AN APP-GRID LAUNCHER
“What do you want to open?”
A starting point for everything on your device. Find an icon, choose an app, begin.
GRETEL / THE ANTI-LAUNCHER FOR ANDROID
A new purpose.
For the device
you already own.
An e-reader that goes straight to your books. A kitchen tablet that opens to your recipes. An old phone that becomes your music player.
Gretel makes one app your home screen. Choose what this device is for, and Home takes you there. No app grid to pass through. No daily setup to repeat.
Free & open source · Android 8.0+ · Yours to undo
SAME DEVICE / A DIFFERENT EVERYDAY
Your apps supply the experience.
Gretel makes it home.
USE THE APPS YOU ALREADY LIKEKEEP THE HARDWARE YOU ALREADY HAVEFREE. PRIVATE. REVERSIBLE.
01 / WHAT COULD THIS DEVICE BECOME?
Eight reasons to take it
out of the drawer.
A device does not have to do everything to earn a place in your day.
Give it one useful job. Leave it where that job happens. Gretel makes your chosen app the place it returns to, so it feels ready for that purpose every time you use Home.
ANDROID E-READER OR SPARE TABLET
Pick it up.
Get back to your book.
You bought an e-reader to read. Yet Home takes you to a launcher, and you have to find your reading app again. Make KOReader or your preferred reader home, and skip that detour.
The app you chose becomes the main event. Your e-reader feels like it belongs to your books.
BY THE BED · IN YOUR BAG · IN YOUR FAVOURITE CHAIR
Find an app for this ↓YOUR READING APP
CHAPTER SEVEN
A little
further into
the story.
THE LONG WAY HOME
Something
worth hearing.
TONIGHT’S DINNER
A recipe.
Right where
you need it.
- Gather the ingredients
- Put the kettle on
- Make something good
A NOTE TO MYSELF
There’s an idea
in here
somewhere.
AT A GLANCE
A place for
the everyday.
Living room
Lights
Lights
Today
Calendar
Calendar
Outside
Weather
Weather
Now playing
Music
Music
TIME TO PRACTICE
Find your
rhythm.
88 BPM
YOUR GAME LIBRARY
One more
game.
- 01 Favourites
- 02 Recently played
- 03 Your collection
SOMETHING WORTH WATCHING
A screen for
your next video.
Illustrative app views. Use your own installed apps.
Gretel does not include apps, games, or media.
PICK A PURPOSE. HERE’S WHERE TO START.
Good apps. A home of their own.
A few places to start with the apps you already like. Pick one, set it up, then make it home.
3 ideas for reading and learning
KOReader
Your own ebook reader
Give EPUBs and PDFs a dedicated e-ink home.
Bring your book files. FeederA morning reading device
Keep your chosen RSS feeds on a screen of their own.
Add the feeds you follow. AnkiDroidA desk for daily study
Turn a spare tablet into a place for flashcard reviews.
Add or create a deck. AuxioA pocket music library
Put the music stored on your phone back in the spotlight.
Bring your local music files. VoiceA player for your stories
Leave a phone beside your favourite listening chair.
Add your audiobook folders. AntennaPodA home for your podcasts
Make a spare phone your companion for the next episode.
Subscribe to your shows. MarkorA little writing deck
Pair a tablet with a keyboard and give drafts their own desk.
Start with a text or Markdown file. MetronomeA practice companion
Leave a steady beat ready beside your instrument.
Choose a tempo and time signature. Home AssistantA household control panel
Keep your existing dashboard on a shared tablet.
Requires a Home Assistant instance. Nextcloud CookbookA kitchen recipe book
Bring your recipe collection to the counter.
Use Nextcloud or local recipe files. OsmAndA dedicated map screen
Give an older phone a place on your next outing.
Download maps before heading out. Binary EyeA handy barcode scanner
Keep a spare phone ready to read barcodes and QR codes.
Uses your device’s camera. RetroArchA home for your games
Use RetroArch’s own game library as the reason for your handheld.
Set up your games, cores, and controls first. YouTubeA screen for your channels
Keep tutorials and favourite videos on a tablet of their own.
Use the Android app and finish its setup.Links open app listings or official download guides. These are ideas to try, not a tested compatibility list; each app has its own Android requirements. More ideas on GitHub ↗
02 / WHY AN ANTI-LAUNCHER?
A shorter app list still
asks you to choose.
Sometimes you already know what this device is for.
A minimal launcher makes sense when you want a calmer way to move between apps. Gretel is for the device with a job: the reader, the music player, the recipe book. One app can hold a whole experience, from your game library to your favourite channels. Its home screen is the app itself.
A MINIMAL APP-LIST LAUNCHER
“Which of these?”
Fewer things to look at. A useful approach when choosing between a few apps is still the goal.
GRETEL
“Back to what you came for.”
