[GUIDE] Finally Remove the Bubble Menu on PSVita

[Monzv]

@airturtle
I ran into an issue. The guide says put the apps into folders then manually "hide" the folders, but once you hide ~500 apps, the vita literally won't let you put them in folders because they won't even generate on the LiveArea - it considers hidden bubbles as valid and thinks you have too many when you go over 500, refusing to generate them. I gave up on folders and just moved all the apps individually to hidden by setting field #1 (pageId) to 0 and field #2 (pos) to a unique number for each app. Once you reach a certain point, it won't even let you do that so you need to do it like this:

Set "pos" to 999 (maybe even a higher number if you have more than 999 apps installed)
Set "pageId" to 0
Set "pos" to a unique number for each app (ex: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, so on...)

While following airturtle's guide, when you get to the part where you are setting stuff to 0 in SQLite, you can instead just highlight an app's "pos" in the "Browse Data" section of SQLite, then press F2, then you can run this autohotkey script to do it automatically with each press of the capslock button:

derp:=0

capslock::
Send 999{enter}
Sleep, 50
Send {enter}{left}{f2}0{enter}
Sleep, 50
Send {enter}{right}{f2}%derp%{enter}
Sleep, 50
Send {enter}{down}{f2}
derp++
Return

If you aren't familiar with setting up an autohotkey script (installing autohotkey, right clicking the desktop and hitting "new autohotkey script", right clicking it and hitting edit and putting in the above script, saving, then double clicking the script so you'll now be able to run it by pressing capslock) then you might be in over your head and might be better just keeping the bubbles around for now so you don't mess anything up. Try it at your own risk, I don't want to be liable for anything. Overall it isn't that hard though I think.

Also, if you hide a lot of apps at once, your very next startup will be very slow, but it will be fast after that.

Hello, were you able to hide all apps? I tried to do it on my PS Vita Slim, but when I hide all the apps, including the system apps, the PS Vita doesn't open anything anymore, forcing me to recreate the database, so everything works again.

 

[BlackSheepBoy69]

@Monzv
I really wanted to hide ALL the apps, but was worried something bad might happen if I did. I didn't wanna have to rebuild the database because doing that for me takes like half an hour and I was too lazy to have to deal with that.

So... you hid them all. Then what did you do? Did you have autoboot onto HexFlow Custom? Or did you do the thing like the guide says (like in @superslider 's first screenshot) where he uses Quicklauncher so he can double press the PS button to launch apps. Did you do either of these, or did you just hide everything? Was very curious but still a little too lazy to test myself. What I just did was left some system apps as well as Vitashell and HexFlow Custom unhidden as apps on the LiveArea

If you DID do autoboot or quicklaunch but it DIDN'T WORK because maybe a new undiscovered glitch that prevents you from launching anything if you hide all your apps, I am very curious about this and interested to know more as with your info might help eventually lead to the replacement totally of the livearea.

Like if you hid all your apps as you said, please describe all what happens once your vita boots up?

 

[Monzv]

@Monzv
I really wanted to hide ALL the apps, but was worried something bad might happen if I did. I didn't wanna have to rebuild the database because doing that for me takes like half an hour and I was too lazy to have to deal with that.

So... you hid them all. Then what did you do? Did you have autoboot onto HexFlow Custom? Or did you do the thing like the guide says (like in @superslider 's first screenshot) where he uses Quicklauncher so he can double press the PS button to launch apps. Did you do either of these, or did you just hide everything? Was very curious but still a little too lazy to test myself. What I just did was left some system apps as well as Vitashell and HexFlow Custom unhidden as apps on the LiveArea

If you DID do autoboot or quicklaunch but it DIDN'T WORK because maybe a new undiscovered glitch that prevents you from launching anything if you hide all your apps, I am very curious about this and interested to know more as with your info might help eventually lead to the replacement totally of the livearea.

Like if you hid all your apps as you said, please describe all what happens once your vita boots up?

I can't take photos now, but I'll make a post soon showing the results, but basically I used the auto boot plugin to automatically start in retroflow, but after putting all the apps in folders and hiding them by messing with the database, when restarting The PS Vita has a loading screen and crashes at a certain point, forcing me to restart the database. In this process I can't press the ps button twice to access the quick launcher I would like to know how @superslider managed to access it.

