Microsoft Launcher beta gets new icon gestures and family controls

Microsoft Launcher beta testers are getting a small batch of new features to check out this week with the app's latest update. Rolling out now, the update adds new custom gesture controls for app icons and folders, updates to the relatively new family card, and more.

The most notable addition is that of custom gesture controls for apps. To get started with them, you can tap and hold on an icon or folder as if you were going to edit it. From there, you can select an option to add an action to take when swiping up from the icon. Once set, you'll be able to use the swipe gesture on that icon to take the action you set.

There are also some smaller tweaks tagging along here, including general UI and animation adjustments and full support for Android O. Here's a look at all of what's new:

• Folder and app icon gestures (swipe to open or click to launch).
• Choose how to use the last row of expanded dock: Apps, pinned contacts, folders, search bar or widgets;
• Parents can enable web filtering through the Family card.
• Folders in the app drawer are now sorted alphabetically.
• UI improvements: Animation adjustments; blur effect as an option; App badges in the app drawer;
• Fully support Android O and remove support for 4.0.X and 4.1

If you're enrolled in the Microsoft Launcher beta, you should be able to grab this update now as version 4.12. If testing goes well, we should see these features hit the release version relatively soon.

See at Google play (opens in new tab)