📱 BIG Launcher User Manual

Version 4.9 | For Seniors and People with Vision Problems


📖 Table of Contents

  1. Getting Started
  2. The Home Screen
  3. Phone & Calling
  4. Contacts
  5. Messages (SMS)
  6. Screens & Buttons
  7. Themes & Appearance
  8. SOS Emergency
  9. Security & Restrictions
  10. Accessibility
  11. Applications
  12. Settings & System
  13. Troubleshooting
  14. Support & Help
  15. Appendices

Part 1 — 🚀 Getting Started

What Is BIG Launcher?

BIG Launcher replaces the complicated home screen of your Android phone with a simple, easy-to-read interface. Instead of small icons and confusing menus, you get large buttons with big text that are easy to see and press.

🎬 Watch: BIG Launcher Promo (English) | Promo (Czech)

Who is BIG Launcher for?

The BIG Apps Suite

BIG Launcher works together with two companion apps:

App Purpose
BIG Launcher Your new home screen with large buttons
BIG Phone Handles phone calls with an enlarged call screen
BIG SMS Sends and receives text messages with big text

You need to install BIG Phone and BIG SMS separately (required by Google Play Store rules since March 2019).

Free vs. Full Version

🎬 Watch: Free version limitations

Feature Free Version Full Version
Customizable buttons Right column only All buttons
Additional screens 5 maximum Unlimited
Password protection Not available Available
Call log items 5 recent only Unlimited
SMS threads 5 recent only Unlimited
Keypad during call Disabled Available
Ads in messages Link added after 20 SMS No ads

Installation

🎬 Watch: How to install BIG Launcher

  1. Open the Google Play Store on your phone
  2. Search for "BIG Launcher"
  3. Tap Install and wait for the download to finish
  4. Tap Open to run the app

Installing BIG Phone

  1. On the home screen, tap the Phone button
  2. Choose "Download and install the phone app"
  3. Tap Install on the Google Play Store page
  4. After installation, tap Open
  5. Grant all requested permissions (calls, contacts, call logs) — the app won't work without them

Installing BIG SMS

  1. On the home screen, tap the Messages button
  2. Choose "Download and install the messages app"
  3. Tap Install on the Google Play Store page
  4. After installation, tap Open
  5. When prompted, set BIG SMS as your default SMS app — tap Yes

Setup Wizard

The first time you open BIG Launcher, a setup wizard guides you through basic settings:

Step 1: Language

Language selection

Step 2: Text Size

Text size selection

Step 3: Color Theme

Theme selection

Step 4: Deletion Permissions

Deletion permissions

Step 5: Complete

Setup complete

Setting BIG Launcher as Default

🎬 Watch: How to set BIG Launcher as default

When you press the Home button, you'll be asked to choose a launcher:

  1. Select BIG Launcher from the list
  2. Tap "Always" or "Set as default"

If this menu doesn't appear: 1. Open System settingsAppsDefault appsHome screen 2. Select BIG Launcher

Setting Default Phone & SMS Apps

🎬 Watch: How to set default phone/SMS app

BIG Phone as Default Calling App

Automatic: Open BIG Phone → tap Yes when asked to set as default.

Manual: 1. Go to System settingsApps 2. Tap the three dots (⋮) → Default apps 3. Tap Calling app → select BIG Phone for Seniors

BIG SMS as Default Messaging App

Automatic: Open BIG SMS → tap Yes when asked to set as default.

Manual: 1. Go to System settingsApps → three dots (⋮) → Default apps 2. Tap Messaging app → select BIG SMS for Seniors

⚠️ Important: Only the default phone app can show incoming call screens and access call history. Only the default SMS app can send and receive messages.

