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I typically spend hours delicately tweaking my residence display screen, hand-picking every factor and figuring out their greatest placement to make sure my system is ideal for my wants. This I do throughout all units and launchers, even with Pixel Launcher. This makes the necessity to backup my varied layouts particularly vital.

Whereas I’ve beforehand written about how Pixel Launcher’s concentrate on minimalism has diminished distractions and improved my workflow on my Pixel 8, the default Google residence expertise nonetheless feels unfinished. It lacks a number of easy but integral options that mature third-party Android launchers have supplied for years, together with a devoted backup and restore function.

Personalization is essential, because the default Pixel Launcher structure gained’t swimsuit everybody. My structure of icons and widgets is explicit to my wants, and it’s crucial to have the ability to file and replicate this method simply.

As I discussed within the introduction, I ceaselessly tinker with my residence display screen, contemplating varied implementations of icons and widgets. I get pleasure from attempting contemporary layouts, pushing the boundaries of my consolation, and noting what works and what doesn’t. This exploration is a part of my job, and I typically change layouts. As a rule of thumb, saving the present design is at all times greatest earlier than transferring on to the following one. This offers peace of thoughts and lets me return to zero rapidly and simply.

Each mature Android launcher I’ve used features a standalone backup system. These backups are saved as configuration recordsdata, containing settings, icon and widget placements, merchandise spacing, and different particulars essential to a customized residence display screen.

Importantly, this standalone file empowers customers. They will retailer it on a cloud service, residence server, second telephone, or share it with associates. Nova Launcher, as an illustration, lets me save a number of structure recordsdata, permitting me to tinker freely and revert to the earlier state at any time when I would like. Customers may even share their layouts, which provides the launcher a larger sense of group. All that’s required is the file itself and some other third-party information it might want (resembling a customized icon pack or widgets). Nonetheless, for those who wade by way of Pixel Launcher’s comparatively shallow settings, it at present affords no approach of making a standalone structure backup file.

Very like throughout a very adventurous Skyrim playthrough, I choose having a number of save recordsdata available if I modify one thing I can’t repair or select a earlier state. With a backup file, I can restore my final design. This isn’t an possibility with Google’s residence app.

At this level, I do wish to spotlight that Pixel Launcher information is saved, however solely by way of Google’s broader system backup system. Head to Settings > System > Backup, faucet Again up now, and your information might be mirrored to your Google account. Whereas I respect that this information is included, there are issues with this implementation.

When the launcher information turns into part of my telephone’s total backup, extracting a separate launcher structure file turns into virtually not possible. This design makes it far tougher to reapply a launcher structure. Moreover, what occurs if I lose entry to my account? Unbiased of my Google handle, a separate backup file would mitigate entry or information loss points.

Google fails to speak whether or not or how a person’s residence display screen structure is included in its backups. There’s no documentation inside the settings app or on its varied assist pages on-line.

I perceive why Google prefers bundling all of its system backup information collectively. For these upgrading Pixel units, reapplying the structure is so simple as logging in and restoring the remainder of the system. That’s sensible, particularly for customers who are usually not as technically inclined. Nonetheless, a separate backup facility for Pixel Launcher layouts does nothing to decrease this method’s ease of use. It simply offers customers extra management.

Contemplate the advantages for much less tech-savvy customers, too. Think about if certainly one of my mother and father unintentionally deleted a whole launcher display screen that homes their important apps. They will barely bear in mind the structure, so I couldn’t presumably assist them replicate it. A easy structure backup would resolve this drawback in a heartbeat.

Sure, these customers craving extra management may simply swap to a third-party launcher, however I don’t contemplate this an answer. These customers would miss out on Pixel Launcher’s myriad positives and slick operation. Furthermore, third-party launchers nonetheless really feel horrible on Pixels. They proceed to stutter round on my Pixel 8 regardless of Google’s makes an attempt to repair the animation issues. These points proceed to push me in the direction of Pixel Launcher on Pixel {hardware} regardless of its quite a few shortcomings.

I may additionally take a screenshot, as many customers on-line appear to imagine is an answer. However this workaround nonetheless means I need to manually rebuild my structure primarily based on photographs relatively than robotically apply it by way of a file. The latter is much much less more likely to make an error than I’m.

Finally, the dearth of a devoted backup system is only one drawback in a broader set of Pixel Launcher points, however I imagine it’s one of many best to repair. It might profit energy customers who push the boundaries of their telephones’ designs and people who wouldn’t even comprehend it’s all that vital till they require it. I believe it’s excessive time that Google significantly considers plugging this hole.