I’ve always been a big fan of customizing the interface on my smartphones, even before Android I used to sideload customization features in Symbian smartphones. However, Android truly changed the way I customized my device and offered a ton of different options without the hassle. Now I completely change not only the color scheme of my smartphone interface but the interface itself every month. Note: The best apps that customize your Android device’s appearance were tested on numerous Android devices, including multiple smartphones and tablets. I have personally used most of the apps myself for at least a month over the course of several years, while some of the apps are relatively new, I have had the pleasure of testing out all of them in daily usage. The apps worked perfectly fine and there are no problems with accessing all the features and customizing your smartphone.
1. Get a Custom Launcher
One of the biggest and the most drastic changes you can make to the interface of your smartphone or tablet is to get a custom launcher. It’s the easiest way to change the whole home screen and app drawer game in one go. Sure, many Android skins from manufacturers like Samsung and LG are trying to embrace customization but they are not fully there yet. Although I really like what Samsung is doing with their themes on the Galaxy smartphones, they are not fully up to the mark of total freedom. A custom launcher allows you to not only change the interface but adjust it according to your own personal liking. Check out the best custom launchers for Android list to gain intimate knowledge about the best of the best available for Android. If you are in a hurry, these are my top favorite picks in terms of customizations.
Nova Launcher Go Launcher Action Launcher
2. Get a Wallpaper App
Sure you get some good background images and wallpapers with the stock Android, but they get boring after a short time. Thankfully, there are a number of great wallpaper apps available for free on Android that allow you to download and use amazing images as your home screen background. I personally use a lot of different wallpaper apps and mix-and-match wallpapers all over. Check out the best free wallpaper apps for Android list to get some of the best wallpapers on your Android device, however, I’m listing 3 new wallpaper apps that are up to date as the list is a little older.
Walli Wallrox Wallmax
Don’t forget to take out the best material wallpapers for Android list as well, those have some great symmetrical and beautiful patterns.
3. Get an Icon Pack
Now that you’ve already selected your favorite custom launcher on your Android device, you might as well take the next step into customizing it further. One of the best things about custom launchers is that they allow you to use icon packs without any fuss or hassle. All you need to do is simply head over to the icon pack app listing and download it. After that you can simply start the icon pack “app” and apply it by selecting the custom launcher you are using. These simple steps will ensure that you no longer have to use the stock Android icons on your smartphone. I’m a huge fan of simplistic icons and have even paid for great quality ones. We have compiled a list of some awesome icons packs for launchers, take a look at it for inspiration. Here are some of my favorites:
Polycon Glim Sunshine
4. Get a Live Wallpaper App
Android allows the users to use animated wallpapers, aptly called live wallpapers on their home screens. Sure, this feature was available on Sony phones back in the day but they only used GIF images that can be resized. Android, however has taken the concept to another level and introduced not only moving images right on the home screen but also made them interactive. I don’t recommend that you use a live wallpaper all the time, especially on your main smartphone. This is because the live wallpaper apps use more resources than a static image. If you’re going for true customization, there’s nothing better than to use some of the best live wallpaper apps for Android. And if you’re feeling rich, you can check out the best paid live wallpaper apps for Android too. Here are my favorite picks:
Muzei Live Wallpaper ASUS LiveWater Paperland Live Wallpaper
5. Get a Lockscreen App
Not many people know this but you can totally change your lockscreen by using a 3rd party app and it is glorious. There are a ton of lockscreen apps available on the Google Play Store but you’ll have to check out a few to get the best combination which suits your needs. Some lockscreen apps may not work well with your particular device, thanks to the custom skins Android manufacturers like to apply to their devices, so you’ll have to try out a few to get the best one. If you are into totally changing how your smartphone looks, this is one of the best steps towards complete metamorphism. Here are some of the coolest lockscreen apps for Android and a few I personally liked:
Slidelock Sparky C Locker
Conclusion:
These were some of the best apps to help you customize your Android device’s appearance. I hope you will have as much fun as I have customizing my smartphone. If you have suggestions, questions or simply want to talk, feel free to drop a comment below. Feature Image Credits
