Google is making some updates to the Pixel Launcher in the upcoming Android 15 release. The Pixel Launcher app controls the home screen and recents screen on Pixel phones. Changes include a new swipe-to-home animation, a new title bar in the recents screen, improved widget recommendations, and more.
A launcher is the app that powers your phone’s home screen, and there are many options to choose from on Android. While most people use the default launcher, like the Pixel Launcher on Google’s Pixel phones, there are others like Nova Launcher that offer more customization options. The Pixel Launcher is continuing to add features with each Android release, and the upcoming Android 15 update will bring some tweaks to the app launching experience.
Next, the Pixel Launcher will improve its widget recommendations in Android 15, offering more categories and easier access to adding widgets to the home screen. The recents screen UI will also be updated to make it easier to access the menu for each app.
These changes may not be live in the current Android 15 beta, as some flags need to be manually enabled to see them. However, these updates should enhance the user experience and may be rolled out in the stable version of Android 15 later this year. It is unclear if these changes will be available on devices from other OEMs using the stock launcher in AOSP.