[UPDATE: Rolling Out Widely] OnePlus Launcher 4.4 Adds Updated Recent Apps and Quick Search Shortcut

Original article follows… [April 13, 4:00 PM IST]

OnePlus has gradually started rolling out its latest OnePlus Launcher with version 4.4.2. The update brings navigation icons for recent apps and a shortcut to access quick search in the app drawer.

With this change, the app’s icon has been shifted to the bottom. The app icon now acts as a slider that you can use to navigate through your list of recent apps. You also get a cleaner ‘Close Apps’ button with text on it instead of the huge ‘X’ icon that was present before.

Also, you must have noticed the absence of the overflow menu (vertical three-dots) at the top right corner that provides access to menu options. Well, that functionality has now been integrated with long-press actions. All you have to do is long-press on the preview present in the recent apps screen to access more options such as Lock, App Info, and Split screen.

To use the quick search feature that got added in the update, press and hold while you swipe up to access the app drawer. Upon doing so, you’ll be directly taken to the search input box, as you can see in the image below.

I’ve been using the new recent apps with bottom app icons over the weekend and found it to be more convenient for switching between apps. The ability to slide through apps from the bottom icons feels somewhat similar to the pill-shaped navigation gesture implementation of Android Pie.

The update has not hit Google Play Store for the majority of users just yet. However, you may download the latest APK from APKMirror if you’re interested to try out the new recent apps layout right now on your OnePlus phone.

Download OnePlus Launcher from Play Store (Free)