Home opens the app you chose. The launcher gets out of the way of the device’s purpose.
Gretel changes your starting point. It does not block notifications or stop you opening other apps. You keep control of the device.
03 / MORE USE FROM WHAT YOU OWN
The screen is still good.
Give it a good job.
Choose the device you have. Picture where it could belong.
Your next phone doesn’t have to replace
every use of your old one.
The phone you used for years may still be useful for music, books, videos, or games. It doesn’t have to handle your whole day anymore.
Give it one job. Keep the Android system it already runs. Set up the app you want, then make it home with Gretel. A familiar device can earn a new place in your day.
BEFORE / IN THE DRAWER
A perfectly useful screen.
Waiting for a reason.
AFTER / BY THE SPEAKERS
Your music player.
Your main phone stays in your pocket.
04 / MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
Three steps.
A different everyday.
SELECT A STEP TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS
01 / THE DOWNLOAD
Start with the APK.
Open the download on your device. If Android asks, allow your browser or file manager to install it.
Open GitHub Releases ↗02 / IN GRETEL
Choose your one app
Search installed apps
KOReader Selected
Use this app
Give it a purpose.
Install your chosen app first. Find it in Gretel’s app picker, select it, and tap “Use this app”.
03 / ANDROID CONFIRMS
Choose a home app
Your previous launcher
Gretel ✓
Your app is home.
Follow Gretel’s prompt and choose it as Android’s home app. Home now opens the app you picked.
Illustrated setup · Android’s confirmation screen varies by device.
Easy to change. Easy to leave. Home twice quickly opens Gretel’s settings. Your previous launcher remains available in Android’s home-app settings.
Can’t find the home-app prompt?
Open Android Settings → Apps → Default apps → Home app. The exact path depends on your device.
05 / MADE TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY
Quiet, right down
to the details.
Black and white. Large targets. A few settings that make it yours.
A LOOK THAT SUITS YOUR SCREEN
Paper white.
True black.
Your choice.
Black text on white. Theme illustration for Gretel’s own screens.
GRETELYour app.
Your app.
Ready when
you are.
ThemeWhite
Home appGretel
Return to your app →Nothing to sign into.
Your preferences stay on your device. Gretel has no internet permission.
Read the privacy policy ↗Come back to what matters.
Choose whether your app reopens after a restart or when it quits. Gretel stops repeated crash loops.
Made for turning pages.
Gretel’s screens page with buttons, swipes, or supported device page keys. No unnecessary animation.
06 / BEFORE YOU INSTALL
Find a screen.
Make it useful.
01
Android 8.0 or newerCheck your device’s Android version.
02
A choice of home appGretel needs Android’s home-app setting.
03
The app you want to useInstall it and finish its own setup first.
TESTED ON BOOX NOVA AIR / ANDROID 10
GRETEL LANGUAGES / ENGLISH & SPANISH
What about Kindle, Fire tablets, and always-on displays?
Kindle e-readers are not supported. Fire tablets do not provide the standard home-app selection Gretel needs. Gretel does not keep a display awake; for a dashboard, use your chosen app’s display settings or the device’s own supported options.
07 / GOOD TO KNOW
Still your device.
Will this stop notifications and distractions?
Gretel removes the launcher’s app grid from your route back to your chosen app. It does not silence notifications or restrict other apps. Use Android’s notification settings or Do Not Disturb if you want a quieter device.
Can I use any app?
Choose from installed apps that Android makes available to launch. Your chosen app keeps its own features, account requirements, and internet needs. Gretel does not add capabilities to it or guarantee compatibility with every app.
Can I make RetroArch my home screen?
Choose RetroArch inside Gretel, then make Gretel your Android home app. Home opens RetroArch. RetroArch does not need to appear in Android’s home-app list; Gretel is the home app you select. Set up your games and cores in RetroArch first.
Does Gretel lock me into one app?
No. Gretel changes what Home opens. It does not use Device Admin, Accessibility, overlays, or lock task mode. It is not a kiosk or parental-control tool.
What if I remove my chosen app?
Gretel opens its settings and offers to choose another app. You are not left with an empty home screen.
How do I get back to Gretel’s settings?
Press Home twice quickly. If that feels too fast, choose Relaxed in Double-Home timing for 1.2 seconds between presses. Normal is 0.8 seconds; Quick is half a second. You can also switch your home app through Android settings.
Does it run a background service?
No. Gretel has no foreground service, persistent notification, boot receiver, alarm, or wake lock. Android opens it as your home app; it can also reopen your chosen app when that app exits.
Is Gretel free?
Yes. Download it from GitHub Releases, with no account or subscription. The source is available under the Apache License 2.0.
GRETEL FOR ANDROID
What could your
spare device become?
Pick a purpose. Choose your app. Make it home.
Free · Android 8.0+ · APK and checksums on GitHub Releases