I swapped my app grid for a T9 keypad and my Android is faster than ever

I am game when it comes to customizing my Android phone. I love trying out new launchers and other productivity tools that are otherwise not available by default on my Samsung Galaxy phone. In the past, I gave a launcher a shot that helped me save some battery, and I also got my hands on an open-source app thatlets you search your entire Android phone from one bar.

However, most launchers don’t fix the problem of clutter, and you end up staring at a wall of icons; it's just differently styled. This time around, I replaced my launcher with a T9 keypad and changed the way I locate and open apps on my phone.

Key Launcher brings back Nokia brick keypad

Turning your old flip phone's trick into a home screen

If you have ever seen a phone with a keypad, you would know the struggle we used to face when texting. We had to type numbers instead of letters on a keyboard, and the phone predicted the words you were typing based on which keys shared those letters. It was clunky and required a good number of thumb taps.

Key Launcher borrows that exact logic for opening apps instead of typing text. Your home screen becomes a 9-key numpad. Type two or three digits that match the letters in an app’s name, and it launches instantly, no swiping, no scrolling, no hunting through the app drawer.

So, for instance, you need to type “725,” and Instagram pops open before you even lift your thumb. The developer built it specifically to replace what its own listing calls “exhausting icon-hunting” with something closer to muscle memory.

I have tried several launchers, but I'd have to say that Key Launcher is the only one that tries to solve Android’s clutter problem. Kvaesitso takes a similar approach to a phone that feels slow and cluttered, but Key Launcher’s T9 approach flips the usual order: search first, look second.

It feels snappier and faster

Less rendering, less friction, less clutter

If you are looking for ways to make your phone feel faster, then let me be very frank. Swapping launchers won’t overclock your processor, and killing background apps rarely does anything magical. RAM cleaner apps do more harm than good, and manually force-closing apps only slows down your phone instead of speeding it up.

But when using the Key Launcher, one thing changed, which was simpler than a RAM boost. A stock Android or One UI (in my case) home screen has to render dozens of icons, widgets, badges, animations, etc. every time you unlock your phone.

On the other hand, this T9 keypad launcher renders nine buttons and some text. That is quite less for your phone and even less for your eyes to process. That is the real speed gain you get, not from the app itself being lightweight.

You might have come across situations where you unlocked your phone to open one specific app and instead opened something else and spent time with it. The T9 keypad launcher simply eliminates that distraction, and you type in the app you want to open. It has cured my doomscrolling habit since I have fewer apps, so fewer detours.

Get Key Launcher up and running

It takes less time than reading this section

The good thing about the Key Launcher T9 keypad is that it is available through the official Google Play Store. This means you do not need to sideload the app, as you do for apps that are not available on the Play Store and that you have to get from third-party stores.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Get the Key Launcher app from the Play Store and launch the app.
2. You will be walked through the app. You will be asked to try how the app works, then shown how the gestures work, shown the features, asked to grant necessary permissions, pin your favorite app, asked to choose a theme, and which hand you use.
3. You can set it as the default launcher or start away using the app.
4. Let the app scan your installed apps so that it can map them to the T9 keypad.

That’s it! Additionally, you can long-press any number to assign it to a speed-dial-style shortcut. So, you can set it up to open a contact, a specific app, or even a deep link like jumping straight into a WhatsApp chat. If you still wish to access the traditional scrollable app drawer, then you need to swipe up from the keypad. It is there, but tucked out of sight.

Small features that won me over

It is more than just a numpad

When you download or even see the screenshots of this app on the Play Store, you will expect it to be a bare-bones and gimmicky app. But that is not the truth. There are so many well-thought-out features stuffed in this app that I have made it my default launcher and have been using it for weeks.

• Quick glance: This mode lets you see your notifications and to-dos without opening any app. This means you are not prompted to open Instagram to check your DM.
• Pomodoro Focus Mode: It locks your screen in a distraction-free dashboard and is useful if you want to focus on your work and want a glance at your phone for a time. It can be activated by long-pressing the "0" button.
• Private Vault: If you have apps you want to keep away from prying eyes, there is a private vault where you can hide them and lock them behind a passcode. It can be accessed by long-pressing the "#" button.

It is good but…

It is my duty to give you my honest feedback on every app I use, and for Key Launcher, my take is that it is not perfect. First of all, the free version of this app covers the basics. For features such as extra folders, more customization options, and expanded shortcut slots, you have to get the paid tier. Also, it is not for everyone, especially for those who rely on widgets for fitness, calendar, or weather. There is a learning curve, so you have to get it into your memory.

So, if you are okay with these trade-offs, then Key Launcher is a good launcher to keep you away from distractions.