# Do Third-Party Launchers Work Well on Android 16? (yes)

**Short answer**: Yes, third-party launchers work great on Android 16. The update has resolved most of the issues I encountered with third-party launchers on Android 15 while using my Pixel 7.

**Long answer**:

The state of custom launchers on Android 15 was, to put it mildly, quite broken, particularly for Pixel phones. The problems were so widespread that [launcher developers united](https://www.androidpolice.com/third-party-android-launcher-developers-join-forces-voice-frustrations-to-google/) to survey the community, hoping to pressure Google into addressing the persistent bugs. The survey's findings painted a grim picture for Pixel devices and led to a stark warning from Android Police: "[Don't buy a Google Pixel if you want to use a third-party launcher](https://www.androidpolice.com/dont-buy-a-google-pixel-want-to-use-third-party-launcher/).""

When Android 16 was released, [Android Authority and discussions on Reddit](https://www.androidauthority.com/android-16-nav-bug-fix-3568338/) indicated that the update was buggy for some Pixel devices. I have an older Pixel 7 (we're on 10 already!) and I was concerned that Android 16 would bring more woes, so I held off on the update. While some Reddit users suggested that recent updates improved the situation, I didn't see much chatter about third-party launchers.

However, the third-party launcher experience on my phone seemed to be deteriorating, with frequent crashes when switching between apps. Earlier this week, I decided to take the plunge and update to Android 16.

While I haven't noticed many differences in general, the improvement in the custom launcher experience is a night-and-day difference. Both Smart Launcher and Nova Launcher now run almost flawlessly. App switching is smooth and no longer messes up the order of my recent apps. I am no longer seeing janky notifications, and quick switching to the previous app works as intended. Life is good.

When I tried searching about this on Reddit and elsewhere I didn't find any quick answers. I hope this blog post shows up and gives someone else the peace of mind to update and get a less buggy experience.

Also, thank you to the launcher developers who got together and pressure Google to improve the situation.