Purchasing the Full Version

🎬 Watch: How to purchase | Price info

Checking the Price

  1. Tap the three dots (⋮) next to the clock → Preferences
  2. Tap "Buy the full version"
  3. The price appears in your local currency
  4. Each app (BIG Launcher, BIG Phone, BIG SMS) must be purchased separately

Buying

  1. Tap the three dots (⋮) → Preferences"Buy the full version"
  2. Select the app you want to unlock
  3. Follow the payment process
  4. If completed successfully, tap the Home button and all features will be unlocked

⚠️ Important: An order receipt will be sent to your email. Don't delete it — it contains your order number. If you encounter any problems with your license in the future, you can use this order number as proof of purchase.

Remember: You need to repeat this process for each app separately — BIG Launcher, BIG Phone, and BIG SMS.

Restoring Your License

🎬 Watch: How to restore license

If you already purchased but don't see the green checkmark: 1. Make sure you're connected to the internet 2. Tap Refresh in the Buy section 3. Restarting your phone may help

When replacing your phone: - Use the same Google account as the original purchase - The license should restore automatically - If not: Preferences"Buy the full version" → look for the green checkmark

💡 If nothing works: Contact contact@biglauncher.com with your Order ID.

Purchasing for Someone Else

🎬 Watch: How to add a credit card to another account

To buy BIG Launcher on someone else's phone (e.g., your grandmother's) with your credit card:

  1. On their phone, open Google Play Store → menu (☰) → Payment methods
  2. Tap "Add credit or debit card" and enter your card details
  3. Purchase BIG Launcher through Preferences"Buy the full version"
  4. After purchasing, go back to Play StorePayment methodsMore payment settings
  5. Remove your card from their account

The licenses remain active even after removing the card.


Part 2 — 🏠 The Home Screen

Home Screen Layout

Home screen

The home screen shows:

The Six Default Buttons

Button Icon What It Does
Phone Green Access contacts, dialer, call history
Messages Yellow Read and send text messages
Camera Take photos
Gallery View your photos
SOS Red Emergency calling and texting
Applications Access all other apps

Screen Layout Options

Layout options

Layout Buttons Best For
3×4 12 buttons Standard use
3×3 9 buttons Larger buttons
2×4 8 buttons Bigger text
2×2 4 buttons Very poor vision
1×1 1 button Single-function mode

3×3 grid 2×2 grid (extra large)

⚠️ Warning about 1×1 and 2×2 layouts: The three dots menu is hidden in these layouts. The lower-left button (2×2) or single button (1×1) automatically becomes a Preferences shortcut. If you change it, you may lose access to settings. Emergency access: Hold the top-left button for 30 seconds.

Portrait and Landscape

Portrait Landscape

Blinking Buttons

When a button blinks, it means there's something new:

Setting an Alarm

  1. Tap the clock or date on the home screen
  2. Your phone's alarm app opens
  3. Set your alarm as usual
  4. When an alarm is set, a small bell icon (🔔) appears next to the clock

Accessing Preferences

🎬 Watch: How to show Preferences

Preferences menu

Method 1 — Three Dots (easiest): - Tap the three dots (⋮) next to the clock → Preferences

Method 2 — From Apps List: - Open Applications → find "BIG Launcher Preferences"

Method 3 — Emergency Access: - Hold the top-left button on the Home screen for 30 seconds


Part 3 — 📞 Phone & Calling

The Phone Screen

Phone main menu

Tap Phone on the home screen to see:

  1. My Contacts — All contacts with phone numbers
  2. Starred — Your favorite contacts
  3. Dial Number — Keypad for manual dialing
  4. Recent Calls — Call history

Making a Call from Contacts

Contacts list

  1. Tap PhoneMy Contacts (or Starred)
  2. Scroll or use the search box at the top
  3. Tap the contact you want to call
  4. Tap the phone number
  5. Choose "Call" from the menu

Using the Dialer

Phone dialer Dialer action

  1. Tap PhoneDial Number
  2. Tap the numbers on the keypad
  3. To delete the last digit, tap the number display at the top
  4. To clear all, hold your finger on the number display
  5. Tap the green phone button to call

