Customize Your Android With One of These Five Launchers
iOS has caught up somewhat with Android in terms of customization in recent years, but Android still has the edge. That’s partly because it supports launchers, which replace the default software interface, completely changing the look of home screens, menus, icons, and dialogs.
With a launcher, you can have pixel-by-pixel control over Android’s visuals. If that seems too time-consuming and tedious, you can use one of the many templates available to you. Here’s what you need to know about launchers, and some of the best ones you can install right now.
How Android Launchers Work
When you go “home” on Android — by swiping up on the gesture bar or pressing the Home button itself — that’s when a third-party launcher comes into play. Instead of seeing the default view defined by the Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy software, you see what the launcher installed.
These launchers typically give you more customization controls than Google, Samsung, and other Android phone makers. Depending on the launcher, you can squeeze more shortcuts onto your home screen, or apply the same color scheme to all home screen icons, or hide elements (like the Google search bar) from view.
Each launcher will come with a variety of different configuration settings that determine how things look on the screen — not just the home screen, lock screen, and app shortcuts on them, but also notifications, quick settings panels, media players, and menus. These give you the ability to completely revamp the look of the software.
On Pixel phones, you can manage launchers by going to Settings, then Apps > Default apps > Home app . On Samsung devices, it’s Settings, then Apps > Choose default apps > Home app . You can switch between different launchers or undo all changes and go back to the normal view in seconds.
What you can do with Android launchers
The capabilities of these apps vary depending on the launcher, but almost every type of customization is offered somewhere. Whether you want to give your Android software a light and airy feel, a dark and ominous theme, or something in between, you can do so. You can go all-out with your sports team’s colors, or go for a minimalist monochrome look instead.
Speaking of minimalism, many launchers give you the ability to declutter the look of your smartphone. Launchers can access notifications and messages on the screen, as well as everything else if you give them the necessary permissions, which means that notifications can be moved to the background. You can control what actually appears on the screen, as well as how everything looks.
Some launchers go even further, allowing you to customize the gestures and swipes you use to move around Android. You can change the way you launch and switch between apps, for example, and customize how Android search works, giving you easier access to the apps and files you need most.
Nothing affects your actual apps when you install third-party launchers — they’ll look and work just as they always have. You might notice some differences in how home screen widgets for your apps appear, but as far as the apps themselves are concerned, nothing changes.
Best Launchers for Android
Niagara Launcher
Niagara Launcher is one of those launchers that can completely transform the look of your home screen by placing your apps, notifications, and media controls in an organized, customizable list on the screen so it can be as minimalist or as busy as you want.
The launcher can hide apps, remind you to take breaks at certain times, put apps into folders, suggest apps based on your usage, and customize all sorts of colors and layout options. More customization is available with a Pro subscription ($14 per year).
Smart Launcher
Smart Launcher is another option you’ll often see on best launcher lists because it offers a lot of smart features: automatic sorting of apps based on usage, a convenient one-handed mode, adaptive widgets, a comprehensive search tool, and lots of customization options.
These settings run the gamut from adaptive icon shapes to gestures you can use to navigate Android to hidden apps. As usual, there’s a premium option you can sign up for — starting at $2.50 a month — that adds even more customization.
Nova Launcher
Nova Launcher is one of the oldest and most comprehensive Android launchers, offering a ton of different settings to play around with. You can customize everything from the size of the app drawer icon to the transparency of the notification bar.
It’s also a smart launcher — it can show media controls when you need them, or a weather widget when the forecast changes, or the apps you use most. Pay a one-time $5 fee for Nova Prime to get even more options, like managing notification badges.
Square house
Square Home is a great example of a launcher that can completely change the look of Android. In this case, it will look more like the old Windows Phone look, with apps and widgets sorted into rectangular tiles that fill the home screens.
While the layout may seem fixed, there are plenty of ways to customize its appearance, from photo slideshows to notification icons. The quick start guide is a welcome addition, and while a few features are available for free, you can unlock them all for $2 a year.
AIO launcher
AIO Launcher goes in the opposite direction from other minimalist launchers, opting instead to cram as much information as possible onto the home screen, though you still get full control over what’s displayed, including shortcuts, widgets, and real-time information.
The app developer promises everything you need on one screen, and they certainly deliver, offering over 30 great widgets to choose from (weather, stocks, messages, tasks, etc.). Various additional features can be purchased at varying prices as in-app purchases.