I thought I’d hate this Android launcher inspired by useless phones, but I was so wrong

If you’re not sure what that is, open your phone’s dialer right now. See those 10 numbers and the letters associated with them? These were originally printed on devices with physical buttons. You will still find this layout in use on modern dumb phones, as it is extremely efficient in terms of space usage and typing experience. But beyond dialer apps, they no longer have a place on touchscreen keyboard smartphones.

Of course, if you gave me a device today with only the T9 layout, it would take me several hours to remember how to use it. However, adopting this layout is one of the main reasons I wanted to try the dubbed Android Launcher key launcher. While I expected the experience to be absolutely useless, I am shocked by how wrong my unfounded expectations were.

Let’s start right at the top.

Before we even get to the gimmicks of it, Key Launcher has the coolest onboarding experience of any launcher I’ve used since Niagara. As you can see from the screenshots above, it does a great job of explaining its core functionality, and after a quick run through the six slides, I knew exactly what the launcher offers and how to maximize it to my advantage.

You’ll need this little crash course – Key Launcher is unlike any launcher you may be familiar with.

As its name suggests, its defining feature is a multi-purpose T9 keypad, which sits below quick-access user-pinned icons. The set of 12 keys, which includes the numbers 1 to 0, the asterisk, and the hash keys, occupy less than half of the screen’s real estate. Normally, I’d call this a complete waste of space, but Key Launcher gets plenty of use out of this keypad and finds ways to make space elsewhere.

So what can the keypad actually do?

For one, it’s a dialer. If you are repeatedly typing WhatsApp numbers or searching for contacts, the keypad position makes this process highly accessible and immediate. After entering a number, the launcher provides a list of options, including texting it or adding it to your contacts list. You know, you can even use it to call people… like a phone.

The keypad also serves as a search bar, which sounds odd but is surprisingly intuitive. Taking advantage of the predictive smarts of the T9 system, where each number corresponds to a letter of the alphabet or a symbol, you can easily find a shortcut or app by typing a series of numbers.

Here are some examples: When I type 968 YouTube appears; Photos becomes the top shortcut when I type 7; And all my weather apps show up even if I don’t type 9 (for W) and type 328 (EAT) instead. Incidentally, 328 also brings up Uber Eats, thanks to Launcher’s obscure search smarts.

Essentially, I can easily find most apps on my phone by typing no more than 3 numbers at any time. It uses the entire search string and a full-sized keyboard to find the more obscure apps on my device. Since the keypad is always present on the display, searches are always immediately available.

The keypad also serves as a gateway to Private Vault, which lets users hide apps and other content on their device by locking them behind a passcode. The safe is unlocked by typing # followed by the code, almost like those secret Android dialer codes. This is strange yet surprisingly secure considering the unorthodox unlock method required. Looking at the launcher, there’s no indication that the safe exists, and no indication of how to unlock it.

Finally, and probably my favorite use of the keypad, is Super Shortcuts. These are essentially speed-dial slots that are activated by long pressing a number on the keypad. They can be programmed to dial important contacts, run exhaustive search queries, or open apps. Key Launcher allows shortcut slots for numbers 1 to 9, so there are plenty of possibilities here.

The density of features packed into the keypad alone is remarkable. But the Key Launcher experience doesn’t end there.

As I discovered, Key Launcher’s entire design philosophy is built around maximizing efficiency.

To access settings, I long-press an empty space on the screen – no annoying hops through different menu trees after tapping the overflow button. If you don’t want to use the T9 search functionality, swiping up opens a traditional vertically-scrolling app drawer with a built-in alphabetical jump menu on the right and a search bar at the bottom. It provides shortcuts where possible and hides additional functionality where appropriate.

Specifically, app icons with additional menu options display a downward arrow next to their title. I can tap on these to open those menus. In the Settings app, this means going directly to the Battery page or teleporting to the My Apps page via the Play Store menu. This little feature alone has saved me a lot of time.

Despite slapping a large keypad on its main screen, the launcher looks fresh and modern. Right at the top of the home screen, you’ll find Quick Glance, and yes, it does a much better job of displaying relevant information at a glance than the Pixel.

Granted, it doesn’t have as extensive capabilities as Google’s feature, but it does show weather information, including temperature, humidity, and air quality; Any upcoming events right at the top of the screen, and a bold, eye-catching clock in the center. That’s all I really need. The clock has lots of customization options including size and font adjustment.

Swiping right on the Quick Glance box brings the music player into focus, which also displays the lyrics of the currently playing track. Again, the ease of this feature integration is astonishing. It simply works out of the box and comes with a modest but satisfying animation as the next line finishes.

As a widget fanatic, I appreciate Key Launcher’s dedicated widgets page. It’s accessed by swiping left on the keypad and has as many boxes as you want, provided you don’t mind scrolling vertically to see them all. Widget Center, as the launcher calls it, has its own grid system that makes it easy to expand or collapse a widget, stack them closer together, or rearrange them. The widget is a dedicated but concise set of settings that adjust the page’s background and scrolling preferences.

Isolating these visual elements on a dedicated page allows the launcher’s home screen widgets to maintain their focus without robbing users of additional functionality. This arrangement works really well for Microsoft Launcher too.

As if that wasn’t enough functionality, Key Launcher also has its own bedtime mode. Dubbed Focus Mode, it’s activated by long pressing the 0 key. This changes the launcher layout to a Pixel screen saver clone, with the Quick Glance box now located on the left side of the display.

The right side can be rotated to reveal several boxes, including a large calendar, music player controls (complete with those songs), a Pomodoro timer, and Chrome’s dinosaur game.

I found myself triggering this mode during work hours, turning my Pixel 8 into a proper desk companion that counts on well-earned breaks rather than distracting me.

I’m sure you can tell how impressed I am with Key Launcher. It’s remarkably sophisticated, thoughtfully thought out, and extremely useful. However, it has some drawbacks, one of which relates to cost.

There is a free ad-supported version of Key Launcher, but it is limited. Some features are limited in quantity, while others have usage timers. For example, the song feature I love is only available for 30 days after installation. To have it, you have to spend money for the premium version. If you want more than eight pinned icons on the home screen, you’ll have to pay.

Some other common features are locked behind a paywall, including notification dots on home screen icons, which I find a little odd. Private Vault, access to more than three Super Shortcuts, and access to Super Focus mode after 30 days – all turned off.

As a savings, Key Launcher isn’t exactly expensive. The developer offers users two options: a $5.99 monthly subscription or a $19.99 one-time fee, both of which are reasonable considering the plethora of features the launcher packs. It is also significantly cheaper than rivals like Niagara and Nova Launcher. The app also gives users ample time to test features before purchasing, so I have to give props to the developer for that.

However, there are some minor glitches. I noticed some Vietnamese scattered throughout parts of the app, particularly in the Private Vault dialog – this is despite my phone’s language being set to English. This isn’t a problem, but it does show that it still needs some polishing.

But really, I’m finding mistakes.

Key Launcher is one of the best Android launchers I’ve used in years

Key Launcher really surprised me. Its unique design philosophy makes a lot of sense in practice, putting efficiency and minimalism on the surface, while somehow pleasing maximalists and customization lovers with variations in usage paths and options below. It’s a difficult balance to strike and this launcher does it very well.

I didn’t exactly think the T9 keypad could serve as a useful multitool, but it makes a great base for quick searches, shortcuts, or simply dialing numbers. This is definitely not a gimmick.

Android launchers are a dime a dozen these days. Some just make up numbers, while others offer something surprisingly different and surprisingly useful. I thought this Key Launcher would fall into the former camp, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.