 

[xFlesk]

so i was trying to add trophies app to my quicklaunch with no success.
i have tried this line:

psgm:play?titleid=NPXS10008

but it gives me (C2-12570-5) error on launch.

does anyone know how to add trophies app to quicklaunch menu ?
thank you in advance

 

[takechiyo]

Is there any way to make retroflow a whole default launcher and ditch the system launcher completely?

 

[BlackSheepBoy69]

General: bumping because HexFlow Custom is now available on VitaDB.

@xFlesk
try just pstc: instead. The shortcuts for other utilities can be found here: https://www.psdevwiki.com/vita/Title_ID
@takechiyo
If you want it for RetroFlow, just follow the steps on this guide and assign autoboot to RetroFlow instead of HexFlow Custom. (App ID: RETROFLOW instead of HXLC00001)

 

[laz305]

why can't you just put the github link?
HexFlow Custom GitHub Link

 

[4f4]

3. Launch the newly installed Hexflow bubble on your PSVita and select "Refresh Cache" from the App's menu.

@BlackSheepBoy69: Where is "Refresh Cache" in HexFlow-Launcher-Unofficial-Custom?

 

[warriosbest]

but sadly the themes won't work right i have nier themes + musics

 

[Localhorst86]

why can't you just put the github link?
HexFlow Custom GitHub Link

OP has less than 10 posts and can not post links.

 

[BlackSheepBoy69]

@4f4
In v1.1 and above, it has 'rolling cache'. No more refreshes are needed, ever, after the first one. It was cleverly coded to roll so fast that you wouldn't notice. If you really insist that you need to refresh your cache, just delete this file: ux0:data/HexFlow/apptitlecache.dat
@warriosbest
As it says in the github and in the app itself, you can put a music like this:
ux0:data/HexFlow/Music.ogg
Or the image like this or this:
ux0:data/HexFlow/Background.png
ux0:data/HexFlow/Background.jpg
I don't recommend .mp3, I think it's supported but it has to be a very specific and ancient codec that Vita likes. I think it was called MP3 v1. Easier to convert to .ogg

 

[takechiyo]

General: bumping because HexFlow Custom is now available on VitaDB.

@xFlesk
try just pstc: instead. The shortcuts for other utilities can be found here: https://www.psdevwiki.com/vita/Title_ID
@takechiyo
If you want it for RetroFlow, just follow the steps on this guide and assign autoboot to RetroFlow instead of HexFlow Custom. (App ID: RETROFLOW instead of HXLC00001)

I did it, however I'm kinda looking a whole removal option that let us not rely anymore on the bubble launcher, though it might be impossible isn't it??

 

[mithras656]

In 2011, the PSVita wanted to have the most modern look possible, so they decided to emulate Android and Apple phones in how they display their apps as small icons across multiple screen, and "Folders" containing multiple app icons inside them.

Today however, it feels out of place. Apps are not easy to find, tedious to open, and many prefer buttons over the touch screen on PSVita anyway. It also seems odd to reduce games like Wipeout 2024 and Uncharted: Golden Abyss to tiny app like icons which remind you of Candy Crush.

Luckily, the Bubble Menu on the PSVita can be removed entirely with a handful of homebrew apps.

1. Go to Github and download the latest release of:

"BlackSheepBoy69/HexFlow-Launcher-Unofficial-Custom"​

2. Use VitaShell on the PSVita to install the VPK you downloaded.

3. Launch the newly installed Hexflow bubble on your PSVita and select "Refresh Cache" from the App's menu.

4. Use VitaShell to rename the "applist.dat" file in ux0:data/Hexflow/ to "customsort.dat". Now, if there's any apps you don't wish to display in HexFlow (such as non-game homebrew apps), simply remove their lines of text from the file "customsort.dat". (You can still access them when needed by pressing Square to cycle around to the ALL category) But, for the most part you will want just games.

