Thanks man, that helped directly on my FP3.
If anyone need additional info how this works, this youtube video helps.
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Finally got my phone and now get what’s the problem.
For me I just have a dead searchbar at the bottom. Hope FP will change their launcher sometime soon…
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I dont think that this will happen, so everyone who does not want it, should install another launcher from Playstore or F-Droid store.
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To fullfill obligations to google to use Android Fairphone have to use their search bar and pass 500,000 tests to get a certificate to use Android.
They could incorporate another launcher, which would just add extra costs, when a user can choose to use another launcher.
For that reason I now use Nova Launcher.
If you are happy downloading apks and installing ~
https://apkpure.com/nova-launcher/com.teslacoilsw.launcher
else you make like to install a launcher from F-Droid as mentioned.
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Oh thanks didn’t knew that rule.
Then I might end up looking for a launcher.
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Strange, I suspected these procedures meanwhile belonged to the past and were illegal since ~2018 for Google was fined because of forcing manufacturers and users having to initially use their preinstalled search bar and specific apps.
But maybe I got something wrong here. 
“Google muss Milliardenstrafe für faule Taktiken bei Android zahlen”
“Google klagt EU-Kommission: Strafe wegen Android-Betriebssystem”
“Änderung bei Android: So können Nutzer die Google-Suche ersetzen”
[only German]
There’s plenty to read of.
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I’m not sure they are forcing Fairphone but it cannot be removed without further certification checks, then more if Fairphone want to incorporate a third party app ~ so it’s easier and cheaper to let the user install their own launcher to get rid of it.
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This is the reason why they ask during installation which search engine you want to use for the search bar.
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There’s the search bar and the search engine. In the FP3 I used the nova launcher to get rid of the bar.
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@ amoun
I guess that’s what I’ll be up to until /e/ or so is available.
That’s what I read of, but since the OS and search bar are installed already I’m curious at which point who will be asked. After registering to a Google account is too late imho.
but wouldn’t it be possible to make the google apps removable, including the search bar? I understand that in order to get Android certification from google, you have to ship it with certain apps (shiftphones has the same problem). But is it also a requirement to make them unremovable?
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You can remove them using adb , however, if you remove too many, system might become unstable.
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Something very easy to achieve and easily reversible:
download Hyperion Launcher, set it as default home app and go to Home options (long press desktop) → Widgets → Google Search and switch it off everywhere. It’s VERY similar to the default google Launcher but lets you customize all sorts of stuff… including the removal of elements such as the search bar and the “at a glance” thingy that basically just displays the date most of the time.
I use it and it works great. If it doesn’t turn out to suit you, you can always switch back to the default launcher under settings->apps and notifications->advanced->default apps->Home app.
There might be other Launchers that suit you even more but if you just want to remove the search bar… here you go.
Just a warning: It’s got an almost overwhelming amount of customization xD
I honestly don’t think any of that is very relevant to this debate when you can fairly easily install a different launcher. Google is no longer forcing you to take their complete GUI.
The issue would rather be that you need to have a bunch of google apps running in the background for your device to do basic things.
Hi all,
So I received my FP4 and I’ve got some customisation problem 
How do I remove this fucking google search box at the bottom of my screen ?
I can’t find the correct keywords to find some website which will explain how to do it
I does not manage to remove it like any other “widget” or icon (long press etc … )
Hi Kervador.
this f###g search bar can only removed by another f###g launcher 
Or in soft and normal words
You have to change your launcher. There’s no other way…For example: Omega or lawnchair
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I’m pretty sure there isn’t anything in the requirements that says the search bar has to be permanent on the preloaded launcher. I was able to remove it from my Samsung tablet’s One UI launcher just like any other widget (and replaced it with Nova soon afterwards, but that’s beside the point).
I heard there’s a certification fee that Google waives if you do everything they want regarding settings and pre-loaded things. I might be wrong.
But it might explain Samsung sidestepping some things.
On my FP4 I’ve replaced the Google search bar with the DuckDuckGo bar. I’ve also installed the DDG browser. Works like a charm.
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