Alex Ruben
How To Achieve a Minimal Look by Hiding App Labels on the CMF Phone 2 Pro Home Screen
If you’re aiming for a cleaner, less cluttered look on that minimalist-looking Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro, hiding app labels might just do the trick. Honestly, it’s kind of weird how settings are sometimes buried, but here’s what usually works. This isn’t something you’ll find in Android’s basics, so it’s more about digging into the customization options of Nothing OS, specifically.
Step 1: Access the Settings Menu
First, unlock the phone and go to Settings. You probably see this gear icon on your home screen or in the app drawer. Tap it. Usually, the path is Settings > Customization — but of course, Android has to complicate things sometimes, so if it’s not there, it might be under Home Screen or Display settings. Usually, on the Nothing OS, it’s tucked under Customizations too.
Step 2: Look for Customization Options
Now, in the Settings menu, scroll until you spot Customization. It’s kinda obvious, but I’ve seen some setups where it’s spelled differently or just isn’t there—so, to recap, it’s the one that controls how your interface looks overall. On some devices, it might be called Home Screen or Layout.
Step 3: Find the Layout Settings
Inside Customization, there should be an option called Layout or similar. Tap that. This is where you’re supposed to be able to tweak how icons and app labels show up. If it’s not showing up at first, try restarting the device or double-checking if your system is updated. Sometimes, these options need the latest firmware to appear.
Step 4: Toggle Hide App Labels
Here’s the main bit: look around for Hide App Labels or a toggle called App Label Display. On some setups, it’s just a simple button or switch. Switch it to Off or disable it. That’ll wipe the text labels from appearing under your app icons. Weird thing is, on some devices, toggling this doesn’t work immediately and might require a reboot or clearing cache. Not sure why it works sometimes, but hey, it does.
Why it helps: Hiding labels cleans up the screen, making your icons look more minimal and modern. When you’re into that sleek, all-icon look, this is the move.
When it applies: Usually when your home screen looks too cluttered and you want a cleaner look or just prefer minimalism — plus, you kinda don’t want pop-up labels overlaying your wallpaper or other icons.
What to expect: Once toggled, your app names vanish, leaving only the icons. The apps still work as normal – click, tap, all good. Just no more text clutter. If labels reappear later, double-check that the toggle’s still set to hide them — sometimes, updates reset stuff.
Step 5: Applying Changes
Return to the home screen and see if the labels are gone. In my experience, it’s that simple — no weird prompts, just the icons floating around naked without names. If it didn’t work instantly, a quick reboot might be needed. Sometimes, the setting sticks better after a restart.
Step 6: Re-enabling App Labels (if needed)
If you wanna back to labeled icons, just head back into the Layout menu and re-toggle App Label Display to On. Easy. Sometimes the setting doesn’t fall back exactly where it was, so watch out for that. Might need a restart again.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Note that not all versions of Nothing OS behave the same — some might lock down customization more than others. If you find these options aren’t where they’re supposed to be, try updating your system or looking for tweaks in developer options. Also, organizing apps into folders can help with that minimal look too, even if labels are showing.
Common glitch: labels coming back after a system update or reboot. Usually fixing it involves toggling the setting again, or in some cases, clearing cache via Settings > Storage > Cached Data or even doing a soft reset.
Conclusion
All in all, hiding app labels on the Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro isn’t super complicated — it’s just about finding the right toggle in the Customization options. Sometimes it’s a bit hidden or buggy, but once it works, you get that clean, modern vibe you want. Just keep in mind, every now and then, Android does its own thing, so a reboot or update check might be necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hide app labels on other Android devices?
Usually, yes — if they have a similar customization menu or support launching with minimalist options. But it depends on whether the launcher or OEM skin allows that. Check your settings closely or search for your device-specific guides.
Will hiding app labels affect how I open the apps?
Nope, not at all. It’s purely a visual tweak. The apps will launch normally, they just don’t have that annoying label underneath.
Can I customize app icons too?
Definitely. If you’re feeling fancier, look into third-party launchers like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair — they usually let you set custom icons and even hide labels more reliably. Might be worth a shot if native options are limited.
Summary
- Find the Customization section in settings
- Look for Layout or similar
- Toggle Hide App Labels
- Expect a clean icon-only home screen
- Re-enable if needed — toggling and rebooting help
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone.