Nova Launcher is shutting down for good

I woke up to news that Nova Launcher is being retired. As someone who tests phones all the time, the first thing I do is download Nova Launcher and import my layout. Losing Nova feels personal. Nova’s creator, Kevin Barry, announced on 6 September 2025 that he has left Branch, the company that acquired Nova in 2022, and that development on the app is stopping.

There is no open-source release planned anymore because he was asked to halt the work even though Branch once promised the code would go to the community if he ever left. Nova still works and can be downloaded, but without updates it will eventually break as Android evolves. Nova was one of the most influential third-party launchers on Android. It gave users control over their home screens in ways stock launchers never did. I relied on Nova’s grid control, gestures, icon packs, and consistency across devices. Every time I switched to a new phone, Nova made it feel familiar.

Branch laid off most of its developers by 2024, leaving Barry as the only person working on the app. The last update rolled out in May 2024. On Reddit and other forums, users expressed disappointment and gratitude. One user wrote, “Nova has been with me every day since my first smartphone… Thank you for all those years of dedication.” Another simply said, “Very sad. Nova is legendary.”

For now Nova still works, but users should export their layouts and start testing alternatives such as Lawnchair, Niagara, or Smart Launcher. I took for granted that Nova would be around forever and did not think much about what would happen if Barry stepped away or Branch lost interest. Nova defined Android customization for more than a decade, and its end is a reminder that even the most reliable tools can disappear.

If the first thing you do is download Nova Launcher like me, it is time to accept that the end has come. The launcher that set the standard for Android customization is gone, and now we have to decide what comes next. Have you been using or used Nova Launcher before? I’d love to read your thoughts on this news.