I Hate ASUS Launcher

[Jim_W]

Please help me. How do I get rid of ASUS Launcher? It took over my Asus Memo, deleted my own designed home screens, deleted apps like Gmail and Google Maps, (now they are widgets - which I hate), etc. For example, I want to look at maps, not be given directions. And I want an icon for my Gmail, not an open window which shows my current emails. And I can't fine several apps that I have downloaded such as Google Music and Google Movie. I see no advantages to Asus Launcher - only less control over my tablet. Please tell me how I can remove this app. Or will I have to throw my three Asus tablets away and buy another brand? Thank you. Jim Williams

 

[Traveller]

Jim,

The easiest way to solve this is to install and use Apex Launcher or Nova Launcher from the Play Store. Have the tablet default to using that launcher instead of the stock launcher. It will mean that you'll have to set up your home screens again, but that I believe is a small price to pay for avoiding the stock launcher.

From personal experience, on my Galaxy S4 I avoid the Touchwiz launcher like the plague, as Samsung seems to enforce arbitrary limits on what you can do with it. For example, on the S4 if you flip the screen to landscape mode the launcher doesn't follow. Another fun one is that by default the apps are not in alphabetical order. You have to set it that way.

So I feel your pain, and use a different launcher to alleviate it.

 

[Jim_W]

Thank you very much, Traveller, for your advice. Before I try one of your recommended launchers, I have a couple of questions: First, though, I have an Asus Memo 176MX and it's OS is Lollipop. (1) Do I have to have a launcher? I don't remember having one with KitKat. (2) I use very few, if any, of the built in apps. How dangerous is it to root? If you think that rooting might be an acceptable solution for me, I'm sure I will have more questions if I go that route. Thank you again for your help. Jim Williams

 

[Jim_W]

OK. Never mind - I found the missing icons. They were in the Google folder. And while trying to figure all of this out I found the 'Hide App' page. Very nice. I'll hide all the apps that I don't use. Does this mean that I won't be bugged to update them? Wish that I could delete them and have all of the memory that they take up. Thanks again for your help, Traveller. - Jim Williams