Why I Built Glyf: Launching Apps by Drawing Symbols Instead of Tapping Icons

For years, smartphones have become more powerful, but the way we launch apps has remained largely unchanged. We tap icons, search app drawers, organize folders, and swipe through screens.

After finding myself repeatedly searching for the same apps every day, I started wondering if there was a faster and a cooler way.

That question eventually became Glyf - an Android app that lets users launch apps by drawing custom symbols and gestures.

This article covers where the idea came from, the challenges of building it, and what I learned along the way.

The Idea

The idea behind Glyf started with a simple observation: I was spending more time finding apps than actually using them.

Like most Android users, I had accumulated dozens of apps over the years. Some lived on my home screen, others were buried in folders, and many required opening the app drawer and searching.

The process wasn't difficult - it was just repetitive.

I began asking myself a question:

What if launching apps worked more like muscle memory than visual search?

Instead of remembering where an icon was located, what if I could simply draw a symbol and instantly open the app I wanted?

A circle could open Spotify. A triangle could open the Camera. A custom symbol could open WhatsApp.

The more I thought about it, the more natural it felt.

From Idea to Prototype

Once the concept seemed promising, I started building a prototype.

The first versions were extremely simple. The goal wasn't to create a polished app but to answer one important question:

Could gesture-based app launching actually feel faster and more convenient?

After a few days of testing, I found myself repeatedly using the prototype instead of traditional app launching methods.

That was the moment I realized there might be something worth pursuing.

The Biggest Challenge

The most difficult part wasn't designing the interface or creating the settings screens.

It was gesture recognition.

Humans rarely draw the same symbol exactly the same way twice.

A symbol drawn quickly looks different from one drawn slowly. Some people draw larger shapes; others draw smaller ones. Even the same person can draw slightly different versions every time.

The challenge was creating a system that recognized intent rather than expecting perfect accuracy.

I spent a significant amount of time experimenting, testing, and refining until the experience felt reliable enough for everyday use.

Designing for Simplicity

One of my goals with Glyf was to avoid unnecessary complexity.

Many productivity apps eventually become crowded with options, menus, and settings.

I wanted Glyf to remain simple:

1. Choose an app.

2. Assign a symbol.

3. Draw the symbol.

4. Launch the app.

That's it.

If users needed a tutorial every time they opened the app, then I had failed at the design.

What I Learned

Building Glyf taught me several lessons that apply far beyond this project.

Small Problems Matter

Not every product needs to solve a massive global problem.

Sometimes the best ideas come from removing small annoyances that people experience every day.

Saving a few seconds may sound insignificant, but those seconds add up when repeated hundreds of times.

Build First, Validate Early

It's easy to spend months planning.

In reality, the first prototype taught me more in a few days than weeks of brainstorming ever could.

Building something people can actually use is often the fastest way to discover whether an idea has potential.

User Feedback Is Invaluable

Some of the most useful improvements came directly from user suggestions.

People interact with products in ways their creators never anticipate, and those insights are incredibly valuable when deciding what to improve next.

What's Next for Glyf

Glyf is still evolving.

I'm continuing to improve recognition accuracy, refine the user experience, and explore new ideas that make interacting with Android devices feel faster and more natural.

Building software is rarely a straight path. Every release teaches something new, and every user interaction highlights opportunities for improvement.

That's part of what makes the process enjoyable.

Try Glyf

If the idea of launching apps using custom symbols sounds interesting, you can try Glyf on Google Play.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, feedback, and feature suggestions. Every piece of feedback helps shape the future of the app.

Thanks for reading.