During a Call

Incoming call

Available buttons during a call:

Call Screen Safety Features

Simplifying the Call Menu

🎬 Watch: How to simplify the call menu

When you tap a contact, a menu appears with call and SMS options. You can simplify this:

Remove SMS option: 1. PreferencesContacts → disable "Show message option in call dialog" 2. Now only the "Call" option will be shown — this works as a confirmation and prevents accidental calls

Direct dial (no menu at all): 1. PreferencesContacts → enable "No menu when calling the contact" 2. Tapping a contact will immediately start the call

⚠️ We don't recommend disabling the confirmation menu — otherwise random calls can be triggered anytime when handling the phone.

Default Audio Device

🎬 Watch: How to change default audio device

  1. PreferencesPhone"Default audio device for calls"
  2. Choose from:
  3. Default — Phone's normal behavior
  4. Earpiece — Small speaker at your ear
  5. Bluetooth — Connected Bluetooth headset
  6. Wired Headset — Headphones with a cable
  7. Speaker — Loudspeaker

Switching during a call: During an active call, you can see the active audio device on the second button. Tap it to cycle between all available devices (earpiece, speaker, Bluetooth, wired headset).

Dual SIM Phones

If your phone has two SIM cards, you'll be asked which SIM to use when making a call.

Call History

Call history Call log delete

  1. Tap PhoneRecent Calls
  2. Icons indicate call type:
  3. Green arrow — Outgoing (you called)
  4. Blue arrow — Incoming (they called)
  5. Red arrow — Missed call
  6. Tap any entry to call back
  7. Tap Delete to remove an entry (if deletion is enabled)

Part 4 — 👥 Contacts

Viewing Contacts

Contact detail

  1. Tap PhoneMy Contacts
  2. Scroll through the list or use the search box
  3. Tap any contact to see their details

Contact details may include: - Phone numbers — Tap to call or send SMS - Email addresses — Tap to send email - Websites, notes, birthday/anniversary

Starred (Favorite) Contacts

  1. Open a contact's details
  2. Tap Add star — the contact appears in the Starred list
  3. Tap Remove star to undo

Adding a New Contact

New contact screen Phone number editing

  1. Tap PhoneAdd Contact
  2. Enter the contact's name
  3. Tap Add phone and enter the phone number
  4. You can add multiple numbers (Home, Mobile, Work)
  5. Tap Add email for email addresses
  6. Tap Save

Adding a Photo to a Contact

Set photo popup Photo cropping

  1. Open the contact → tap Set photo
  2. Choose Gallery (existing photo) or Camera (take new)
  3. Use the crop tool to select the area you want
  4. Tap the green Save button

Editing a Contact

  1. Open the contact → tap Edit
  2. Make your changes
  3. Tap Save

Deleting a Contact

Contact with delete

🎬 Watch: How to delete history/SMS/contacts

Deletion is disabled by default to prevent accidents. To enable: 1. PreferencesContacts → enable "Add contact delete option" 2. Or re-run the Setup wizard and change deletion permissions


Part 5 — 💬 Messages (SMS)

Reading Messages

Messages inbox SMS conversation

  1. Tap Messages on the home screen
  2. You'll see recent conversations with contact names and last message
  3. Tap a conversation to read all messages

Message colors: - Green border — Messages you sent - Yellow border — Messages you received - Checkmark — Message was delivered

Sending a New Message

New message blank New message with contact New message with text

  1. Tap MessagesWrite new
  2. Choose a contact or enter a phone number manually
  3. Type your message
  4. Tap Send

💡 Character limit: One SMS holds 160 characters (70 with emoji/special characters). Longer messages are split into multiple SMS.

Replying to a Message

  1. Open the conversation
  2. Tap Reply
  3. Type your message → tap Send

Message Options

Message options

Long-press a message for options like forward, copy, or delete.

