One reason to choose an Android phone over an iPhone is the flexibility you get in terms of customization — and there’s really no better example of that than third-party Android launchers.
If you haven’t come across the term before, the launcher will rejuvenate your Android phone’s home screen. We’re not just talking about a different wallpaper: Launchers give you control over icons, colors, menus, and just about every screen that the Android operating system handles. These tools let you manage everything from the number of shortcuts on the home screen to the way notifications work; It also gives you more control over the look of your phone’s interface.
Say, for example, that you want large app drawer icons or colored icons that are all blue. Maybe you want a custom unread number badge on your default email app shortcut, or you want your apps as a list rather than a grid of icons. All of these customizations and more are available through launchers. In fact, the tweaks they add are so useful that Google has started adding some to Android proper.
Launchers are easy to install and uninstall, and there are plenty of excellent programs to choose from. I’ve included instructions for managing them below, as well as a selection of my favorites to try if you want.
As mentioned, the launcher is easy to set up. I’ve included instructions for both Pixel and Samsung phones; Depending on the make and model of your Android phone, these screens and menu options may be slightly different, but they shouldn’t be very different.
- For pixels, open settings And he chose Applications > Default applications. On Samsung Galaxy devices, it is Settings > Apps > Choose default apps.
- In either case, you will then see a home application entry, which is the name Android uses for launchers. Either click on the entry or look to the right for a gear icon, which you can click to configure the default launcher currently.
When it comes to the launcher that comes as standard on Pixel phones, for example, you can turn notification dots (badges on app icons) on or off, hide or show the At a Glance widget, and get smart suggestions about which apps to launch next. These options will change depending on which launcher you are using.
To switch triggers, click home application And choose a different option: Obviously, you must have at least one alternative launcher installed for anything other than the built-in option to appear here. Once switched, your home screens, lock screen, app drawer, and menus should have a new look.
You can then customize your launcher as required. Some launchers have more options than others, but most come with a comprehensive set of instructions included so you know what you’re changing and when. You should be able to access the launcher settings from its icon in the app drawer.
Don’t worry too much about making too many changes or somehow breaking your Android phone’s interface: if you’re not happy with the launcher you’ve chosen, you can simply uninstall it, and your phone’s built-in home app will work again, just as you left it.
There are a lot of Android launchers out there, but here are some of my favourites.
If you are a fan of minimalist looks, try Niagara Launcher. It turns your home screen into a simple yet elegant list of your favorite apps, with smart innovations like inline notification and summaries previews, media playback controls, and more. It helps you focus on the most important apps and removes some of the clutter on your smartphone.
Niagara adds controls for customization, too—you can still change fonts, icon shapes, and many other elements of the interface, but that’s just one part of it. More customizations and tools are available with the Pro subscription, which costs $9.99 annually or $29.99 for life.
Most lists of the best Android launchers will include Nova Launcher, and for good reason: It’s absolutely packed with customization options, from transparent notification bars to icon styles to detailed navigation gestures to a dark mode that automatically enables itself at a certain time of day.
I like its ability to place frequently used apps at the top of the app drawer and the extensive tweaks available for icons: colors, shades, shapes, and more. A lot of the customizations are free to use, but to get the full suite you need to purchase the Prime version of the launcher, which will set you back $4.99.
AIO Launcher is another launcher that tries to do something different with your Android home screen beyond tweaks to the icon colors and app grid layout. It turns your home screen into a condensed series of widgets, so you can see everything from notifications to available storage on a single screen. There are tons of tools to choose from, and they are all very easy to tweak.
The launcher lets you sort apps into categories and view them in a variety of ways, so you can get to your favorite apps more quickly, and there’s also an advanced search feature that can search everything from tools to contacts. To access all the settings AIO has to offer, you need a premium subscription, which will cost you 99 cents per month or $9.99 per year.
Smart Launcher offers almost everything you could want from a launcher, from polished-looking widgets to innovative layouts for your home screen to tons of tweaks you can apply to icons, fonts, wallpapers, and more. It has smart features too, like a search tool that covers the web, apps, and your contacts.
The widgets included in the launcher are really well done, and you can customize your home screen, lock screen, and notifications with a lot of control. Navigation gestures are supported, as are categories for your apps, which can come in handy. To unlock all features, you have to pay either 99 cents per month or $21.99 for life.