One of the best features in Google’s stock launchers is quick access to the Google Feed. This started with the Google Now Launcher and continued on in Pixel Launcher—but you can easily add it to Nova Launcher, too.
The Google Feed, which started its life as Google Now many moons ago, is a quick way to access stories that Google thinks will appeal to you. You can customize its content to remain relevant to your interests, and let Google do the rest. Once you’ve taken the time to really set it up, it’s an excellent way to get news you care about quickly.
In both the Google Now Launcher and Pixel Launcher, you can quickly access the Google Feed by swiping to the leftmost home screen. In third-party launchers, however, this wasn’t possible. That’s why a companion app for Nova Launcher was created to enable this feature.
The aptly named Nova Google Companion app does exactly what the name suggests: adds a Google Feed pane to Nova Launcher. It’s a great way to have Pixel-like functionality from an arguably better launcher. There’s only one catch: the Google Companion can’t be uploaded to the Play Store (more on that in just a bit), so you’ll have to sideload it. If you’re not familiar with that, check out our primer. It should tell you everything you need to know.
Installing the Nova Google Companion
Due to Google Play rules, the Nova Google Companion isn’t allowed in the Play Store. The short explanation here is because the app is a debuggable client (a necessary workaround in order for this to work in the first place), so it’s not publishable in the Play Store. That’s why you have to sideload it.
As highlighted above, you’ll need to enable sideloading before you can install the app. In Nougat (Android 7.x) and below, you can find this in Settings > Security > Unknown Sources. In Oreo (Android 8.x), sideloading is enabled on a per-app basis, so you’ll need to jump into Settings > Apps > your browser > Advanced > Install Unknown Apps. If you have any issues, we have a detailed guide here that should be able to clear it up.
Left: Android Nougat on the Galaxy S8; Right: Oreo on the Galaxy S9
Once that’s enabled, you’ll need to grab the Nova Google Companion APK from APK Mirror. You’ll probably get a warning that this type of file can harm your device—if that shows up, just tap the “OK” button. This is a trustworthy app from a trustworthy source.
With the file downloaded, pull down the notification shade and give it a tap to launch the installation. Tap the “Install” button and let it do its thing.
When it’s finished, tap the “Done” button. Now, head back to your home screen and swipe over to the leftmost screen. You may need to grant the app permission to save app activity here—just tap “Turn On” to make that happen.
That’s all there is to it—the Google Feed is now part of Nova. Nice.
Customizing or Disabling Google Feed Integration
There aren’t many customization options built directly into the launcher, but there are a couple of tweaks available. Jump into Nova’s Settings menu, and then tap the “Integrations” option.
The first couple of settings on the Integrations page are for the Google Feed page (it’s called Google Now in the launcher itself): the first toggle enables/disables it, the second lets you swipe in from the edge of any launcher page to jump straight to your Feed, and the last one tweaks the animation.
Finally, you can check for updates to the Google Companion with the button just below these options. Easy peasy.
The Google Feed gets a bad rap from a lot of users, but it’s honestly quite good once you take the time to customize it. Fortunately, we have a guide on making the most of your Google Feed, so if you haven’t already checked that out, it can help you make the Google Feed great.
Nova Launcher is probably the most feature-rich custom launcher out there. With some minor tweaking (icon pack and KWGT can come in handy, too), you can make your UI look any way you want. This includes support for the Google Now shortcut when swiping left from the home screen. However, it seems that Google Now is not working on Nova Launcher for some users.
Table of contents:
- Install Nova Google Companion
- Disable/re-enable Google Companion Feed
- Clear cache from the Google app
- Restart Nova Launcher
- Reset Google app
How do I enable Google now in Nova launcher?
If you already have Google Companion, it’s easy. If not, download and install the APK (link below). As simple as that.
Now, if Google Now is not working even after installing and configuring Nova Google Companion, check the steps below to address the problem with ease.
Solution 1 – Install Nova Google Companion
This step applies as a solution only if you don’t have Google Companion to start with. If you are not aware, Google Now (Google Feed) that’s usually accessible by swiping left from the home screen, is not available on Nova Launcher from the get-go.
In order to get it, you’ll need to install a companion app that integrates with the launcher. Now, Google doesn’t allow this app on the Play Store so you’ll need to download and install an APK. Once you’ve done that, the only thing remaining is to configure it in Nova Settings and that’s it.
