scene, has quickly become one of the top apps that every Android user needs to try. Niagara Launcher has technically been around since 2018 in beta testing, but in February 2021, it officially went public with its version 1.0 release — meaning the app is now ready for the masses.

Despite years of testing and refinement, that didn't make Niagara's official launch any less daunting. The market for Android launchers is well-established here in 2021, meaning that bringing big innovation and new ideas to the table isn't exactly easy. A lot of first-party launchers from the likes of Google and Samsung have gotten really good at this point, and when it comes to third-party launchers, the conversation tends to revolve around big names that have existed in the space for years — such as Nova Launcher, Action Launcher, Smart Launcher, etc.

That didn't stop Niagara Launcher — and lead developer Peter Huber — from trying, though. Niagara Launcher entered the scene with big ideas and bold claims, and after using it on a Galaxy S21 for the past couple of months, there's no hesitation in saying that Niagara Launcher is one of the greats. Here's a closer look at why that is.

Niagara Launcher Is Perfect For One-Handed Use

The primary goal of Niagara Launcher is to make phones easier to use, regardless if it's a large or small one. Rather than giving users multiple home screens to tweak and customize, there's just one home page on Niagara Launcher where everything happens. That may sound horribly chaotic at first, but it ends up working shockingly well in daily use.

Upon setting up Niagara Launcher, users are asked to select a few applications they use the most. Niagara recommends selecting up to eight, but more can be added if they're needed. Now, when someone unlocks their Android phone, all of their favorite apps are ready to use at a moment's notice. Where Niagara's real magic comes into play is how all of the other apps are accessed.

Just place a finger on the alphabet towards the right of the screen and scroll up and down to view all installed applications in alphabetical order. It's positioned perfectly to be accessed with a user's thumb when holding their phone with one hand, and if someone happens to be left-handed, placing their thumb on the left edge of the phone's display still triggers the application list. It's simple, thoughtful, and means it's actually possible to use just about any phone with one hand.

Calendar, Weather, And More In A Single Widget

While easier one-handed use is a big focus for Niagara Launcher, it also exists to simplify the way people use their phones in other areas, too — and one way it does this is with the Niagara Widget. This is the default widget that's present in Niagara Launcher from the get-go, and thanks to a combination of useful information + gorgeous design, it's quickly become a highlight of the entire experience.

The Niagara Widget exists below the clock on the home screen, showing the current date, weather, and any upcoming calendar appointments for the day. That's three bits of useful information on any given day, and it's present on the home screen at all times. However, that's just half of what the Niagara Widget can do.

Tapping on the widget shows an expanded version of it, giving users a vertically scrolling list of calendar appointments for the next few days. There's also an hourly weather forecast next to the current day, along with weather temps for the next two days. It's a fantastic way for someone to pick up their phone, see everything that's happening on that day and the week ahead, and move on with their life. Also, as a sucker for minimalistic design, the way the Niagara Widget is presented is just icing on top. It's clean, easy to read, and just oh so good.

No Folders? No Problem

After playing around with Niagara Launcher for a bit, some users are bound to notice the lack of folders on the home screen. Just about every Android launcher has folders for grouping multiple apps together, but in Niagara Launcher, they don't exist. At least, not how most people would expect.

In the place of folders, Niagara Launcher has "Swipe Actions." Swiping right on an app icon reveals app shortcuts that would normally be found when holding down on an app in any other launcher, but in Niagara, users can also add other applications to this list. As seen in the picture above, swiping right on the SoFi app showcases many other related apps added to the Swipe Action — including PayPal, Amex, Chase, etc.

Going to Swipe Actions from folders takes a bit of getting used to at first, but they quickly come around as a pretty fantastic alternative. It gives users the benefit of being able to quickly tap on an app for instant access, but if they want to see more apps on their home screen, all it takes is a quick swipe to the right. To be perfectly honest, it's hard to imagine going back to regular folders after using Swipe Actions for so long.

Notifications Right On The Home Screen

Android does a fantastic job of handling notifications as it currently stands with Android 11, but Niagara Launcher does something pretty cool to make notifications even easier to access. When a notification is received from Telegram, Slack, Gmail, or anything else, it appears directly on the home screen next to its corresponding app. As if that wasn't enough, users can then swipe right on the notification to further act on it — such as archiving an email or replying to a new text message.

While Android's main notification shade is still the ultimate hub for acting on new messages, emails, etc., being able to immediately see notifications from the most-used applications is amazing. Users can view important pings, act on them, and carry on with their day — all without ever having to swipe down to view the actual notification area.

There is the option to disable the feature should some users find that it makes their home screen a bit too busy, but it's hard to imagine anyone wanting to do that. Like many of Niagara's other features, it isn't easy to go back to a launcher without home screen notifications after using them for so long.

A Launcher Everyone Should Try

Niagara Launcher is available on the Google Play Store right now as a free download (there is an optional paid version with Niagara Pro). If the rest of this article wasn't evident enough, it's strongly recommended that everyone give it a shot if they haven't already. If it ends up not being a good fit, it's just as easy to uninstall and move on.

For users that give it a fair chance, though, that's unlikely to happen. Especially for someone that's been looking for a way to simplify their Android home screen experience and make one-handed use a real possibility, Niagara Launcher has succeeded with flying colors. It's fast, functional, convenient, and one of the best Android apps currently available.

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About The Author

Joseph Maring (46 Articles Published)

Joe has been actively writing and talking about consumer tech since 2012. His biggest passion lies with smartphones, but he's happy to talk your ear off about just about anything with a CPU. He lives in Kalamazoo, MI with his wife, two cats, and pit bull/boxer mix.