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thejaustin edited this page Dec 25, 2025 · 1 revision

AutoCat User Guide

Complete guide to downloading, installing, and using AutoCat.

📥 Installation

Download Latest Build

Every push to 15-dev automatically builds a new APK:

Download Latest Build

Installation Steps

  1. Download the APK

    • Go to Releases
    • Click on dev-latest
    • Download AutoCat-debug-<commit>.apk

  2. Enable Unknown Sources (if not already enabled)

    • Android 8+: Settings → Apps → Special Access → Install Unknown Apps → Enable for your file manager/browser
    • Android 7-: Settings → Security → Unknown Sources → Enable

  3. Install

    • Open the downloaded APK
    • Tap "Install"
    • Grant necessary permissions

  4. Set as Default Launcher

    • Press Home button
    • Select "AutoCat"
    • Choose "Always" or "Just once" for testing

🎯 Core Features

AI-Powered App Categorization

AutoCat automatically categorizes your apps using multiple LLM providers:

  • Google AI (Gemini 2.0 Flash)
  • Claude (3.5 Haiku/Sonnet)
  • OpenAI (GPT-4o Mini)
  • Perplexity (Llama 3.1 Sonar)

Category Tabs

Apps are organized into tabs at the bottom of the app drawer:

  • Default Categories: Games, Social, Productivity, Tools, Entertainment, Photography, Communication
  • Custom Categories: Create your own categories
  • Batch Processing: Categorize 100 apps in ~20 seconds

Folder Sync

AI categories automatically create persistent folders:

  • Drawer Folders: Organized app drawer
  • Home Screen Folders: Optional home screen organization
  • Auto-Sync: Folders update when categorization changes

Accuracy Tracking

AutoCat learns from your corrections:

  • Performance Metrics: See which LLM provider works best for your apps
  • Auto-Select Best Model: Automatically uses the most accurate provider
  • 30-Day Analysis: Continuous learning and improvement

⚙️ Settings & Configuration

LLM Provider Setup

Location: Settings → Categorization → LLM Settings

  1. Choose Provider: Google AI, Claude, OpenAI, or Perplexity
  2. Add API Key: Enter your API key (or set environment variable)
  3. Select Model: Choose specific model variant
  4. Test Connection: Verify API key works

Environment Variables (optional):

  • GOOGLE_AI_API_KEY
  • ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
  • OPENAI_API_KEY
  • PERPLEXITY_API_KEY

Categorization Settings

Location: Settings → Categorization

  • Auto-Select Best Model: Let AutoCat choose the most accurate provider
  • Batch Processing: Enable faster categorization (recommended)
  • Folder Sync: Auto-create folders from categories
  • Use Tabs: Show category tabs in app drawer

Category Management

Location: Settings → Categorization → Manage Categories

  • Create Custom Categories: Add your own categories
  • Edit Category Names: Rename existing categories
  • Set Colors: Customize category colors
  • Reorder Tabs: Drag to reorder category tabs

🚀 Using AutoCat

First-Time Setup

  1. Install AutoCat (see Installation above)
  2. Configure LLM Provider:
    • Go to Settings → Categorization → LLM Settings
    • Choose a provider (Google AI recommended for free tier)
    • Add your API key
    • Test connection
  3. Run Initial Categorization:
    • Settings → Categorization → "Categorize All Apps"
    • Wait for categorization to complete (~20 seconds for 100 apps)
  4. Review Results:
    • Settings → Categorization → "Review App Categories"
    • Correct any misclassified apps

Daily Usage

App Drawer:

  • Swipe up from home screen to open app drawer
  • Tap category tabs at bottom to filter apps
  • All apps shown by default (no tab selected)

Correcting Categories:

  • Settings → Categorization → "Review App Categories"
  • Tap app → Select correct category
  • AutoCat learns from your corrections

Adding New Apps:

  • New apps automatically categorized on install
  • Manual categorization: Settings → Categorization → "Categorize All Apps"

📊 Performance Metrics

Location: Settings → Categorization → LLM Settings

View accuracy metrics for each LLM provider:

  • Accuracy Percentage: Based on your correction history
  • Total Predictions: Number of apps categorized
  • Color-Coded Ratings:
    • Green (≥90%): Excellent
    • Yellow (70-89%): Good
    • Red (<70%): Needs improvement
  • Active Model Badge: Shows which provider is currently selected

🔧 Troubleshooting

App Categorization Issues

Problem: Apps not categorizing

Solutions:

  1. Check LLM provider API key is valid (Test Connection)
  2. Verify you have API quota remaining
  3. Check internet connection
  4. Review error logs: Settings → Categorization → "View Logs"

Problem: Wrong categories assigned

Solutions:

