New version coming with several key improvements

May 21, 2019 09:34 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft has just announced a new beta version of Microsoft Launcher that officially kicks off the development of another major update for the app.

Microsoft Launcher 5.5 beta introduces support for adaptive icons, so beginning with this update, the app maintains the design of the icons on the home screen.

“Have the same look for your app icons with multiple shape choices,” the company explains in the release notes published on the Google Play Store for beta users.

Additionally, the software giant brings back the hidden dock, technically letting you keep the home screen clean, but at the same time be able to launch apps faster with just a quick gesture. “You can set the dock to be hidden and still access your apps and widgets,” Microsoft notes.

Improved notification badges

Another notable improvement in this update concerns notification badges, as Microsoft itself explains.

“Get notification badges for calling and messaging apps without setting Microsoft Launcher as your default assistant. For more accurate badges, set Launcher as your default assistant,” the company says.

There are obviously more refinements under the hood that may not necessarily be obvious at first glance, as it’s the case of the Tasks card syncing, which is now faster for Microsoft and work/school accounts.

And last but not least, this new beta introduces further tweaks to the way you access shortcuts when the home screen is locked, so the experience overall should be more refined.

Keep in mind, however, that this version of Microsoft Launcher is still in the beta development stage, so certain bugs could occasionally occur. You can download Microsoft Launcher for Android from Softpedia using this link, or wait for the company to roll out the stable update. This typically happens a few weeks after the first beta sees daylight, but specifics aren’t available just yet.