Sparse: Minimalist Launcher

Sparse is a minimalist launcher for Android. It swaps the grid of bright icons for a calm, text-only home screen, so picking up your phone becomes a choice instead of a reflex. It is made for people who want fewer distractions but still need a smartphone. No account. No subscription. Your app list, names and focus history stay on your phone. A QUIETER HOME SCREEN - A large clock, the date and your few important apps, written as plain text. - The day line: a thin line under the date that fills as the day goes by. One glance tells you how much of today is left. - Pin 4 to 10 apps. You choose the number. - Tap the clock to open your alarms. Phone and Camera sit at the bottom, one tap away. A PAUSE BEFORE THE APPS THAT PULL YOU IN Long-press any app and turn on "Pause before opening". Next time you tap it, Sparse shows a short breathing countdown and how many times you've opened it today. Choose "Not now" and you're back home. Choose to open it and it opens. Your call, made on purpose. This works inside the launcher itself. Sparse never asks for Accessibility access. FOCUS TIMER Start a 15, 25, 45 or 60 minute focus session from the home screen. The countdown keeps running even if you leave Sparse. When it ends you see the week's sessions and can take a 5 minute break. A TEXT LAUNCHER THAT STAYS OUT OF YOUR WAY - Every app in one alphabetical list, with fast search and an A to Z rail. - Rename apps, hide apps, open App info or uninstall from the long-press menu. - Work profile apps appear too, marked "work". - Every change is saved the moment you make it, so your layout survives restarts and updates. SCREEN TIME ON HOME (OPTIONAL) Turn it on and Sparse shows today's screen time under the day line. Android asks you to allow Usage access first. The number is read on your phone and never sent anywhere. YOUR PHONE, YOUR RULES - Sparse never changes your wallpaper or lock screen. - No ads on your home screen or app list, ever. - Ink (OLED black) and Paper (light) themes are free. Tide, Dusk and the Serif and Mono fonts open for 7 days with one short video. DIGITAL DETOX WITHOUT GIVING UP YOUR APPS Sparse is a digital detox tool for people who still need a smartphone: a dumbphone feel without giving up your apps. Fewer colors, fewer triggers, more of your day. QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK What is a minimalist launcher? It replaces your home screen with a simpler one. Sparse shows a large clock, the date and 4 to 10 pinned apps as plain text instead of a grid of bright icons. How do I make my phone less distracting without deleting apps? Long-press an app in Sparse and turn on "Pause before opening". You get a short breathing countdown and a count of how many times you opened it today, then you decide whether to open it. Does Sparse need Accessibility access? No. The pause works inside the launcher itself, and Sparse never asks for Accessibility access. Usage access is asked only if you turn on the optional screen time line. Does this minimalist launcher change my wallpaper or lock screen? No. Sparse never changes your wallpaper or lock screen. Are there ads on the home screen? No. There are no ads on your home screen or app list, ever. Does Sparse collect my data? There is no account. Your app list, names and focus history stay on your phone, and the screen time number is never sent anywhere. Sparse is free and supported by ads. Ads appear only when you choose to watch a video, or occasionally when you leave Settings or finish a focus session.

• Reorder pinned apps: long-press a pinned app and use the up and down arrows, or drag the handles in Settings › Pinned apps • The app menu now scrolls on smaller screens