dd_launcher: a minimal text launcher for Android

A home screen that gets out of your way.

dd_launcher is a text-first Android launcher. Your apps are a plain list, and a few typed letters bring the one you want to the top. Swipe right for notes, to-dos and your calendar, with no ads, no accounts and no tracking. It's free.

Features

• Fuzzy search. Type "cal" for Calendar. Small typos are forgiven, and apps you use often rise to the top. Press Enter to open the top result.
• A panel for your day. Notes, to-dos, calendar, system stats, optional weather and widgets from your other apps.
• Terminal-style themes and a theme builder. 23 presets, including Tokyo Night, Catppuccin, Gruvbox and Nord. Tune colors, fonts, spacing and icons, then share themes as .ddtheme files.
• Private by design. No ads, analytics, crash reporting or accounts. Your notes and settings stay on your phone. Read the privacy policy.
• Light by design. No third-party SDKs, just three small Android libraries. The drawer and panel load the first time you open them.

Set it as your home app

1. Install dd_launcher from Google Play.
2. Press Home and choose dd_launcher.
3. Or set it under Settings > Apps > Default apps > Home app. The exact path varies by phone.

dd_launcher won't appear in your app list. That's normal for a home app.

FAQ

Is dd_launcher free? Does it have ads?

It's free, with no ads. There are no analytics, crash reporting, accounts or tracking either. We don't run a server for this app, and we don't receive any data from it.

Does dd_launcher use the internet?

Only for weather, which is off until you add it. You pick a city or use your approximate location. Coordinates are rounded to about 1 km before they're sent to Open-Meteo, an open weather service that needs no account.

How do I make dd_launcher my default home app?

After installing, press Home and choose dd_launcher. Or set it under Settings > Apps > Default apps > Home app. The exact path varies by phone.

Why doesn't dd_launcher show up in my app list?

It's a home app, so it won't appear in your app list. Set it as your home app to start using it.

Can I use icon packs, or no icons at all?

Either. Use system icons, an icon pack, or none at all for a pure text list.

Does it support work profiles and widgets?

Yes. Work profile apps are included in the app list, and you can add widgets from your other apps to the panel.

How do I back up my notes and to-dos?

Turn on Markdown files in the launcher's settings and pick a folder. dd_launcher writes dd_launcher-todo.md and dd_launcher-notes.md there. After a reinstall, pick the same folder and choose use file to restore your to-dos and notes. Themes and settings aren't restored, so export any themes you want to keep as .ddtheme files.

What happens to my data if I uninstall?

Uninstalling permanently wipes everything stored inside the app. App data is left out of Android cloud backup. If you've turned on Markdown files, your to-dos and notes stay in the folder you picked, ready to restore.

Can I share themes?

Yes. Save your own themes and share them as .ddtheme files.

Made by ldnddev

dd_launcher is made by ldnddev in Chelsea, Alabama. We've been building for the web since 1998. Read why I built dd_launcher, or see what else we do.

Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.