5. Go to Github and download the latest release of:

"DRok17/QuickLaunch-Installer"​

6. Use VitaShell on the PSVita to install the VPK you downloaded. (If you've recently done a database rebuild, you will need to open the PS Store app once, you don't need to log in, to populate the three advertisements that show on the bottom of the screen when you press the PS Button once)

7. Go to ux0:data/qlinstaller/ and edit the "whatsnew.xml" file in a text editor to choose the three apps you would like to launch from your PSVita without using Bubbles. Then go to ux0:/data/qlinstaller/zimg and use three .pngs of resolution 280x158 to represent these three apps. For me, my three buttons say "Files" "Games" and "Internet" which launch to Vitashell, Hexflow and the Web Browser. To launch the Web Browser instead of an app, use "wbapp0:" as the app you want to launch in "whatsnew.xml" (You can find all the Title ID's on the Vita Dev Wiki). At any rate, you will need to have Hexflow as one of the three buttons. Then launch the QuickLaunch Installer bubble on your vita and choose to install and reboot.

8. Now, you should have three apps which launch much faster than bubbles, just one click on the Home Button, and then one "X". However, you will still want to be able to launch all of your apps. For this, we will go to Hexflow, and notice how although both retail games and Homebrew apps appear, system apps such as Welcome Park, Videos, Settings, etc. do not. To get these to show up, simply open VitaShell and go to vs0:/app, and go down the list of folders and open the param.sfo file inside them to show the title of the app. Find the essential System apps you would still like to access, for me it's Photos, Music, Videos, and of course quite important is Settings. Now remember the folder name, and make an exact copy of the folder name in ux0:/app. Then, inside that new, empty folder with the same name, create a folder called "sce_sys" and inside that folder, copy and paste the param.sfo file. So you take vso:/app/TITLEIDOFAPP/param.sfo, copy it, and paste it in "ux0:/app/TITLEIDOFAPP/sce_sys/param.sfo". That's the only file you need in that folder. After doing this to keep your system apps you might want to launch, you don't need to rebuild the database, just open Hexflow and Refresh Cache. Now, the system apps show in Hexflow and be sure to add them to customsort.dat if you want them alongside your games. The one downside is, when you launch them from Hexflow, you get a single error message, simply press "X" twice to bypass it and open the app. For me, I don't really use the System apps. I just like to have them in the "ALL" category of Hexflow in case they're really needed, such as Settings.

9. Next, download from their official site:

"DB Browser for SQLite"​

10. On the PSVita, put all of your apps into folders, so that no app is not in a folder. Then, use VitaShell to copy ur0:/shell/app.db to the computer with the DB Browser you just downloaded, and open the app.db file with the DB Browser.

11. In DB Browser, under the "Edit Pragmas" tab, click the box for "Foreign Keys". Then under the "Browse Data" tab for "Table" select "tbl_appinfo_icon"

12. Then go down the list until you see the names of all the folders you put your bubbles into. For each folder, change the first box on the left (pageID, the page that the folder icon is displayed on) to "0". Then, under the next box to the right from that (the position of the folder icon) increase them incrementally, so your folders are displayed on "0" "1", then "0" "2" etc. just changing the first two boxes on the left. When all folders are on page "0" (ie: non-existent), click "File" then "Write Changes".

13. Copy the app.db you edited on your computer and use VitaShell to replace the one in ur0:/shell/app.db.

14. Reboot your PSVita.

You now have a PS Vita completely free from bubbles.

If you want them back, simply turn off your vita, then hold R, the Power Button and the PS Button. Then select "Rebuild Database". This will restore the bubble menu to your PS Vita.

Apparently, this doesn't work with RetroFlow

Post automatically merged: Oct 4, 2025

In 2011, the PSVita wanted to have the most modern look possible, so they decided to emulate Android and Apple phones in how they display their apps as small icons across multiple screen, and "Folders" containing multiple app icons inside them.

Today however, it feels out of place. Apps are not easy to find, tedious to open, and many prefer buttons over the touch screen on PSVita anyway. It also seems odd to reduce games like Wipeout 2024 and Uncharted: Golden Abyss to tiny app like icons which remind you of Candy Crush.

Luckily, the Bubble Menu on the PSVita can be removed entirely with a handful of homebrew apps.

