# Olauncher

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/olauncher/

7 people recommended Olauncher in Hacker News comments, 1 had mixed feelings and none criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 6 of 12 months, in 8 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** A minimal, open source Android home screen replacement with no widgets or icon grid, recommended for a distraction-free phone.

Summary written by Claude from 9 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Simple, distraction-free interface (3 comments in the sample): "I wanted a very simple interface and have no need for widgets and don't like a grid of toy icons." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46933484)) "I recommend Olauncher[10] for a distraction-free home screen." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47736083)) "I like it as much as my featureless openbox desktop." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46693634))
- Open source and forkable (2 comments in the sample): "grapheneos + olauncher give me a minimal and open source enough experience to make it somewhat tolerable" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49540974)) "I am a big fan of the olauncher and i forked it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45957553))

## What people warn about

- Wants an option to disable them (1 comment in the sample): "I would appreciate an option to disable them." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46941444))

## Other Android launchers people recommend

- [Nova Launcher](https://hackerapproved.com/p/nova-launcher/): 31 recommend, 7 mixed, 57 criticize
- [Kiss Launcher](https://hackerapproved.com/p/kiss-launcher/): 26 recommend, 2 mixed, 4 criticize
- [Lawnchair Launcher](https://hackerapproved.com/p/lawnchair-launcher/): 22 recommend, 5 mixed, 7 criticize
- [Niagara Launcher](https://hackerapproved.com/p/niagara-launcher/): 20 recommend, 3 mixed, 2 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Olauncher", https://hackerapproved.com/p/olauncher/ (7 recommend, 1 mixed, 0 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 3 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.