How to Get the Galaxy S8 Launcher, Bixby & Always-On Display on the Galaxy S7 & S7 Edge

It was only a matter of time, but developers over at XDA impatiently waiting for the new Samsung Galaxy S8 to arrive, figured out how to port over the S8’s new home screen launcher. In addition to being able to use the new launcher (without needing to even root the phone by the way), you can also get Bixby, Samsung’s new voice assistant, as well as the new always-on display (AOD).

So if you want to at least get some semblance of what it might be like to use the new S8 on your S7 or S7 Edge, here’s the quick tutorial.

Download the Necessary APK Files

  1. On the phone go to Settings > Lock Screen & Security > Tap Allow from Unknown Sources to allow the phone to install APK files that aren’t from the Play Store.
  2. In your internet browser on your S7 or S7 Edge (just easier to do it directly on the phone instead of downloading it to a computer and transferring it), head to the developer’s thread on XDA here and scroll to the bottom of the first post and download the following files to the phone:
    S8 Launcher
    Bixby
    AOD (if the AOD file on that page is in a .jar format, download this one instead)
  3. Once those are downloaded we need to install them in order.

Install the S8 Launcher

S8 Launcher on the S7

First, we need to install the S8 launcher.

  1. Go to Settings > Apps > Tap the three dots and tap on show system apps > Tap on TouchWiz Home > Storage > and clear the Data and Cache.
  2. Then pull down the notification shade or go to MyFiles in the app drawer then downloads and tap on the S8 Launcher we downloaded to install it.
  3. Once installed, go back to Settings > Apps > Tap the three dots and tap on show system apps > Tap on TouchWiz Home > Storage > and clear the Data and Cache.
  4. Press the home button and you should now be in the new S8 Launcher.

Install Bixby

Bixby on S7

 

Next, we’ll get Bixby, Samsung’s new voice assistant. Now, since there is not dedicated button to bring up Bixby like there is on the S8, you swipe left on the home screen to get to Bixby instead (not as functional, but what can you do).

  1. Pull down the notification shade or go to MyFiles in the app drawer then downloads and tap on Bixby this time to install that.
  2. Tap the home button.
  3. Tap and hold on a blank area of the S8 Launcher home screen and tap on the launcher settings
  4. Make sure all of Bixby’s options are on.
  5. Push the home button and swipe over on the screen to get to Bixby and tap Start.
  6. Reboot the phone once done, and swipe to the left on the home screen to use Bixby.

Install Always-On Display

AOD on S7

Next, we can install the Always-On Display to get the same one that the S8 has. This is the screen you see when the phone is sitting idle and the screen is locked.

  1. Go to Settings > Display > Disable the Always-On Display if you have it on right now.
  2. Head to Settings > Apps > Tap the three dots and tap on show system apps > Tap on Always-On Display and clear cache and data.
  3. Pull down the notification shade or go to MyFiles in the app drawer then downloads and tap on AOD apk we downloaded earlier to install it (if it shows up as a .jar file instead of an APK and the phone won’t open it, head to my site on your phone and download the APK of it I hosted there instead and install that).
  4. After it installs, head to Settings > Apps > Tap the three dots and tap on show system apps > Tap on Always-On Display and clear cache and data again.
  5. Then turn it back on and configure it as you would like in Settings > Display > Always-On Display.

And that’s that, you might not have the sexy design of the new Galaxy S8, but you can at least mess around with the software while waiting for your pre-order.

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29 thoughts on “How to Get the Galaxy S8 Launcher, Bixby & Always-On Display on the Galaxy S7 & S7 Edge”

  1. Spoke on twitter. Can’t seem to find a file or app to remove to reinstall. Looking for the same name as file download.

    1. So it’s not a file name to uninstall it. The app you installed essentially updated TouchWiz. So to uninstall, go to Settings > Apps > Tap the three dots and tap on show system apps > Tap on TouchWiz Home > Tap the three dots at the top right and select Uninstall Updates. Then reboot.

      1. The issue is that I do not have the 3 dot settings button to uninstall updates on once I go into to apps – BUSU system apps – touch wiiz. So can’t get new launcher going. Any tips on this issue

        1. I have the same problem. I don’t have the 3 dot setting button, and when I install the package it says : the package conflict with an existing package by the same name . Any help please!!!

      2. I have the same problem. I don’t have the 3 dot setting button, and when I install the package it says : the package conflict with an existing package by the same name . Any help please!!! I also have android 7.0 running on my s7 device

  2. Afnaan Sunny

    i’ve a problem with touchwiz home , when i try to install it , it shows app not installed , the package conflicts with an existing package by the same name !

          1. Philip osborne

            I’m on nougat 7.0 my model number is SM-G930F and I’m from the UK so my network is o2 please help

          2. So this is happening with installing TouchWiz right? And you cleared both the TouchWiz data AND cache in the settings where I tell you to? And then install the touchwiz apk from above? Try and delete the apk from the phone, go to Settings > Apps > Show System Apps > tap on TouchWiz and tap the dots then Uninstall Updates. Once that’s done, redownload the APK file again to the phone, then go back into the TouchWiz in Apps and clear the data and cache in there (and anything else it’ll let you clear in there for the hell of it), then immediately without going back to the homescreen install the APK (i.e. from the notification shade when it shows it’s downloaded). Let me know if that works.

          3. Philip osborne

            Hi I’ve got the updated version of the touchwiz and bixby now it’s just the always on display I can’t do tried everything can u help?

  3. Aaron James F. Arce

    Hi there.. I already installed s8 launcher and bixby it went well But i noticed that my bixby has no bixby voice where I can speak and talk to bixby? Can you help me out? Im from the Philippines btw..

  4. Hi, I downloaded the three files as directed but can’t install the launcher. The response has been app not installed and under it says package conflicts with an existing package by the same name. How do I resolve this?

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