Nova Launcher is among the most popular third-party launchers available on the Play Store. While the launcher is packed to the brim with features, it has so far lacked Google Now integration which has been a deal-breaker for many. With no official API from Google to integrate Google Now cards into third-party apps, there was not really much that the developer of Nova Launcher could do.

Now, thanks to a recent change from Google, the developer of Nova Launcher has managed to integrate Google Now with the launcher. This has been made possible by Google checking if the client app is debuggable or not and providing it with access to the Now API. This has allowed the Nova Launcher developer to create a workaround on getting Google Now to integrate nicely with the launcher.

There’s still a small catch though: one needs to sideload the Nova Google Companion app on their device to be able to activate this integration. This is because since the companion app itself is debuggable, it cannot be published on the Play Store. However, sideloading an APK should not be a big deal for many and it is still an easier way to get Google Now integration in Nova Launcher when compared to rooting an Android device to achieve the same.

If you end up sideloading the companion app, make sure that you are on the latest (v5.3-beta1) beta of the Nova Launcher. Your device must also be running Marshmallow or higher, though the Prime version of Nova Launcher is not needed to enable this functionality.

Once you install the companion app, Nova Launcher will automatically enable the Google Now integration and you will be able to access your Now cards by swiping left from the leftmost home screen.

Download: Nova Google Companion