The best part about owning an Android smartphone is that you can always switch things up. You can change the default texting app, the default browser, and even the default launcher.
However, every Android OEM includes its own launcher by default. Samsung uses its One UI launcher, OnePlus ships with the OLauncher, and Google includes the Pixel Launcher on its Pixel phones.
While Pixel Launcher used to be one of my favorite Android launchers in 2015, Google hasn’t added many new features in recent years, and it’s starting to fall behind.
Here are a few key features that are available in most Android launchers but still missing from Google’s Pixel Launcher.
9
Still no support for third-party custom icon packs
You’re stuck with Google’s defaults unless you use another launcher
Android is all about customization and giving users the freedom to personalize their smartphones, but one basic feature the Pixel Launcher has lacked since its release is support for third-party app icon packs.
Most popular third-party launchers, such as Nova Launcher and Lawnchair, support third-party icon packs, and some allow individual app icon theming, so you can mix and match between different styles.
Yet, Google still hasn’t added support for this feature to the Pixel Launcher.
While Google has introduced themed icons that pull colors from your wallpaper to match your overall theme, the system doesn’t work consistently. You’ll still see icons that don’t match the theme, which can look out of place.
The Pixel 9 is Google’s most affordable 2024 flagship, making a few compromises when compared to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL while retaining the Google smarts the lineup has become known for. An upgraded 48MP ultra-wide camera is paired with a 50MP main shooter, and the selfie cam added autofocus. All of this comes with new Gemini AI features and a 2,700-nit Actua display for exceptional value at its price point.
8
You can’t fully remove the At a Glance widget
Turning it off doesn’t reclaim the space it still occupies
One of the best features of a Google Pixel device is the At a Glance widget. It displays your most important info on the home screen, such as flight details, weather alerts, and calendar events, which can be incredibly useful.
What if someone doesn’t want to use the At a Glance widget and would prefer to reclaim that space? Unfortunately, that’s not possible.
While the Pixel Launcher offers an option to turn off At a Glance, it doesn’t fully disable it. The time and weather info still remain, and you can’t truly use that space for anything else — why, Google?
7
No way to lock your home screen layout in place
One accidental drag and your setup can get messed up fast
If you, like me, prefer your home screen set up just the way you like it and don’t want it messed up, you’re probably wondering why Google hasn’t added this feature.
Most third-party launchers offer the ability to lock the home screen layout. This prevents you from accidentally dragging or removing app icons and widgets. Even if you long press something by mistake, your layout stays intact.
On Google Pixel phones, this feature isn’t available. That means one accidental drag, and your carefully arranged home screen can get completely messed up.
The Pixel 9 Pro is a new addition to Google’s lineup, slotting in as a smaller premium flagship to pair with the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The latter is the direct successor to 2023’s Pixel 8 Pro despite its new XL moniker, whereas the Pixel 9 Pro brings a new form-factor to Google’s high-end offerings, sporting the same dimensions as the standard Pixel 9 model while packing all the AI and camera prowess we’ve grown accustomed to from Google’s Pro lineup.
6
No support for gestures or shortcut customization
Can’t double-tap to lock or remap swipe gestures like other launchers allow
Another area where the Pixel Launcher falls behind is gesture customization.
On other Android launchers — like the one on the OnePlus 13 or third-party options like Nova Launcher — you can customize the swipe-down gesture to either open the Notification/Quick Settings tray or bring up search. But this isn’t possible on the Pixel Launcher.
By default, Pixel Launcher only allows swipe-down to show notifications, and you can’t change it to anything else.
It also lacks other shortcut actions, like double-tapping an empty area on the home screen to lock the display. These are genuinely useful features I’ve enjoyed on other Android phones, but they’re still missing from the Pixel Launcher.
5
The Google Search bar is fixed and cannot be repositioned
It stays stuck where it is, no matter what your home screen needs
Being an Android launcher from Google, it’s no surprise that the Pixel Launcher features easy access to Google Search with a prominent search bar at the bottom.
And it’s genuinely helpful. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve used it to look something up quickly on the go.
However, the issue is that Google offers no customization options for it. You can only change the theme of the search bar, and even that’s tied to the overall Android system theme (light or dark mode).
Other Android launchers allow you to tweak things like the opacity of the search widget, split it into separate icons for voice search and Google Search, and more.
But none of that is possible on Pixel phones. You can’t even reposition the search bar on the Pixel Launcher.
4
No way to show badge counts on app icons
You won’t see how many messages or alerts you have at a glance
Unlike Apple iPhones, Google offers a very minimal way to show pending notifications on app icons in the launcher.
The Pixel Launcher shows a small colored dot in the upper-right corner whenever there are pending notifications from an app.
While this is clean and subtle, and a quick way to see if you’ve missed something, I’d love the option to choose between notification dots and actual numbers.
3
Folders can’t be customized for better usability
No long folder shapes, tap-to-launch, or other advanced layout options
Android launchers on other smartphones like Xiaomi, Oppo, and even Huawei offer great folder customization options.
For example, on OnePlus phones, you can create a compact, row-style folder that takes up less space but retains full functionality.
You can even tap app icons within the folder to launch them, while still having the option to tap the multi-app icon to open the folder fully.
This setup looks aesthetically pleasing and also gives you more control over how your home screen looks and works.
Unfortunately, none of these customizations are available on the Pixel Launcher. It only offers a basic, static folder layout with no options for resizing, app previews, or interactive icon behavior.
The OnePlus 13 is a beast of a phone. With a refreshed design, a mostly curveless display, and a massive 6,000mAh battery capable of getting you through a day without breaking a sweat, this could be the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered smartphone to beat in 2025. And hey, it’s got a pretty great camera system, too.
2
Hiding or pinning apps in the drawer isn’t possible
You can’t clean up or organize your drawer without workarounds
One of the most basic features I find frustratingly missing from the Pixel Launcher is the ability to easily lock, hide, or pin apps.
Most Android smartphones, and even Apple iPhones, offer options to lock apps, hide them, or move them to a private space within the launcher, but Google doesn’t include any of these features by default.
Yes, you can technically create a locked apps folder on Pixel devices, but only after setting up a Private Space. There’s no simple or intuitive way to lock or hide apps directly from the launcher.
We all have sensitive apps we don’t want on full display — or maybe you just want to hide games when kids are around — but that’s not easily possible on Pixel phones.
1
No option to back up or restore your home setup
Switch phones or reset, and you start from scratch every time
Another useful feature the Pixel Launcher lacks is native support for offline backup and restore.
By default, the launcher backs up your home screen settings and app layout to Google Backup. But if that’s turned off or your cloud storage is full, your setup isn’t saved.
There’s no option to manually back up your Pixel Launcher setup offline or restore it later.
This would not only be helpful if your phone accidentally breaks, but it would also make sharing home screen setups between users much easier. It’s one of the features that other Android launchers have supported for a long time.
The Pixel Launcher is still missing some really basic stuff
I’ll be honest — I love using Google Pixel phones. The upcoming Pixel 10 series has me excited all over again, but some of the basic omissions still leave me frustrated.
There are plenty of useful AI features on Pixel devices, but these small missing pieces are hard to ignore. It’d be great to see Google finally bring them on board.