  1. Correct manually: Settings → Categorization → "Review App Categories"
  2. AutoCat learns from your corrections
  3. Try different LLM provider
  4. Enable "Auto-Select Best Model"

Installation Issues

Problem: "App not installed" error

Solutions:

  1. Uninstall any existing AutoCat version
  2. Enable Unknown Sources
  3. Check storage space (need ~150MB free)
  4. Download APK again (may be corrupted)

Problem: App crashes on launch

Solutions:

  1. Clear app data: Settings → Apps → AutoCat → Storage → Clear Data
  2. Reinstall APK
  3. Report issue with logs: adb logcat | grep AutoCat

Folder Sync Issues

Problem: Folders disappear on restart

Solutions:

  1. Enable folder sync: Settings → Categorization → "Auto-create folders"
  2. Run categorization again
  3. Verify folders in Settings → Home Screen → Folders

🎨 Customization

Custom Categories

  1. Create Category:

    • Settings → Categorization → "Manage Categories"
    • Tap "+" to add new category
    • Enter name and choose color

  2. Assign Apps:

    • Settings → Categorization → "Review App Categories"
    • Select app → Choose your custom category

  3. Delete Category:

    • Settings → Categorization → "Manage Categories"
    • Swipe or long-press category → Delete

Category Tab Appearance

Tab Position: Bottom of app drawer (fixed)

Tab Colors: Customizable per category

Tab Order: Drag to reorder in "Manage Categories"

Hide/Show Tabs: Toggle visibility in category settings

📱 Build Information

Each AutoCat release includes:

  • Commit Hash: Identifies exact code version
  • Build Number: Sequential build counter (e.g., autocat.100)
  • Build Date: When the APK was built
  • Commit Message: What changed in this build

Check version: Settings → Apps → AutoCat → Version

🔄 Version Management

Package Names

AutoCat uses different package names to avoid conflicts:

  • GitHub/Debug builds: app.lawnchair.debug
  • Future release builds: app.lawnchair.autocat (planned)

You can install AutoCat alongside the official Lawnchair launcher.

Uninstalling

Standard uninstall:

Settings → Apps → AutoCat → Uninstall

Via ADB (if installation fails):

adb uninstall app.lawnchair.debug

📈 Tips & Best Practices

Optimize Categorization Accuracy

  1. Correct Mistakes: Always correct misclassified apps
  2. Use Auto-Select: Enable "Auto-Select Best Model" for best results
  3. Check Accuracy Metrics: Review provider performance regularly
  4. Batch Process: Enable batch processing for faster categorization

API Key Management

  1. Use Environment Variables: More secure than storing in settings
  2. Free Tiers: Google AI offers generous free tier
  3. Rate Limits: Be aware of API rate limits (15 RPM for Google AI)
  4. Test Connection: Always test after adding API key

Folder Organization

  1. Enable Folder Sync: Let AutoCat create folders automatically
  2. Manual Adjustments: Edit folders manually if needed
  3. Consistent Naming: Use clear category names
  4. Regular Review: Check categories periodically

🆘 Getting Help

Before Reporting Issues

  1. Check if issue exists in latest build
  2. Try clearing app data
  3. Check wiki/documentation for known issues
  4. Review error logs

Reporting Issues

GitHub Issues: https://github.com/thejaustin/AutoCat/issues

Include:

  • Build info: Commit hash from release (e.g., AutoCat-debug-abc1234.apk)
  • Android version: Settings → About Phone
  • Device model: Manufacturer and model name
  • Steps to reproduce: Exact steps that cause the issue
  • Expected vs actual: What should happen vs what actually happens
  • Logs if possible: adb logcat | grep AutoCat

❓ FAQ

Q: Do I need to uninstall Lawnchair to use AutoCat? A: No, they use different package names and can coexist.

Q: Will my data transfer from Lawnchair? A: No, they're separate apps. You'll need to reconfigure AutoCat.

Q: How often are builds updated? A: Every push to 15-dev. Check commit history for frequency.

Q: Is this stable for daily use? A: AutoCat is in beta. Current build (100+) is stable for daily use.

Q: Can I use AutoCat without an API key? A: No, AutoCat requires an LLM provider API key for categorization.

Q: Which LLM provider is best? A: Google AI (Gemini 2.0 Flash) recommended for free tier. Enable "Auto-Select Best Model" for automatic optimization.

Q: Do I need root? A: No, AutoCat works on non-rooted devices. QuickSwitch features require root (same as Lawnchair).

Q: How much does it cost? A: AutoCat is free. API costs depend on provider (Google AI has generous free tier).

Last Updated: 2025-12-25

AutoCat | Fork of Lawnchair 15 | Download Latest Build | Last Updated: 2025-12-25

🏠 Navigation

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🔗 External Links

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