Custom Launcher/App Tray for your Droid

Instructions:

NOTES:

- Changing out your launcher will remove all the widgets from your home screen, you'll have to re-add them.
- You will need to be rooted to follow my instructions. If you don't know what rooting is or need a guide to root, go here.

1. Download the Launcher.zip file attachment from here.

2. Rename the Launcher.zip to Launcher.apk (DO NOT ATTEMPT TO EXTRACT THE .ZIP FILE, that extension is simply so that the forums where I have the file hosted will recognize it, it's not actually a zip file!!!)

3. Download Root Explorer from the Market (yes you could do this via ADB but Root Explorer is ten times more simple)

4. Open up Root Explorer, navigate to /system/app and find Launcher.apk. Long press and copy. Back out to / (the root of your phone) and navigate to /sdcard. Paste the original Launcher.apk to a folder on your SD card (I usually use a folder called APK to make it easy to find). Long press and rename to Launcher.bak. This backs up your original Launcher just in case you don't like mine.

5. Place the new Launcher.apk that you downloaded from this thread on your SD card (again I use a folder called APK). You should now have Launcher.bak (your old Launcher) and Launcher.apk (the new one).

6. Open up Root Explorer and navigate to your SD card, find the new Launcher.apk file you just put there. Long press and copy.

7. Navigate to /system/app. In the upper right corner it will say MOUNT R/W. Hit that button. Paste using the button on the lower left. It will ask you if you want to overwrite, hit yes. It will take a few seconds to copy and then leave you where you were.

8. Find the new Launcher.apk that you just pasted into /system/app and long press. Choose permissions. Change the permissions to the following (where X is checked and O is not) and hit ok:

XXO
XOO
XOO

9. Reboot your phone.

10. Enjoy!


It should be noted in the second screenshot I am dragging the tray and the third I am just touching it. If you take your finger off of the tray it will revert back to the first screenshot.

If you like the icons I am using, feel free to check them out here.

If you want to make suggestions for updates to this app drawer, go here.