MMS Messages (Pictures)

If someone sends a picture or video: 1. The message shows "This is MMS" 2. Tap Download to get the full message 3. Tap again to view

SMS Templates

Create message templates for quick responses: 1. In the message editor, tap Templates 2. Tap Create → type your message → save 3. Next time, tap Templates and select your saved message

Dual SIM Support

If your phone has two SIM cards, you'll be asked which SIM to use when sending.

Deleting Messages

🎬 Watch: How to delete history/SMS/contacts

Deletion is disabled by default. To enable: 1. PreferencesMessages → enable "Show delete button"

You can delete: - Individual messages - Entire conversation threads - All messages at once

⚠️ Warning: Bulk deletion cannot be undone!

SMS Notifications

🎬 Watch: SMS notifications on Android 10+

SMS notification

Notification Types

Configuring Notifications on Android 10+

Method 1 — Through notification bar: 1. Pull down the notifications bar 2. Long-tap the "BIG SMS for Seniors" notification 3. Tap DetailsIncoming message 4. Set notification style and sound

Method 2 — Through system settings: 1. System settingsNotificationsSee allBIG SMS for Seniors

Vibration Duration

Repeating Notifications

Set notifications to repeat every 5, 15, 30, or 60 minutes until you read the message.

Fixing SMS Button Blinking Issues

🎬 Watch: Fix SMS blinking

On some devices, the SMS button blinks constantly even when there is no unread SMS message. This is a bug in the phone's firmware. To fix it:

  1. Tap the three dots (⋮) → PreferencesScreens' options
  2. Enable "Blinking button when an app shows a notification"
  3. Enable Notification access for BIG Launcher → tap Allow
  4. Go back to the home screen → tap the three dots → "Set buttons"
  5. Tap the SMS button → choose "App" → select "BIG SMS for Seniors"
  6. Return to the home screen → open the Applications list
  7. Tap the Search box and type exactly: admin set screensEcosystemPrivileged false ok
  8. Choose Yes

The button should now behave normally.


Part 6 — 🔲 Screens & Buttons

Understanding Screens

Think of screens like pages in a book. The Home screen is page 1. You can add more pages with different buttons.

Screens setup

Adding a New Screen

🎬 Watch: How to add screens & customize buttons

Add screen confirmation Screens list

  1. Tap the three dots (⋮) → Preferences"Customize buttons and screens"
  2. Tap "Add screen"
  3. Tap Yes to link the new screen to the last button of the previous screen
  4. The previous last button (usually Apps) moves to the new screen

Home with buttons Empty second screen

Swipe Navigation Between Screens

Remove from swipe Add to swipe

Instead of tapping buttons to switch screens, you can swipe left and right:

  1. PreferencesScreens' options → enable "Use swipe to navigate screens"
  2. Swipe types:
  3. From home to right — Home → Screen 2 → Screen 3 (stops at end)
  4. Loop — After the last screen, swiping goes back to Home

⚠️ Memory warning: Swipe navigation uses more phone memory. If BIG Launcher becomes slow, turn off swipe or reduce the number of screens.

Customizing Buttons

🎬 Watch: Customize buttons

Screen settings Button function list

  1. Tap the three dots (⋮) → "Set buttons"
  2. Tap the button you want to change
  3. Choose from the available options:
Option What It Does
Application Opens any app
Contact details Shows a person's info
Direct call Immediately calls a person
Direct SMS Opens message editor to a person
Go to screen Links to another screen
Website shortcut Opens a website
SOS Opens emergency screen
Wi-Fi toggle Turns Wi-Fi on/off (green=ON, red=OFF)
Bluetooth toggle Turns Bluetooth on/off
Airplane mode Turns airplane mode on/off
Applications Opens the full apps list
Preferences Opens BIG Launcher settings
External widget Adds a mini-app (calendar, weather) to a button
External shortcut App-specific shortcuts from other apps
Revert Restores the button's original functionality
Clear Removes button functionality (makes it empty)

💡 About External Widgets: The space on a button is limited — we recommend using smaller widgets to maintain readability. The parent app usually launches when you tap the widget on the home screen.