Follow these instructions to download and install Nova Google Companion:
- Navigate to TeslaCoils’ official website with your smartphone/tablet, here.
- Scroll down and download Nova Google Companion by tapping the hyperlink.
- Run the APK and allow installation from 3rd-party sources when prompted.
- Make sure that Nova is your default launcher.
- Now, tap & hold on the home screen and open Settings.
- Tap Integrations.
- Under Google Discover, check both Google Discover and Edge Swipe (optionally) boxes. Select the preferred theme and transition animation and you are set.
Solution 2 – Disable/re-enable Google Companion Feed
On the other hand, if you already have the Google Companion but swiping to the left from the home screen doesn’t do a thing, there are some things you can try to fix it. First of all, you can disable it and then re-enable it immediately. This simple action usually resolves the problem completely.
Just navigate to Nova Settings, open Integrations, and then uncheck the Google Discover box. Reboot your device, get back to Google Discover settings and check the box again.
Solution 3 – Clear cache from the Google app
Now, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Nova Launcher (or Companion) is faulty. The problem might be related to the Google app. Due to frequent updates and many (mostly minor) changes, bugs are expected.
The first thing concerning the Google app you can do is clear its cache. Once you remove locally-stored cached data, Google Now should start working.
Follow these steps to clear cache from the Google app:
- Open Settings.
- Choose Apps.
- Then, open App manager, Manage apps, or All apps (it depends on the phone’s OEM).
- Now, locate and open Google from the list of apps.
- Tap Storage.
- Finally, clear cache from the app.
Solution 4 – Restart Nova Launcher
Moving on, you can also try and just reboot your device. Alternatively, there’s an option in Nova Launcher to restart it. This is a long shot but it might help you resolve the problem at hand.
- Tap & hold on the home screen and open Settings.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Advanced.
- Tap Restart Nova Launcher.
If Google Now is still not working on Nova Launcher, make sure to continue to the last step below.
Solution 5 – Reset Google app
Finally, we can only suggest to completely reset the Google app. The best thing to do (the most thorough one) is to uninstall all updates from the app and start from scratch. Just wait until it auto-updates (or update it through the Play Store manually) and open it again.
Configure in Google > hamburger bar > Settings what’s necessary first. Then, disable/re-enable Nova Google Companion and everything should be addressed.
Follow these instructions to reset the Google app completely:
- Open Play Store.
- Search for and expand Google.
- Uninstall Google (this will uninstall updates since the Google app is a system app).
- Reboot your device and update the app.
With that said, we can conclude this article. Thank you for reading and, in case you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments section below.
The word on the street is Android users want a dark mode. With the increased usage of AMOLED panels on smartphones (including some midrange devices), there is a considerable demand for dark themes and their battery saving benefits. Recently, Nova just added the feature to Google Discover.
Google Discover (or the Google Feed as it’s more commonly known) is a page which lists relevant articles and information based on your search history and YouTube watch history. Nova Launcher is one of only a few launchers with access to this page, as the feature was previously limited to Google’s official launchers. While there have been other ways to enable dark mode on Google Discover, they required the Pixel Launcher. With this method, you can enjoy the customization options of Nova launcher without giving up the black themed Discover page.
Step 1: Download the Latest Nova Launcher
The new dark mode feature is available on the latest version of Nova Launcher. Head to Nova Launcher’s Play Store page and either download the app or update it if you already have installed on your device. The version you are looking for is v.6.1.6 or higher.
- Play Store Link: Nova Launcher (free)
Step 2: Enable Dark Mode
With Nova Launcher installed, open the launcher and enter its settings by either-long pressing the home screen and choosing “Settings” or selecting “Nova Settings” from the app drawer. Choose “Integrations” and select the drop-down box next to “Theme” (by default, it will say “Light”). Select “Dark” from the drop-down box.
Step 3: Test Out Dark Mode
Return to the home screen and swipe over to the Google Discover page — if you don’t already have it enabled, check out our guide on how to turn it on. Dark mode should now be activated, with the background being dark gray and the text switching to white.
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by Popa Loredana · June 28, 2019
The OnePlus 7 Pro is OnePlus’ first attempt at a true ultra-premium flagship and I’m gald to discover the result. This device rocks! What about you? Some long time Pixel users just switched over and they might have a hard time getting used to the change. Are you one of them too? Do not panic! Take your time to to run through all the things and you will eventually see that ditching your Pixel was not at all in vain.
