FAQ

FAQ & Troubleshooting

Is it on the Play Store?

Not currently. Download the signed APK from the Releases page. To update, install the newer APK from the same page (Settings ▸ Updates ▸ Check for updates opens it), or let Obtainium do it with this repository as the source. Since 0.7.12 there is no in-app updater.

Is it free? Does it have ads or tracking?

Yes, it's free and open-source (Apache-2.0). No ads, no analytics, no accounts, and since 0.7.12 no Google libraries. Network access is used only for the weather in the clock widget (plus an optional place-name lookup you can turn on), and only if you grant location. See PRIVACY.md.

How do I set it as my default launcher? How do I switch back?

Tap Set as default launcher on the first-run card, or use Settings ▸ Apps ▸ Default apps ▸ Home app. Use the same screen to switch back to another launcher.

Which Android versions are supported?

Android 11 (API 30) and newer.

Notification dots don't show

Grant notification access: Settings ▸ Notifications ▸ Notification access (there's a shortcut in the app's notification settings), then enable dots in the launcher's settings. Some apps also disable badges in their own notification-channel settings.

An icon pack doesn't appear in the picker, or doesn't change some icons

• Make sure the pack is a real, fully-installed icon pack. A few "icon pack maker" apps only produce a pack after you export it.
• Packs only include icons for the apps their author drew, so some apps keep their normal icon — this is normal.
• See the full guide: Icon Packs.

My widgets disappeared after restoring a backup

They come back as "Tap to set up" placeholders in their original spot. Tap each one to reconnect it. See Backup & Restore ▸ Restoring widgets. A widget is only restored if its app is installed.

The mobile-signal indicator in the status bar is missing

The status bar shows mobile signal only when a SIM with service is present. On a Wi-Fi-only device (no SIM) it is hidden by design.

Can I stop it moving my icons around by accident?

Turn on Lock desktop in Settings ▸ Home. Icons can't be moved, removed, or added while it's on; taps still launch apps.

Which languages does the launcher speak, and how do I change it?

Since 0.8.4: English, Finnish, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish and Turkish. The launcher follows the phone's language and falls back to English for any other language. On Android 13 and newer you can also pick the launcher's own language under Settings ▸ System ▸ Languages ▸ App languages ▸ ARK-launcher. English and Finnish are maintained by the author; the other languages have not been reviewed by native speakers yet, so corrections are welcome as an issue or a pull request (the strings live in each module's values-<lang>/strings.xml).

How do I report a bug or request a feature?

For bugs, open an issue on GitHub. For feature ideas, questions, and general feedback, use GitHub Discussions or the Telegram group — in English or Finnish. Both open straight from the app via Settings ▸ Feedback. Pull requests are welcome too.

How do I build it from source?

You need JDK 21 and the Android SDK:

./gradlew :app:assembleDebug
adb install -r app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk

See the README for details on the module layout and tech stack.