1. Go to Github and download the latest release of:

"BlackSheepBoy69/HexFlow-Launcher-Unofficial-Custom"​

2. Use VitaShell on the PSVita to install the VPK you downloaded.

3. Launch the newly installed Hexflow bubble on your PSVita and select "Refresh Cache" from the App's menu.

4. Use VitaShell to rename the "applist.dat" file in ux0:data/Hexflow/ to "customsort.dat". Now, if there's any apps you don't wish to display in HexFlow (such as non-game homebrew apps), simply remove their lines of text from the file "customsort.dat". (You can still access them when needed by pressing Square to cycle around to the ALL category) But, for the most part you will want just games.

5. Go to Github and download the latest release of:

"DRok17/QuickLaunch-Installer"​

6. Use VitaShell on the PSVita to install the VPK you downloaded. (If you've recently done a database rebuild, you will need to open the PS Store app once, you don't need to log in, to populate the three advertisements that show on the bottom of the screen when you press the PS Button once)

7. Go to ux0:data/qlinstaller/ and edit the "whatsnew.xml" file in a text editor to choose the three apps you would like to launch from your PSVita without using Bubbles. Then go to ux0:/data/qlinstaller/zimg and use three .pngs of resolution 280x158 to represent these three apps. For me, my three buttons say "Files" "Games" and "Internet" which launch to Vitashell, Hexflow and the Web Browser. To launch the Web Browser instead of an app, use "wbapp0:" as the app you want to launch in "whatsnew.xml" (You can find all the Title ID's on the Vita Dev Wiki). At any rate, you will need to have Hexflow as one of the three buttons. Then launch the QuickLaunch Installer bubble on your vita and choose to install and reboot.

8. Now, you should have three apps which launch much faster than bubbles, just one click on the Home Button, and then one "X". However, you will still want to be able to launch all of your apps. For this, we will go to Hexflow, and notice how although both retail games and Homebrew apps appear, system apps such as Welcome Park, Videos, Settings, etc. do not. To get these to show up, simply open VitaShell and go to vs0:/app, and go down the list of folders and open the param.sfo file inside them to show the title of the app. Find the essential System apps you would still like to access, for me it's Photos, Music, Videos, and of course quite important is Settings. Now remember the folder name, and make an exact copy of the folder name in ux0:/app. Then, inside that new, empty folder with the same name, create a folder called "sce_sys" and inside that folder, copy and paste the param.sfo file. So you take vso:/app/TITLEIDOFAPP/param.sfo, copy it, and paste it in "ux0:/app/TITLEIDOFAPP/sce_sys/param.sfo". That's the only file you need in that folder. After doing this to keep your system apps you might want to launch, you don't need to rebuild the database, just open Hexflow and Refresh Cache. Now, the system apps show in Hexflow and be sure to add them to customsort.dat if you want them alongside your games. The one downside is, when you launch them from Hexflow, you get a single error message, simply press "X" twice to bypass it and open the app. For me, I don't really use the System apps. I just like to have them in the "ALL" category of Hexflow in case they're really needed, such as Settings.

9. Next, download from their official site:

"DB Browser for SQLite"​

10. On the PSVita, put all of your apps into folders, so that no app is not in a folder. Then, use VitaShell to copy ur0:/shell/app.db to the computer with the DB Browser you just downloaded, and open the app.db file with the DB Browser.

11. In DB Browser, under the "Edit Pragmas" tab, click the box for "Foreign Keys". Then under the "Browse Data" tab for "Table" select "tbl_appinfo_icon"

12. Then go down the list until you see the names of all the folders you put your bubbles into. For each folder, change the first box on the left (pageID, the page that the folder icon is displayed on) to "0". Then, under the next box to the right from that (the position of the folder icon) increase them incrementally, so your folders are displayed on "0" "1", then "0" "2" etc. just changing the first two boxes on the left. When all folders are on page "0" (ie: non-existent), click "File" then "Write Changes".

13. Copy the app.db you edited on your computer and use VitaShell to replace the one in ur0:/shell/app.db.

14. Reboot your PSVita.

You now have a PS Vita completely free from bubbles.

If you want them back, simply turn off your vita, then hold R, the Power Button and the PS Button. Then select "Rebuild Database". This will restore the bubble menu to your PS Vita.

Apparently this method doesn't work with RetroFlow