Best Alternative Launchers to Customize Your Android

Android supports alternative launchers, which replace the default software interface to completely revamp the look of home screens, menus, icons, and dialogs. Using a launcher, you can take pixel-by-pixel control over the visuals of the Android OS. If that sounds like too much time and effort, you can take advantage of one of many preset templates instead.

How Android launchers work

When you go "home" on Android—with a swipe up on the gesture bar or a tap on the actual home button—that's when a third-party launcher springs into action. Rather than seeing the default look determined by the Google Pixel or the Samsung Galaxy software, you see whatever the launcher has put in place. Typically, these launchers give you more customization controls than Google, Samsung, and the other Android phone makers do. You can switch launchers with a couple of taps.

Managing Launchers on Different Devices

  • On Pixel phones: head to Settings then choosing Apps > Default apps > Home app.
  • On Samsung devices: it's Settings then Apps > Choose default apps > Home app.

You're able to switch between different launchers, or cancel all of your changes and go back to the normal look, in seconds.

What you can do with Android launchers

The capabilities of these apps vary by launcher, but just about every kind of customization option is offered somewhere. If you want to give your Android software a light and airy touch, a dark and foreboding theme, or anything in between, you can. Launchers can get access to notifications and on-screen messages as well as everything else, if you give them the necessary permissions. Some launchers go even further, letting you customize the gestures and swipes that are used to get around Android.

The best Android launchers to currently install

Niagara Launcher

Niagara Launcher brings with it a cleaner home screen. It is one of those launchers that can totally transform the layout of the home screen, putting your apps, notifications, and media controls in an ordered, customized list on screen—so it can be as minimal or as busy as you want it to be. The launcher can hide apps, remind you to take breaks at certain times, put apps into folders, and suggest apps based on your usage.

Smart Launcher

Smart Launcher is packed with features and settings designed to make your Android tidier and more enjoyable. It is a modular launcher composed of pages that can be moved, removed, or added to create your perfect launcher. Key features include:

  • Ambient Theme technology: Choose your wallpaper, and Smart Launcher will automatically adapt its colors to match.
  • Fluid Grid System: Organize your icons and widgets using the innovative fluid grids that keep items balanced.
  • Automatic App Grouping: All your apps are automatically sorted into categories for easy management.
  • Theme Editor: Use the theme editor to manually adjust the tints of your home screen and customize fonts.

Easy Launcher

Easy Launcher is a minimal and clutter-free Android launcher that focuses on privacy and efficiency. It displays your most-used apps on the home screen in text format for swift access, streamlining your operations.

Key Features and Permissions

  • Hide Apps: Easily conceal apps you don't want visible, keeping your home screen clean.
  • Locking: Secure your privacy and data with fingerprint lock for selected apps and settings.
  • No Internet Permissions: No use of INTERNET permissions, ensuring your data remains private.
  • android.permission.SET_WALLPAPER: Allows the app to change or set the device's wallpaper.
  • android.permission.USE_BIOMETRIC: Needed for the app to use biometric hardware for authentication.

Possible gestures include swiping in different directions to access various features or a double tap to quickly perform a predefined action. You can also customize font colors, sizes, and the position of the date and time on your screen.