And if you are looking for the easiest way to add the Google Feed on OnePlus 7 Pro, be sure that I can help. The easiest way of doing it is via the Nova Launcher, of course. I bet that you already know that this launcher has a generous list of customizations and features that make it extremely popular with users all over the world.
If you want to completely revamp your phone and add the Google Now Feed using Nova, it could not get any easier. Here’s a short guide that might help you out:
Enable Google Feed on OnePlus 7 Pro via Nova Launcher:
- First of all, download or update the Nova launcher App from the Play Store;
- Do not hesitate to set it as the default launcher on your OnePlus 7 Pro;
- Up next, open Settings app > Apps & notifications;
- Go to Default Apps > Home app > Lawnchair;
- You may now visit Nova Google companion app’s page;
- While there, you have to tap on Download Nova Google companion app;
- Tap on OK to confirm the download;
- Then, just hit the downloaded APK file to begin installing it;
- Go to the Home screen and try to swipe from left to right from the current left-most home screen;
- That was all this time. You can now find your own Google Now feed right here, available as the left-most home screen.
Have you completed the procedure? Do let me know in the comments area if you tried this method as well and how it worked out for your OnePlus 7 Pro device.
by John Garner · June 30, 2019
Nova Launcher is one of the most loved launchers on Android. Even so, it’s true that one of the best features in Google’s stock launchers is precisely the quick access to the Google Feed. This started with the Google Now Launcher and continued on in Pixel Launcher, but the story should not stop there. Believe it or not, you can easily add it to Nova Launcher as well.
Google Feed is an inspired way to access stories that Google thinks will appeal to you. You are free to customize its content to remain relevant to your interests, and simply let Google take care of things for you. So, once you’ve taken the time to really set it up, it’s the best way to get news you care about. How not to want that on your Nova Launcher too?
Why can you find the app that makes it all possible on the Play Store? Well, a few updates ago, the Google app’s check was changed. Now the Google app checks not for a client that is a system app, but an app that is debuggable. Apps with a debuggable client can not be published on the Google Play Store. Even if third-party apps such as Nova can utilize the API without being a system app, they do need to have a debuggable client.
The developers clearly have no interest on taking the launcher off the Play Store, so that’s how the story continued. They’ve created the companion APK instead which can be side-loaded. And here I am to help you out with the procedure, just as I always do:
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borijess
Senior Member
- Jan 2, 2021 at 1:42 PM
bjtcars
Senior Member
- Jan 2, 2021 at 8:16 PM
Nova Launcher 7 Update is Here and It’s Huge
arsenal74
Senior Member
- Jan 3, 2021 at 9:50 AM
Yeah, it’s broken on my Note too. The companion app has not been updated for a long time too so I am not confident it will get fixed quickly.
I have moved to Lawnchair recently, works really well.
willcor
Senior Member
- Jan 3, 2021 at 11:16 AM
Is this issue /error, on Android 11 or Android 10.?
I am currently still on Android 10 an have Nova Prime
v 6.2.18 installed.
Nova Google Companion is working fine for me ?
No issues so far.
However, about – + 3 weeks ago, i had similar
issue, when by swiping from left, Google Companion would not work./appear.
I eventually uninstalled Nova Google Companion app, downloaded Nova Google Companion , (think it was from Apkmirror site) again and re install.
Working fine since then.
The Google Discover feed is a very handy feature that you’d mostly find on Pixel or other stock Android devices. The feed conveniently sits to the left of your home screen and displays vital information about things that matter to you. These include the latest news stories, updates about your favorite sports teams, tailored video recommendations, and much more. Sadly, most Android manufacturers don’t implement this feature in the default launcher on their devices. Instead, they include their own implementations that provide similar functionality, like OnePlus’ Shelf. Xiaomi’s MIUI is among the many skinned versions of Android that don’t include this feature on the includedВ MIUI Launcher . However, we’ve recently learned that the Google Discover feed works in the MIUI launcher in select regions.
Thanks to Igor Eisberg from the Xiaomi.eu ROM team, we now have our first look at the Google Discover feed working on the MIUI launcher. As you can see in the short clip below, accessing the feed works just like it would on a Pixel device. You just need to swipe right on your home screen and it’s all right there.
A string of code related to the feature indicates that it only works in 2 specific “regions”В – mx_telcel and lm_cr. We’ve also learned that this feature was added in the MIUI 9.8.2 update dated August 2nd, 2019.
