How to Install the New Google Home Launcher on Most Android Devices

When Google recently announced that their new Google Home launcher would be able to run on older versions of Android and not just Android 4.4, I figured some of you might want it, too. Let’s face it, anytime I can replace the Samsung TouchWiz UI, or LG UI, with a Google UI version of the app, I’m going to do it (or at least try it out).

Here’s how to install it while waiting for the official download to be available from the Play Store at a later time.

I. Before You Begin

  1. Allow your phone to install non-market apps by going to Settings > Security and tap ON Unknown Sources (may vary where this setting is but it’s somewhere in your Settings).Screenshots_2013-11-05-11-26-57

II. Download the Required Apps

  1. Head to this current procedure on your phone (if you are on a Desktop right now) and click the download link for the new PrebuiltGMSCore apk (Google Play Services),  the Velvet apk (Google Now), the Google Home apk, and save them all to your device.Screenshots_2013-11-05-13-18-02
  2. Once they all downloaded, pull down the notification bar and tap the download complete confirmation on the PreBuiltGMSCore apk file.Screenshots_2013-11-05-13-18-51
  3. Click Install then click Done (not Open).Screenshots_2013-11-05-13-19-01
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the other two apk files (install Google Home last) that should still be in your notification shade until all three are installed.Screenshots_2013-11-05-13-19-25
  5. Open Google Home after it installs by clicking Open at the bottom right and choose “Launcher” and hit Always when prompted to set it as your default launcher.Screenshots_2013-11-05-13-20-07
  6. Enjoy! (You can always uninstall these by going to Settings > Application Manager > Uninstall each one from there).

You know what would go great with the new Google Home launcher? The new Google Hangouts app from Kitkat.

29 thoughts on “How to Install the New Google Home Launcher on Most Android Devices”

    1. You can fix this by changing the language in the Voice section of the settings inside Google Now. (I changed mine to English – UK). Do a search, then go back to the settings, change the voice back to original language, do a search again. Voila

      NOTE: You will have to do this again if your phone dies, or restarts. At least until Google releases an official APK on Google Play.

      1. got it. go to app manager, and find the google services. u will see 4.0.xxx. uninstall that update. so the google services should back to 3.0.xx. Then now you can install that PrebuiltGmsCore.apk

  1. Done, but it shows an error when runnning Google Search and i have to press ok or report, how do i clear the defaults on this launcher?

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      1. Tap the home button and it should ask you which launcher you want to use. Select the new one and hit always to have the home button default to the new launcher.
        You can undo this by either uninstalling the new launcher or by going to settings then default applications and clearing its defaults.

          1. Then it’s not installed properly. Try to uninstall it and reinstall it. Then try and go to settings and find default apps and clear them for the current launcher.
            Can’t help you beyond that. Good luck.

  3. Hello. I accidentally deleted my home launcher because I have download another launcher on google play. I though to free some space but now I cannot even open my screen. Please help me!!!! :'(

  4. Khurram Hussain

    after installing PreBuiltGMSCore.apk when i tried to install velvet.apk it says that app not installed

  5. I installed the google play services but the other two files say there has been a parsing error so does the google play services affect my device? It also says that unfortunately google play services has stopped pls help

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