💡 Running out of space? You can add more screens or change the layout to include more buttons.

Assigning a Contact to a Button

🎬 Watch: Assign contact to button

  1. Three dots (⋮) → "Set buttons" → tap the button
  2. Choose:
  3. Contact details — Shows the contact's info when tapped; photo appears on button
  4. Direct call/SMS — After choosing a contact, you must select which phone number to use. The contact's photo will appear on the button.

💡 To prevent accidental calls, a confirmation dialog is shown when you tap a contact button. You can disable this in Preferences, but we don't recommend it — otherwise random calls can be triggered when handling the phone.

Assigning a WhatsApp Contact

🎬 Watch: Assign WhatsApp contact

  1. Three dots (⋮) → "Set buttons" → tap the button
  2. Select "External shortcut"
  3. Find WhatsApp in the list
  4. Select the contact

💡 As of 2020, WhatsApp only allows shortcuts to text conversations, not direct audio/video calls.

Changing Button Icons

Icon pack selector Icon dark background Icon light background

  1. While editing a button, tap Change icon
  2. Choose from: Internal icons, Icon packs, Themes, or From app
  3. Tap Download more to get additional icon packs

Button Text Labels

  1. While editing a button, tap Set label
  2. Type a short name (e.g., "Son", "Doctor", "Weather")
  3. Configure in Preferences: position (top/center/bottom), size (50%–110%), color

💡 Enable automatic labels in Preferences to auto-name buttons when you assign functions.

Button Blinking for App Notifications

🎬 Watch: Button blinking setup

Make buttons blink when apps like WhatsApp, Gmail, etc. have notifications:

  1. First, create an app shortcut on a home screen button:
  2. Tap the three dots (⋮) → "Set buttons"
  3. Tap the button you want to customize
  4. Select "App" and choose the desired app (e.g., WhatsApp)
  5. Go back to the home screen → tap the three dots → Preferences
  6. Tap "Screens' options"
  7. Enable "Blinking button when an app shows a notification"
  8. A system screen will appear — enable Notification access for BIG Launcher and tap "Allow"
  9. Go back to the home screen — when the app receives a new notification, the button will start to blink

💡 Want to enlarge all notifications on your phone? Try our app BIG Notifications.


Part 7 — 🎨 Themes & Appearance

Built-in Themes

Theme Description
Light (default) White background, black text — good for bright rooms
Dark Black background, white text — easier at night
Blue Light blue — alternative appearance

Classic style

To change: Preferences → AppearanceSelect theme

To download more: Tap "Download more" in the theme selector.

Text Size

PreferencesAppearanceText size

Screen Orientation

PreferencesAppearanceSelect screen orientation

Full-Screen Mode

Hide the Android status bar for a cleaner look:

  1. PreferencesAppearance → enable Full screen
  2. To still see battery and signal, enable:
  3. Show big battery indicator
  4. Show big signal indicator

Safe Borders

Prevents accidental touches on edge-to-edge screens:

PreferencesAppearance → enable Safe borders size


Part 8 — 🆘 SOS Emergency

SOS screen

The red SOS button can automatically: 1. Send an emergency SMS with your location 2. Call a specific phone number

Setting Up SOS SMS

  1. PreferencesSOS
  2. Enable Send SMS
  3. Enter phone numbers in SMS phone (separate with commas)
  4. Write your emergency message in SMS text
  5. Set SMS wait — seconds before sending (prevents accidental activation)
  6. Enable Add GPS location to include your location

Example setup: - Phone: +1234567890, +0987654321 - Text: Help me! Emergency! - Wait: 5 seconds - GPS: Enabled

Setting Up SOS Call

  1. PreferencesSOS
  2. Enable Call
  3. Enter the phone number in Call phone
  4. Set Call wait — seconds to wait after SMS is sent

