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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteIf your Pixel keeps switching back to Pixel Launcher, first set your preferred launcher again at Settings > Apps > Default apps > Home app. If the change recurs, restart and update the phone and launcher, then use Safe Mode to check whether a downloaded app may be involved. Android supports third-party launchers, but these steps do not establish one universal cause for repeated resets.
Set your preferred launcher as the Home app
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Open Settings > Apps > Default apps > Home app.
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Select the third-party launcher you want to use. If it does not appear in the list, check that it is installed and available on the phone.
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Return to the Home screen and confirm the expected launcher opens. Google documents choosing default apps from the Default apps menu: Set or clear default apps on Android.
Settings labels can differ by Android version or device maker; this path is for Pixel phones.
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Restart and check for updates
Restart the phone, then check for Android system updates and updates to the launcher in Google Play. Google’s troubleshooting guidance for Pixel apps recommends restarting and checking app and system updates when an app is not working as expected: Fix an installed Android app that isn’t working.
Use Safe Mode to check for downloaded-app involvement
Safe Mode temporarily disables downloaded apps. If the preferred launcher stops reverting while the phone is in Safe Mode, return to normal mode and investigate recently installed apps one at a time. If the reset still happens in Safe Mode, a downloaded-app conflict becomes less likely, but the test does not identify the cause by itself.
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Follow Google’s instructions to enter and exit Safe Mode for your Pixel: Find problem apps by rebooting to safe mode on Android. Some Home screen widgets may be removed temporarily while in Safe Mode.
Re-select the launcher or clear an existing default
If Pixel Launcher has become the selected Home app, return to Settings > Apps > Default apps > Home app and choose your preferred launcher again. Android also lets you clear an app’s default preferences so it asks which app to use next time. That can prompt a fresh choice, but Google’s documentation does not describe clearing defaults as a lasting fix for a recurring change.
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Be careful before clearing app data
Google distinguishes between clearing an app’s cache, which removes temporary files, and clearing its storage or data, which erases information saved by that app. Before clearing storage for any launcher, preserve its backup and home-screen setup. Clearing Pixel Launcher storage is not established as a fix for another launcher losing the default selection. See Google’s Pixel app troubleshooting guidance: Fix an installed Android app that isn’t working.
What the platform documentation and reports establish
Android supports replacing its built-in home screen: the Android 16 Compatibility Definition Document says Android includes a launcher and supports third-party applications that replace it (Android 16 Compatibility Definition Document, section 3.8.1).
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A Google Issue Tracker report describes one Pixel 7 running an Android 15 QPR beta that reverted to Pixel Launcher after a restart; the reporter said the behavior seemed fixed on a later beta build (Google Issue Tracker report). That historical beta report does not show that current Pixel phones share the same bug or explain what is happening on a different device.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If the launcher keeps reverting
Record the details before contacting the launcher developer or Pixel support. This makes it easier to describe the behavior without assuming what caused it.
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Phone model and Android version/build
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Launcher name and version
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When the change happens, such as after a reboot, update, profile switch, or a change in battery state
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Whether the problem occurs in Safe Mode and whether it follows a repeatable trigger
These events are useful to document, not established causes. Share the details with the launcher developer or Pixel support if the steps above do not resolve the problem.
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