How to Get the Google Now Launcher on any Android Device

When the Nexus 5 was launched many of us noticed the Google Now Launcher when you slide to the far left window of your home screen. This launcher on the Nexus 5 is called the Google Experience launcher and until now was solely available on the Nexus 5. Google had announced that the feature would be unique to the Nexus 5 but there is a work around to get this on other Android devices easily. With Google’s update to its Search app the Google Experience launcher is now called the Google Now launcher and allows you to import your current icon and folder settings. While the Google Now Launcher is still only available on the Nexus 5 you can get it using the following steps.

How to install the Google Now Launcher on other Devices:

1. Go to Google Play and install the Google Search Update. If you can’t get the update through Google Play then use the following link (Download Link)
2. Install the Google Home APK from the Nexus 5 (Download Link)
3. After the new launcher is installed you should now be able to select your preferred launcher from your phones Home button.
4. From here you should actually get a setup to run through when selecting Google Now Launcher

The reason you get a setup when installing Google Home unlike previously is because the new Google Search update includes the setup not the Google Home App.  If you already have the Google Home APK installed but want to start over with the setup this time use the instructions below.

If you already have Google Home APK installed and want the setup:

1. Force close the Google Home app
2. Clear data from the app and uninstall it
3. reinstall the Google Home APK form step 2 above
4. Select the Google Now Launcher and the setup will begin.

Only download the Google Search update in step one if you can’t get it from Google Play. Some devices will not show the update but either way should work just fine. If you have any issues or notice something that we have missed please let us know in the comments below so that we can make adjustments to the article to make the process easier for others.