Using SOS

  1. Tap SOS on the home screen
  2. A countdown appears
  3. To cancel, tap Cancel
  4. After the countdown: SMS is sent, then the call is made on speakerphone

⚠️ Limitations: - You cannot use emergency numbers like 911 or 112 (Android restriction) - Use family members' or caregivers' numbers instead - GPS is most accurate outdoors; less precise indoors

Dual SMS Option

Enable "Send GPS SMS" to send two messages: 1. First SMS — immediate, with approximate location 2. Second SMS — once GPS gets a more precise fix


Part 9 — 🔒 Security & Restrictions

Password Protection

🎬 Watch: Password protection

Protect settings so only you or a caregiver can change them:

  1. Three dots (⋮) → PreferencesPreferences menu
  2. Enable "Protect menu"
  3. Tap "Password" and enter your password
  4. The password can be blank (just press OK) or a specific code

⚠️ Warning: If you forget your password, there is no recovery. You must reinstall BIG Launcher.

What can be protected: - Preferences menu — Password required to open settings - System settings — Password required to access Android settings

💡 Tip: Even with System settings password-protected, the user can still access system settings by pulling down the top notification bar (this is an Android function that cannot be disabled). To make this harder, enable "Full screen" in PreferencesAppearance — this hides the notification bar on the home screen, requiring two separate pull-down moves to access it.

Hiding Preferences in BIG Phone / BIG SMS

🎬 Watch: Hide Preferences menu item

  1. Open BIG Phone (or BIG SMS) → PreferencesBIG Apps Suite
  2. Uncheck "Show the Preferences button"

💡 You can still access Preferences from BIG Launcher's main menu.

Settings Inheritance Between Apps

🎬 Watch: Settings inheritance explained

Because there are three separate apps, settings can be managed centrally:

To disable inheritance: 1. Open BIG Phone → PreferencesBIG Apps Suite 2. Uncheck "Inherit the settings"

💡 Recommendation: Keep inheritance enabled so all settings are managed from one place.

Controlling Deletion Permissions

🎬 Watch: Delete history/SMS/contacts

Deletion is disabled by default for safety. To enable:

What to Delete Where to Enable
Contacts Preferences → Contacts → "Add contact delete option"
Call history Preferences → Phone → "Allow deleting call log items"
SMS messages Preferences → Messages → "Show delete button"

Or re-run the Setup wizard (Preferences → "Run setup wizard") and change permissions on the trash can screen.

Bulk delete options (when enabled): - Individual entries or entire threads - All history for a specific contact - All call history or all messages

⚠️ Bulk deletion cannot be undone!

Hiding Applications

  1. PreferencesApplicationsAllowed applications
  2. Tap an app to hide it (shows as "disabled")
  3. Use Disable all / Enable all for bulk changes

Emergency Access to Preferences

If you're locked out: - On the Home screen, press and hold the top-left button for 30 seconds - This only works on the Home screen


Part 10 — ♿ Accessibility

TalkBack (Screen Reader)

BIG Launcher works with Android's TalkBack for blind users: 1. Enable TalkBack in your phone's Accessibility settings 2. BIG Launcher reads button names, screen titles, contacts, and messages aloud

Optimizations in Preferences: - Don't read app name — Skips repeating "BIG Launcher" each time - Image button descriptions — Removes unnecessary "image button" announcements

Speak on Long Press

Even without TalkBack: 1. PreferencesAccessibility → enable "Speak on long press" 2. Hold your finger on any button or text to hear it read aloud

  1. PreferencesAccessibility → enable "Popup on long press"
  2. Holding a button shows a popup with its description

High Contrast & Large Text Tips

Large Contact Photos

  1. PreferencesPhone → enable "Show large contact image"
  2. Set Contact photo size — when someone calls, their photo fills the screen

Haptic Feedback (Vibration)

PreferencesAccessibility → enable "Enable haptic feedback"

Your phone vibrates slightly with each button press.

