Before Launcher | Go Minimal

⎋ Before Labs

In-app purchases

About this app

⚡️Stay focused using the minimalist launcher with style and functionality.

🔥Top 10 minimal launchers
✶Featured by Mrwhosetheboss and Copper vs Glass as a pioneer in Android minimal launchers✶

✶Open your phone 40% less✶
✶Reduce distractions with the notification filter. 80% of all notifications don’t warrant interruption✶
✶Focus on what matters. Streamline your work and play✶

❌ Zero ads, never a subscription
✶No ads, EVER✶
✶No subscriptions, EVER✶
✶Lifetime purchase for ALL of your devices✶

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Before Launcher maximizes your time by minimizing the look of your phone. This minimalist launcher provides functional features including:

✅ Minimal homescreen
Quick launch of your most important apps. It’s configurable, too!

📱Customize the look, make your own clean style
Choose from our large list of photo, gradient and solid themes or create your own.

🚀 Fast access to your favorites and everything else with one swipe
Fast access to all your apps in a scrollable, sortable & searchable list.

⭐ Favorite, folder and hide your apps
Group apps into folders. Pin apps to the top of your apps list. Hide unwanted and distracting bloatware (*available in pro version)

⛔ Hide trivial notifications
Our filtered notification drawer is unique. Trivial notifications don't interrupt you with vibrations, pings or noise. They won't clutter up your notification bar. But you still receive them and they are accessible with a quick swipe.

🔕 Notified but not distracted
Focus on what is essential. Important notifications (defined by you) still notify you, so you don’t miss anything.

🤝 Built to be private
We are not in the business of capturing or selling your data. We don't track any data that identifies you. We even allow you to turn off our anonymous analytics.

🔒 No required permissions = more privacy/security
Many other launchers want 10 or more device permissions. (the notification filter asks for one access but you can turn off that feature).

🎯Take control of your phone
Before Launcher can sort apps by their size, their installed date and the last time you used them. Uninstall the ones that take up too much space, or you never use.

⚙️Suite of custom widgets designed for wellness
Practice mindfulness using our free widgets designed to reduce screen time. See date & time, battery, weather, and your average screen unlocks for the day and week.

🦄 Style your app icons
Add our own styles and also add 3rd party icon packs.

💯Easy set up
Our guided process helps you get Before Launcher set up in no time.

❤️No AI, just humans
We’re here for any questions, comments, or concerns about the launcher.

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Selected as one of Fast Company's best new apps of the year in 2019.

The minimalism movement inspired our work! This includes books like Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price and Indistractable by Nir Ayal. (2) Products like the Lightphone.

The Before Launcher app, with your consent, uses Android's Accessibility Service API to enable the double-tap gesture to quickly turn off your device’s screen. Your use of this feature is optional. The accessibility service in Before Launcher is disabled by default. Your consent is required to allow the accessibility service to be used by the Before Launcher and when consent is granted it is only used for the double-tap feature. You can revoke your consent at any time. The feature and the service do not collect or share any data.

🔹X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/beforelabs
🔹Medium: https://medium.com/beforelabs
🔹LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/before-software/about
🔹Email: [e-mail]

Ratings and reviews

Edit: the long press menu is now dark. This launcher is very minimalistic and pleasant to use. The free version covers most of the features, and I've already purchased the pro version for more customization. One small issue I'm having with the current version is that, when you long press the apps on the home screen or app screen, the popped up card is white even in dark mode.

My favorite minimalist launcher, with just enough flexibility and a reasonable price for pro features. The notification filtering is fantastic, and really helps cut down on the feeling of being constantly distracted by my phone. I've tried many, many launchers, and this is a great one overall, and especially if you are looking to make your phone less of an attractive time suck.

ETA (04/12/24): Your last update did something to the notification sounds. I can no longer hear notification sounds even though my headset is in. I like being able to hear notification sounds even though my headset is attached. Please fix. So far, so good. I wanted to wait a bit before I left a review for this app. So far I love the minimalist UI. It's easy to set up and easy to customize.

What's new

🚀 7.4.0
🙀 Hide the app list!!
⭐️ Open search results from keyboard
🦾 Close folders using back-press or gesture
🐞 Bug fixes and performance improvements