As of now, it isn’t clear if Xiaomi plans to include this feature on the MIUI launcher in other regions as well. However, if you’re interested in using this feature on your Xiaomi device, you’d be glad to know that you can easily get it with a supported third-party launcher. You can try the popular Nova launcher or Action launcher to get the Google Discover feed on your phone, however, you’ll need to install a separate APK to enable the feature. For a more stock Android-like experience, you can also try out the Rootless launcher which also lets you enable the feed in the same manner.
Nova Launcher is, for years now, the most popular and feature-rich third-party launcher on the Play Store. There are, of course, certain limitations if you are using the free version. With Nova Launcher Prime (paid premium version), you get more customization options and home screen gestures that are more than useful. If you want to learn how to use Nova Launcher shortcuts and gestures, make sure to keep on reading.
How do I create shortcuts with gestures in Nova Launcher?
Once you get a hold of them, Nova Launcher gestures become an irreplaceable part of your user experience. They allow you to create shortcuts with different gestures. You can either assign a certain gesture to system (and Nova) actions, to an app or shortcuts within apps.
There are 11 different gestures that you can utilize with Nova to fit your needs. Once you add an action or app shortcut to a certain gesture, you’ll be able to access it from the home screen. Of course, gestures work solely on the home screen.
What you need is the paid version of Nova Launcher and some time to tweak everything the way it suits you best.
Here’s how to utilize gestures on Nova Launcher:
- Download Nova Launcher and purchase Nova Launcher Prime from the Play Store, here and here. We are not affiliated with TeslaCoil Software that develops and maintains Nova Launcher. Just regular users like so many others.
- Exit initial Setup when prompted and open B.
- Select Apps (Apps & notifications).
- Select All apps (or Default apps right away on stock Android).
- Tap on the 3-dot menu and select Default apps.
- Open Home App or Launcher and select Nova as your default launcher.
- Now, once you set up everything, open Gestures & inputs.
- Tap on any gesture you want to use and assign whatever action or shortcut you want to utilize.
That’s it. With that, you can access so many things from the home screen in a blink. If you grant Nova Accessibility and Device Admin permissions, you can use it to lock the screen with, for example, a double-tap. There are numerous possibilities, just need to try and find out what works for you.
Use Sesame Shortcuts to create more app shortcuts and actions
Now, besides just the launcher itself, there are a few apps you can consider getting. The first one is Nova Companion that allows you to add the Google Discover feed to the -1 screen (swipe right on the home screen). The second one is called Sesame or Sesame Shortcuts and it adds another layer of usability to Nova Launcher shortcuts.
Namely, Sesame allows you to create custom shortcuts and, once you search for an app, all actions will appear. Once you get used to it, accessing certain actions in certain apps becomes so much easier.
The app is very intuitive once you get over the initial setup, permissions, and minor aesthetic tweaks. After that, just navigate to Sesame > Shortcuts and add whatever you deem necessary for your usage.
The purposefulness of this app declined a bit with some system integrations that were not there a couple of Android versions ago. For example, these days you’ll get app actions if you tap and hold on an app’s home screen shortcut (not in the app drawer, though) without third-party apps.
Nonetheless, the app is still more than useful and it works great when integrated with Nova Launcher. It brings a plethora of shortcuts in the app drawer search. This is, obviously, if you want to use the app drawer which can be disabled in Nova settings.
Now, here’s how to install and integrate Sesame with Nova Launcher:
- Download Sesame from the Play Store, here.
- Run the app and grant all permissions. Of course, if you don’t want to grant permission to access your personal accounts, it’s not a deal-breaker. There are still many shortcuts that don’t require allowing access to your Google account or, say, Spotify.
- Tap and hold on the home screen and open NovaSettings.
- Choose Integrations.
- Check both “Shortcuts in app search” and “Shortcuts in icon long-press menu” options.
- Now, get back to Sesame, tap on the 3-dot menu, and open Shortcuts.
- There you can select a whole variety of shortcuts for the whole bunch of apps.
- Now, when in the app drawer, just start typing anything you need (e.g. contact’s name or name of an app) and all assigned shortcuts will appear.
That can be really helpful to some users while others might find it too cluttered for their taste. Either way, it’s worth a try and, if you are an Android customization buff, you can spend an interesting couple of hours configuring everything until it’s just perfect.
With that said, we can conclude this article. Thank you for taking your time and reading. Don’t forget to check our Facebook and Twitter pages for more informative and interesting content.