Control Options

Mode Behavior
Short press only Quick tap activates
Short and long press Tap = action, hold = description
Long press only Must hold to activate (prevents accidents)

Hardware Keyboard & Accessibility Switches

  1. PreferencesScreens' options → enable "Active button around widgets"
  2. Use arrow keys to navigate, OK/Enter to select, Back to go back

Scroll buttons: Enable "Add scroll buttons to every screen" for Up/Down navigation.

Tecla Shield: BIG Launcher supports external switches, sip-and-puff devices, and joysticks via the Tecla Shield wheelchair interface.


Part 11 — 📲 Applications

Applications list Applications with recent

Accessing Apps

Tap Applications on the home screen to see all installed apps.

Recent Applications

  1. PreferencesApplications → enable "Show recent applications"
  2. Set how many to show with "Recent applications count"

Searching for Apps

  1. Tap the search box at the top of the apps list
  2. Start typing the app name

💡 Enable "Better app search" in Preferences → Applications to search within names (e.g., "book" finds "Facebook").

Showing Preferences in Apps List

If your phone lacks a Menu button: 1. PreferencesApplications"Show the Preferences item" 2. Choose: Don't show, Above apps, or Below apps


Part 12 — ⚙️ Settings & System

License Transfer

Your license is tied to your Google account. On a new phone: - Sign in with the same Google account - Open BIG Launcher → Preferences"Buy the full version" → tap Refresh - Contact contact@biglauncher.com with your Order ID if problems persist

Checking Your App Version

🎬 Watch: How to check your version

  1. System settingsApps → tap BIG Launcher (or BIG Phone / BIG SMS)
  2. Scroll to the bottom — version number is shown
  3. For Android version: System settingsAbout phoneSoftware information

Switching Back to Original Launcher

  1. Preferences"Clear BIG Launcher as default launcher"
  2. Press the Home button
  3. Choose your original launcher

Part 13 — 🔧 Troubleshooting

No Ringtone on Incoming Calls

  1. PreferencesPhone → enable "Fix: no ringtone sound"
  2. Check your phone's volume and Do Not Disturb mode

SMS Messages Not Received

  1. Make sure BIG SMS is set as default messaging app
  2. PreferencesMessages → enable "Fix: alternative SMS receiver"
  3. Restart your phone

Black Screen During Incoming Call

  1. PreferencesPhone → enable "Fix: black screen during incoming call"
  2. Android Settings → Apps → BIG Phone → Notifications → enable "Show on lock screen" and "Turn screen on"

Missing Messages in Threads

PreferencesMessages → enable "Fix: show missing messages"

Duplicate Messages

Toggle "Fix: alternative SMS receiver" (enable if disabled, or disable if enabled).

BIG Launcher Is Slow or Crashes

  1. Reduce the number of screens
  2. Turn off swipe navigation
  3. Enable "Clear cache upon pressing the Home key" in Preferences
  4. Lower icon quality (Applications → reduce DPI)
  5. Preferences"Restart app"
  6. Reboot your phone

Battery Draining Fast

Forgot Password

No recovery available. You must uninstall and reinstall BIG Launcher (resets all settings). Restore from backup if you have one.

"Don't Keep Activities" Fix

🎬 Watch: Fix "Don't keep activities"

Some battery guides recommend enabling "Don't keep activities" in Developer options. This completely breaks BIG Launcher.

