I Accidentally Uninstalled Launcher on My Android

Launcher

A launcher is an application on your Android device that powers your home screen and allows you to view and launch applications, hence the name. Manufacturers such as HTC and LG provide different launcher utilities on their Android devices. Some modify the basic Android operating system heavily and others include only slight differences. Without the launcher, you will not see any icons or menus on your homescreen. While you may still be able to receive incoming phone calls, your Android phone will be severely limited until you install a launcher program.

Fixes

One way to regain control of your Android device is to log on to the Android Market on your computer and send a new launcher program to your phone. This will initiate installation and you can then run the launcher app on your phone, giving you access to your homescreen once more. You must have a mobile or Wi-Fi connection enabled on your phone in order for this to work. Note that any launcher will rectify your problem. However, official launcher apps from the manufacturers are not available in the Android Market.

Launchers

Some of the launchers available from the Android Market include LauncherPro, ADW.Launcher and GO Launcher EX, all of which are available for free. LauncherPro features three home screens and five dock items that you can customize to your liking. ADW.Launcher offers many of the same features as LauncherPro but also includes the ability to drag icons from the app drawer to the dock and allows you to rename icons on your home screen. This is useful when apps have particularly long names. Finally, Go Launcher EX includes a task killer that allows you to shut down applications that may be eating your memory. Because this function does not run all the time, it saves on battery life over other killers.

Rooted Solution

If you do not have Wi-Fi or a mobile network turned on, you may not be able to install a launcher from the Market. You can then consider flashing your phone's ROM. Basically, this means reinstalling the operating system software. This process is only viable if you have already rooted your phone to grant superuser access to all the files and settings, including those associated with the OS. The rooting process varies between devices and may void the warranty on your Android phone. You must then install a custom recovery options to your phone. This expands the features of your phone's recovery mode. After installing recovery, you can then use it to re-install your phone's ROM. Many Android communities provide downloadable copies of default manufacturers' ROMs, as well as third-party ROMs, for use with Android devices. You should not attempt this if you are not comfortable editing critical parts of your OS as doing so can permanently disable your Android device. If you do attempt this process, ensure that your device has at least 50 percent battery life.