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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The default home app is the Android launcher that opens when you press the Home button or use the Home gesture. It controls the home-screen interface you land on; changing it is different from changing a wallpaper or rearranging icons.
What does “default home app” mean?
Android uses “home app” for the app selected to handle the Home action. It is also commonly called the launcher or default launcher. Android Developers explains that “All home apps handle the CATEGORY_HOME intent category—this is how the system recognizes a home app.” (Android Developers: Dedicated devices cookbook)
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When you press Home, Android opens the selected home app. That app provides the home-screen interface, which may include icons, widgets, folders, and an app drawer. The exact features depend on the launcher.
What changes when you select a different home app?
You select a different launcher interface for the Home action. Your phone or tablet may look and behave differently after the change, but this is not the same as changing a wallpaper or moving icons within the launcher you already use. Those changes do not, by themselves, change the default home app.
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To check whether a change took effect, press Home and see which interface appears. You can also look for the launcher’s app drawer or other visible features. A device-specific consumer guide suggests checking again after locking and unlocking, though behavior and menus vary by device. (Android Authority: how to change the default launcher)
How do you find the Home app setting?
On many Android devices, a common route is Settings → Apps → Default apps → Home app. Manufacturers and Android versions use different labels and menus, so this is not a universal path. If you cannot find it, search Settings for “Home app,” “launcher,” or “default apps.”
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Some devices show a chooser when you press Home after installing or enabling another launcher. The available choices depend on what is installed and what the device exposes. A device manual, for example, documents a chooser between Advantech Launcher and Launcher3 on a specific DLT-V72 running Android Nougat 1.06; that example does not establish the steps for other devices. (Advantech DLT-V72 manual)
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Why might someone choose a specialized home app?
A general-purpose launcher is designed to provide a home screen for ordinary app use. A specialized launcher can instead focus the device on one dashboard or task. Home Assistant documents its Companion app as a home app for uses such as wall-mounted tablets, kitchen displays, bedside tablets, kiosks, and digital signage. Its instructions say to enable “Use as Home app (launcher)” in the Companion app settings, then select it through the system’s home-app screen. (Home Assistant Companion documentation: What is a home app?)
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That focused setup has practical trade-offs. Home Assistant says its launcher does not provide the usual app drawer or a traditional way to launch other apps from Home; pressing Home returns to Home Assistant, and the app opens automatically after a restart. Those are behaviors of Home Assistant’s implementation, not a description of every launcher.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is changing the default home app an administrator setting?
For a personal device, the usual approach is to choose a home app in Android’s settings or system chooser. Android also documents a separate managed-device mechanism: a device policy controller can set a preferred Home handler with DevicePolicyManager.addPersistentPreferredActivity(). This is intended for developers and system integrators managing dedicated devices, not the ordinary Settings procedure for a personal phone. (Android Developers: Dedicated devices cookbook)
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