Nova Launcher customers are seeing bugs as new house owners take over

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Nova Launcher’s current updates lay the muse for an ad-supported free tier — and add unlucky bugs. App customers on Reddit are reporting a number of points that trigger the launcher to crash throughout the setup course of and conceal their app icons. The newest Nova Launcher construct is model 8.2.8, now rolling out throughout the beta and steady launch channels.

Nova Launcher, the favored Android launcher thought to have shut down in September 2025, is formally again, however with a twist. The app began receiving common updates in November forward of an possession change this month. Department Metrics bought Nova Launcher to the Swedish firm Instabridge, which shortly started laying the groundwork for in-app commercials. Now, the current updates to Nova Launcher seem to have damaged the app, with customers on Reddit reporting important bugs and crashes.

The latest Nova Launcher beta construct, model 8.2.8, began reaching customers a number of days in the past. The newest model 8.2.8 can be rolling out throughout the steady channel as of Saturday, January 24, in keeping with the app’s Google Play Retailer itemizing. For the reason that replace’s launch, a number of Reddit customers (1, 2) are experiencing crashes instantly after putting in Nova Launcher. Persevering with to launch the app masses a “Nova Launcher retains stopping” pop-up for some customers.

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<img class="e_Ug" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="9.375rem" title="google preferred source badge light@2x" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png 676w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x-64w-20h.png 64w" alt="google preferred source badge light@2x" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png"/><img class="e_Ug" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="9.375rem" title="google preferred source badge dark@2x" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png 676w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x-64w-20h.png 64w" alt="google preferred source badge dark@2x" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png"/> Reddit customers took fundamental troubleshooting steps, together with reinstalling the app and re-enabling it, to no avail. As a short lived answer, customers can obtain and set up the APK for an older model of Nova Launcher. Some customers counsel turning off computerized Play Retailer updates within the meantime. It’s price noting that not each Nova Launcher consumer is experiencing the crashes, and this bug appears to particularly have an effect on the preliminary app setup course of.

The most important setup crashes aren’t the one points beginning to plague Nova Launcher customers. Individually, a number of Reddit customers (1, 2) are seeing their dwelling display screen app icons disappear after leaving an opened app or unlocking their machine. The bugs span throughout a number of cellphone fashions, with Reddit customers reporting points on Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and OnePlus telephones.

The issues with Nova Launcher’s newest replace, which additionally launched adverts, have kicked off Instabridge’s possession of the fan-favorite launcher to a rocky begin. Notably, Instabridge mentioned its job “is to be accountable house owners” and received’t present adverts for paid Nova Prime customers. Nonetheless, followers have expressed concern about yet one more possession change. Nova Launcher was first acquired by Department Metrics in 2022, which then spun off the app to its present proprietor Instabridge.

Are you sticking with Nova Launcher below new possession? In that case, are you experiencing bugs with the most recent app builds? Tell us within the feedback beneath.