Lock Screen on Older Android Versions
How can I lock the screen with a gesture?
This feature requires Niagara Pro and a phone that runs at least Android 9. On devices running older versions, we added a workaround, but it only works on rooted devices.
How can I use the workaround for older Android versions?
- Make sure your device is rooted.
- Type /my device is rooted into Niagara Launcher’s search bar. After pressing search, a lightbulb icon will appear, and the Quick-lock gesture toggle is now accessible via Niagara Launcher’s settings. (You can enter the command a second time to make it invisible again).
- Open Niagara Launcher’s settings and tap on Features > Quick-lock gesture.
- Enjoy the workaround :)
My phone does run an older version of Android. Is my device rooted, so I can still use the lock screen gesture?
Unfortunately, if you don’t know if your device is rooted, chances are high that it is not. Here’s what rooting means: Wikipedia
My device is rooted, but I’m getting an error.
It could be because you denied root privileges for Niagara Launcher. If you’re using Magisk, you can check that by opening the Magisk Manager app and tapping on its menu icon at the top left. When the menu opens, tap on Superuser and check if Niagara Launcher is enabled. Afterward, restart Niagara Launcher (Launcher Settings > Advanced > Restart Launcher).
Is there any other way to lock the screen with Niagara Launcher?
No, there isn’t, sorry. On Android 9 and above, there’s a native, non-intrusive way to lock the screen without root through an accessibility service. However, before Android 9, the alternatives to the root implementation are somewhat hacky. They would require device admin access, break fingerprint readers after using it, or temporarily modify system settings to lower screen timeout. We intentionally decided against implementing the legacy method because of its shortcomings and complexity for a continually shrinking user base.
Are there any alternatives?
You can use dedicated apps for that. (Use at your own risk).