Jun 14, 2017 – You all may be familiar with Nova Launcher no doubt it is one of the best Android launchers you can get on your android device not because it is super fast as compared to stock firmware but because of the tons of features and tweaks, it comes with. You can download this launcher from the play store easily and can make it as your default Android launcher. Many Android users are doing same, you can even customize the Nova launcher according to your needs. Get an Integrated Google Now Page in Nova Launcher
Now those who are using the Nova launcher knows that it has no Google card feature in it but now in the new update Nova launcher comes with even Google cards as well. So, those who still not using it and are looking for the launcher for their device then I must suggest them to try Nova Launcher it will not only make your device fast but also it will look super cool. Get an Integrated Google Now Page in Nova Launcher
So, back to the point today in this article we gonna show you how to enable Google Cards in Nova Launcher. You can enable Google cards on your android device running on Nova Launcher even without rooting your device. So those who have to have not rooted android device don’t worry this method is working for both nonrooted and rooted Android device. Get an Integrated Google Now Page in Nova Launcher
Requirements
- Your device must be running on Android version 6.0 Marshmallow or higher
- You have to enable ‘Unknown Sources’ from the settings, if you don’t know how to do it then just simply go to Settings > Security > Enable Unknown Sources.
How to Get an Integrated Google Now Page in Nova Launcher
- Now you can only enable Google cards if you have latest Nova Launcher if you have not then simply update it and then scroll down to the nova launcher page on play store until you see ‘Become a beta tester’ tap ‘I am in’.
- Set nova Launcher as your default home.
- Now open Nova launcher and go to the settings of Nova Launcher then Tap on Desktop and then disableInfinite Scrolling.
- Now to get google card on you noval launcher just download Nova Google Companion App created by Nova developer. Here is the Download from HERE
- Install the Google Companion App.
- Enjoy!
That’s it! Now you have Google Cards on your Nova Launcher. If you have any queries then please do ask in the comment section.
There’s no doubt about the fact that Nova Launcher is the best Android launcher released till date. Its infinite customisations and beautiful UI give it an edge which other launchers can only dream to beat. My favourite thing about Nova is that its developers are quick to bring the best features from the newest version of Android to the older versions. However, there was one feature which has eluded even the developers at Nova Launcher till now. That is the Google Now Panel which you can access by swiping from left to right on phones with the Google Now launcher or the Pixel Launcher.
The lack of this feature alone has made me switch between Nova and the default Android launcher since so long. Well, not anymore. Now you can access Google Now Panel while running the Nova launcher. It is not as seamless as we would like but it’s still a start. So, without wasting any more of your time, here is how you can add Google Now Page in Nova Launcher home screen:
1. Install the Beta Version of Nova Launcher
Before you can enjoy the Google Now Page on Nova Launcher, you will have to install the beta version of the app, as this feature is currently being tested and is only available for beta testers. To become a beta tester, just head over to Nova Launcher Beta’s Play Store page and login with your Google account and hit “Become A Tester”.
Now that you have become a beta tester, search for Nova Launcher on the Play Store or follow the link to download it. If you do not want to go through the process of becoming a beta tester, you can directly download the Nova Launcher Beta APK from their official website and install it.
2. Install the Nova Google Companion 1.0
This is an add-on you need to install to activate the Google Now Page. Yes, you will have to sideload the Nova Google Companion app. Download the APK from this link and tap Install. Make sure that you have allowed your Android device to install APK from unknown sources. To do that, go to Settings>Security>Unknown sources and enable it.
3. Activate the Google Now Page
After you have installed the Nova Google Companion app, just restart Nova launcher. To do that go to Nova Settings and scroll down till you find the “Advanced” option. Tap on the arrow to reveal the advanced settings and then select “Restart Nova Launcher”. Now, you can go to the home screen and swipe right to reveal the Google Now Page.
Bonus Tip:
If you are still seeing any other widget instead of the Google Now Page while swiping on your home screen, just delete the widget and restart the launcher again. Enjoy!
Get Google Now Page on Nova Launcher Home Screen
While there are a ton of great launchers available for Android on the Play Store, the Nova Launcher is our favourite here at Beebom. We have covered many tips and tricks related to Nova Launcher, which you can read about here and here. If you like this article, please let us know in the comment section below. Your comment helps us to decide what kind of articles our readers are interested in, so don’t be shy in sharing your opinion.
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beebom,
how to update manually Marshmallow to Naugat…?
