The reliable answer to how to change default launcher Android is to use the system's Home app setting. A launcher can open that setting, but Android must show and confirm the final choice.
On many phones, the path is Settings > Apps > Default apps > Home app. Select the launcher you want, return to Home, and test the gesture or button.
Use the Home chooser first
After installing and opening a launcher:
- Complete or skip its onboarding.
- Press the Home button or perform the Home gesture.
- Select the new launcher in the chooser.
- Tap Always, Set as default, or the equivalent option.
If you choose Just once, Android may ask again after the next Home action. This is useful for a quick test but does not complete setup.
Open the setting manually
If the prompt does not appear, search Android Settings for Home app, default apps, or launcher. Common routes include:
- Pixel and many Android phones: Settings > Apps > Default apps > Home app
- Samsung: Settings > Apps > Choose default apps > Home app
- Xiaomi, Redmi, or Poco: Settings > Apps > Manage apps > Other permissions or Default apps > Launcher
- Oppo, Realme, or OnePlus: Settings > Apps > Default apps > Home app
Manufacturers change menu names between software versions, so Settings search is safer than memorizing one route.
If "Make default" appears unresponsive
A setup button should open the Android Home-role request or default-app settings. It cannot select itself without user confirmation. If tapping it seems to do nothing:
- Leave the launcher and open Settings manually.
- Confirm the launcher appears in the Home app list.
- Restart the launcher if it is absent.
- Check that the installed build includes a Home intent filter.
- Restart the phone after an update if the package list is stale.
For an Android launcher project, the main activity needs the MAIN, HOME, and DEFAULT intent filter and must be exported correctly. That makes it eligible; it does not bypass the system chooser.
Test the result
Press Home from Settings, a browser, and another app. The selected launcher should appear each time. Then restart the phone and press Home again. A proper launcher should load its saved state without depending on a previous activity stack.
Check that app search opens installed apps, that missing apps show a recoverable message, and that Settings remains reachable. If permissions are denied, the basic Home screen should still work.
Keep the original launcher installed
Do not disable or remove the stock launcher. It provides a recovery path and may contain manufacturer features. Android can keep several Home apps installed while only one is selected.
If the new launcher does not suit you, follow how to switch back to the default Android launcher. The process uses the same Home app menu.
Wallpaper and layout expectations
Changing launchers does not necessarily change the Android wallpaper. A launcher can offer black, system, monochrome, or user-selected image backgrounds, but replacing the system wallpaper without a clear action would be surprising. Use the wallpaper picker and confirm the preview.
Home layouts are launcher-specific. The new app should not fill an empty favorites list with random apps unless you explicitly choose an automatic setup. Minimalistic starts empty and lets you select favorites during onboarding or later in settings.
If Android keeps switching back
Battery tools or manufacturer security apps may clear defaults after an update. Reopen the Home app setting and select the launcher again. If the choice resets after every reboot, check for a disabled component, work-profile policy, guest mode, or a system update issue.
Do not grant unrelated permissions just to make a Home selection stick. Default-app choice is controlled by Android, not storage, contacts, location, or Accessibility.
Once the system Home setting names the new launcher and repeated Home actions return to it, setup is complete. Treat the launcher screen and the Android confirmation as two separate steps, because only the second one changes the device default.