I was a Niagara Launcher doubter until I built my ultimate productivity home screen

Android Authority

4 days ago

Andy Walker / Android Authority
There was a time when Nova Launcher was the only home screen app I'd consider using on my Android phones. It was the pinnacle of the genre, offering a dizzying array of customization options and a wealth of search features. However, as my need for a launcher that enhances focus and productivity grew, Nova fell off my radar. I began exploring the many alternatives available.
My current launcher choice is Kvaesitso, thanks to its unique vertically biased design and quick search capabilities. I've also tried stock setups with Pixel Launcher and One UI Home, and even gave Microsoft Launcher a spin for a few weeks. However, more recently, I've been using the latest version of Niagara Launcher. This wasn't because I wanted a change, but to test one of its new features for a hands-on piece. Surprisingly, it's still taking care of my app launching duties as I write this.
What is your home screen philosophy?
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I focus on maximizing efficiency and productivity.
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I focus on aesthetics and visual delight.
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I cram as much as I can on my home screen, widgets and all.
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I don't really have one; I just use the default layout given to me.
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Other (explain your philosophy in the comments).
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As mentioned, I'm always on the lookout for the perfect setup that promotes efficiency and productivity. With Niagara, I believe I've found the best version of this yet.
My vision for a productive home screen
One UI Home
Pixel Launcher
The notions of productivity and efficiency vary for everyone, but for me, it's about minimizing clutter, making shortcuts easy to reach, and maintaining aesthetic consistency. I think of the Android launcher as a road system connecting me to arterial avenues on my phone. It should allow me to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible.
Niagara Launcher's design philosophy dovetails with these goals. If you haven't used it before, it ditches the traditional gridded home screen design found in Nova and others, replacing it with a simplified favorites list and an alphabetical jump list for everything else.
A home screen should have minimal clutter, make shortcuts easy to reach, and offer aesthetic consistency. Niagara covers all bases.
I struggled with this concept when I first used the launcher several years ago, but with my changing demands, it makes plenty of sense now. It allows users to focus in on their list of treasured apps, reducing the time required to find them. It takes some getting used to, but I've found that it saves me heaps of time.
My Niagara Launcher setup, and how I use the launcher's key features
Andy Walker / Android Authority
While Niagara can arrange apps on my home screen automatically by frequency of use, I prefer to organize my favorites manually. I have a habit of frequently opening certain apps, like Instagram, which I want pinned but not easily accessible.
My favorites list is as follows:
Camera WhatsApp Instagram Work (Folder) Weather (Folder) Gmail Google Maps Play Store Firefox RedReader Shopping (Folder) Google News
All told, I have 12 favorites pinned to my home screen, exceeding Niagara's recommendation of eight, but I like to maximize my screen's real estate, and a dozen fits perfectly.
Andy Walker / Android Authority
So why this particular order? Well, these apps are loosely grouped. Those I access often — those numbered between 7 and 11 — are positioned lower down on the list as they're closest to my thumb for one-handed use. At the top, I include apps I use less frequently or those that I generally need two hands to use in any case, like Camera and WhatsApp. Other favorites are arranged around these areas.
Niagara's folder and popup features ensure that I can access even more apps beyond those pinned to my favorites list.
As indicated on the list, I use a combination of favorite shortcuts (shortcuts that immediately open the pinned app after a tap) and Niagara's folder system, which I absolutely love. Folders look and feel like regular favorites, but instead of opening a single app, they expand to reveal more in a pop-up menu. I have folders for Work, Weather, and Shopping, containing apps I frequently visit within these categories.
Niagara allows me to edit the pop-up menus for every favorite, even favorite app shortcuts. I can essentially hide other apps within a single app's shortcut, which is beneficial for quickly accessing genre-adjacent apps. To elaborate, take my Firefox favorite shortcut. Its pop-up includes Firefox Focus, Chrome (personal), Chrome Canary (for work), Authy, and Bitwarden. WhatsApp includes Google Messages and Google Phone. Google Maps includes Waze, OsmAnd, and Tripadvisor.
Pop-ups can also house widgets, and this little detail elevates Niagara's status in my book. Widgets don't expand to fill the entire screen but reside at the top of the pop-up context menu. Widgets can also be stacked, saving space and reducing visual clutter. I use this to great effect within the Weather folder, which houses two Meteogram weather widgets displaying a graph of conditions for the next 12 hours and the next seven days, as well as a Weather & Radar map. I'm also trialing a Google Keep widget that contains my shopping list in the Shopping folder.
Finally, this setup wouldn't be complete without some notification management, and Niagara has become exceptional at quashing these distractions. The launcher displays a summary of notifications below related favorites and folders. For instance, when I get an SMS, that notification appears below WhatsApp's favorite. This little design detail lets me dismiss notifications directly from the home screen.
The Notification Summary feature also provides a digest of notifications every few hours, allowing me to dismiss, action, or reschedule those repetitive but important pings I may have missed.
Niagara makes it easy to view and dismiss notifications directly from the home screen. All it takes is a tap and a swipe.
As I've mentioned, aesthetics are essential for me. Here's how I've set up the various visual elements.
Wallpaper: I previously used a wallpaper changer, but with Niagara, I keep it simple. I use one of the launcher's built-in wallpapers from the Gradient folder. You can see some of the available options in the screenshots above.
Icons: Niagara's icon masking system, Anycons, is the best I've used. It covers every app with a related icon, ensuring aesthetic coherence. To access it, go to Niagara settings > Look > Icons. My current favorite is Bright.
Font: I use my phone's system font for consistency, but Niagara has plenty of great built-in font options. Adjust it by going to Niagara settings > Look > Font. Niagara also supports user-installed fonts, a feature I wish One UI Home had.
Main Widget: I use the Niagara widget as the default home screen header, enabling Weather, Calendar, and Clock options. It also displays playing media from a select list of approved apps and my phone's battery percentage, which is often hidden on the status bar.
Gestures: Niagara has minimal gesture support, but the available options are still quite useful. My current gesture setup includes: Swipe up: Search
Swipe down: Quick shade/notifications
Swipe right on a favorite: Access its pop-up and pinned widgets. This action also dismisses a notification when they're present.
Niagara Button: This user-editable button allows a few more gestures, and a single tap shortcut. My setup includes: Tap: Search
Swipe up: Open phone settings
Every little feature Niagara provides saves me a small sliver of time. Over the course of the day, I'm saving minutes with this setup. Of course, this arrangement may not appeal to everyone, but it does hit all the notes I need it to.
The most efficient home screen I've had in ages
Andy Walker / Android Authority
I first used Niagara in 2021 and even purchased a Pro license at the time, but I didn't quite appreciate its minimalist design. However, since returning to it in 2025, it has met my needs perfectly. It's also clear that the developers have put a lot of thought and effort into it.
I've tried many productivity-first layouts on many launchers, but this Niagara setup is my favorite yet.
I don't think my setup is perfect, though, and I foresee some changes in the coming weeks. There is some redundancy that I could smooth out, while I really should find a way to quell my Instagram habit for good. But for now, this arrangement has served me well. I've spent far less time using my phone as a fidget spinner and have Niagara to thank.
What do you think of my setup? If you have any comments, perhaps suggestions on how I could improve it, insight on how you'd tackle this challenge, or any Niagara-related anecdotes, please drop a comment below.
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