diff --git a/res/values/config.xml b/res/values/config.xml
index fc0a5e1..325b62f 100644
--- a/res/values/config.xml
+++ b/res/values/config.xml
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@
     <bool name="hotseat_transpose_layout_with_orientation">true</bool>
 
     <!-- Various classes overriden by projects/build flavors. -->
-    <string name="app_filter_class" translatable="false"></string>
     <string name="user_event_dispatcher_class" translatable="false"></string>
     <string name="folder_name_provider_class" translatable="false"></string>
     <string name="stats_log_manager_class" translatable="false"></string>
@@ -187,4 +186,6 @@
 
     <string-array name="live_wallpapers_remove_sysui_scrims">
     </string-array>
+
+    <string-array name="filtered_components" ></string-array>
 </resources>
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/AppFilter.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/AppFilter.java
index 9b6166f..3db456c 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/AppFilter.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/AppFilter.java
@@ -3,15 +3,25 @@
 import android.content.ComponentName;
 import android.content.Context;
 
-import com.android.launcher3.util.ResourceBasedOverride;
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
-public class AppFilter implements ResourceBasedOverride {
+/**
+ * Utility class to filter out components from various lists
+ */
+public class AppFilter {
 
-    public static AppFilter newInstance(Context context) {
-        return Overrides.getObject(AppFilter.class, context, R.string.app_filter_class);
+    private final Set<ComponentName> mFilteredComponents;
+
+    public AppFilter(Context context) {
+        mFilteredComponents = Arrays.stream(
+                context.getResources().getStringArray(R.array.filtered_components))
+                .map(ComponentName::unflattenFromString)
+                .collect(Collectors.toSet());
     }
 
     public boolean shouldShowApp(ComponentName app) {
-        return true;
+        return !mFilteredComponents.contains(app);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/LauncherAppState.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/LauncherAppState.java
index b278e81..bfe327e 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/LauncherAppState.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/LauncherAppState.java
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@
         mInvariantDeviceProfile = InvariantDeviceProfile.INSTANCE.get(context);
         mIconCache = new IconCache(mContext, mInvariantDeviceProfile, iconCacheFileName);
         mWidgetCache = new WidgetPreviewLoader(mContext, mIconCache);
-        mModel = new LauncherModel(context, this, mIconCache, AppFilter.newInstance(mContext));
+        mModel = new LauncherModel(context, this, mIconCache, new AppFilter(mContext));
     }
 
     protected void onNotificationSettingsChanged(boolean areNotificationDotsEnabled) {
diff --git a/src_shortcuts_overrides/com/android/launcher3/model/WidgetsModel.java b/src_shortcuts_overrides/com/android/launcher3/model/WidgetsModel.java
index 34ebbac..b4e45f8 100644
--- a/src_shortcuts_overrides/com/android/launcher3/model/WidgetsModel.java
+++ b/src_shortcuts_overrides/com/android/launcher3/model/WidgetsModel.java
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@
 
         WidgetValidityCheck(LauncherAppState app) {
             mIdp = app.getInvariantDeviceProfile();
-            mAppFilter = AppFilter.newInstance(app.getContext());
+            mAppFilter = new AppFilter(app.getContext());
         }
 
         @Override