  1. System settingsDeveloper options → find "Don't keep activities"
  2. Make sure it is OFF
  3. If Developer options isn't visible: About phoneSoftware information → tap Build number 7 times

Notification Problems

If you're not receiving notifications: 1. Check Android SettingsApps → BIG SMS/BIG Phone → Notifications (enable all) 2. Disable battery optimization for BIG apps 3. Check Do Not Disturb mode

Device-Specific Issues

Phone Brand Common Issue Fix
Samsung Duplicate SMS Enable "Fix: doubled SMS"
Samsung Black screen on calls Enable black screen fix
Sony Xperia Empty squares instead of icons Enable "Fix: missing icons in menus"
Motorola Navigation bar issues Try black navigation bar option
Xiaomi/Huawei/Oppo Notifications blocked Add BIG apps to "protected apps" or disable "battery optimization"

Part 14 — 📬 Support & Help

Contact Information

Before Contacting Support

Please provide: 1. Your phone model (e.g., Samsung Galaxy S21) 2. Android version (Settings → About phone) 3. BIG Launcher version (see Checking Your App Version) 4. Description of the problem 5. What you've already tried

Common Support Requests

Problem Solution
"I bought full version but it's not activated" Check internet → Refresh in Buy section → same Google account → contact with Order ID
"Incoming calls don't show BIG Launcher's screen" Set BIG Phone as default → disable battery optimization → enable black screen fix
"Messages show in wrong order" Enable "Fix: show missing messages" → check phone date/time
"BIG Launcher keeps stopping" Restart phone → clear cache → reinstall as last resort

Appendices

Appendix A: Gesture & Control Reference

Action What It Does
Single tap Select or activate
Long press (hold) Show description, speak item, or alternative action
Swipe left/right Change screens (if swipe enabled)
Home button Return to BIG Launcher
Back button Go to previous screen
Menu button Open Preferences (phones with physical button)

Appendix B: Supported Languages (40+)

European: English, Česky, Deutsch, Español, Français, Italiano, Nederlands, Polski, Português, Русский, and more

Asian: 简体中文, 繁體中文, 日本語, 한국어, हिन्दी, and more

Middle Eastern: العربية, עברית, فارسی, and more

Right-to-left languages (Arabic, Hebrew) are fully supported with a mirrored interface.

Appendix C: Permissions Explained

Permission Why It's Needed
Contacts Show your contacts and photos
Phone Make and receive calls
SMS Send and receive text messages
Storage Save photos and backup files
Camera Take contact photos
Location SOS emergency GPS
Microphone Phone calls

🔒 Your data is never collected or sent online. Everything stays on your phone.

Appendix D: Android Compatibility

Android Version Support Level
4.0+ (Ice Cream Sandwich) Minimum — very old phones
6.0+ (Marshmallow) Recommended
10+ Best experience

Feature requirements: Modern shortcuts (8.0+), better notifications (10+), full call screen control (9+).

Appendix E: Quick Reference Card

For Seniors: - 🟢 Green button = Phone calls - 🟡 Yellow button = Text messages - 🔴 Red button = Emergency SOS - ✨ Blinking = Something new (message or call) - ⋮ Three dots = Settings

For Caregivers: 1. Set up SOS with family phone numbers 2. Enable password protection if needed 3. Install companion apps (BIG Phone, BIG SMS) 4. Set all three as default apps 5. Test everything with the user 6. Disable deletion for safety

Appendix F: Video Tutorials

All videos available at youtube.com/@big_launcher

Topic Link
Install BIG Launcher Watch
Set default launcher Watch
Set default phone/SMS app Watch
Add screens & customize buttons Watch
Customize buttons Watch
Assign contact to button Watch
Assign WhatsApp contact Watch
Button blinking Watch
Fix SMS blinking Watch
Delete history/SMS/contact Watch
Show Preferences Watch
Purchase full version Watch
Restore license Watch
Price info Watch
Password protection Watch
Simplify call menu Watch
Hide Preferences in Phone/SMS Watch
Default audio device Watch
Settings inheritance Watch
Check version Watch
SMS notifications (Android 10+) Watch
Fix "Don't keep activities" Watch
Add credit card to account Watch
Free version limitations Watch
Promo (English) Watch
Promo (Czech) Watch

Manual Version 4.9 | © 2025 2BIG s.r.o. | All rights reserved.

For the latest updates and support, visit biglauncher.com