How to make your own launcher android. How to create, install and change a theme on Android

The MIUI project is a great example of Chinese technological triumph and the ways in which it is achieved. Having started as a makeshift firmware for androids assembled in “Uncle Liao’s” workshop, it gradually not only degenerated into one of the most functional and aesthetically perfect software assemblies, but also served as the basis for the release of an excellent line of devices that is quite capable of competing with global brands.

Today MIUI is a full-fledged ecosystem with its own devices, firmware, application store and even its own internal currency. Unfortunately, this system is largely closed to us and is aimed primarily at Chinese users. However, you can still look inside and quite simply. This article will talk about a launcher that will change your phone beyond recognition.

I would like to immediately ask those for whom customizing the user interface seems like a waste of time and who writes about “bells and whistles” not to waste time. This article is not for you.

MiHome Launcher is available for download on Google Play and does not require flashing or even superuser rights. It is installed as a regular program, and then in the system settings you must set it as the default for the home screen. After this, you will see a rather beautiful interface consisting of several desktops. The first feature that catches your eye is the absence of a separate screen with a list of all installed programs. Shortcuts for all applications are located on different desktops and you just have to sort them into folders.

Folders open full screen and can contain subfolders with application shortcuts. All icons are carefully redrawn and are an example of icon-making. By the way, MIUI can show the number of missed calls and unread messages on icons. The same information is displayed on the lock screen, which looks very cool.

In the screenshots above you can see the lock screen in a quiet state and when the unlock button is activated. With it, you can go straight to messages, calls, camera, or just the home screen. You can immediately read a few lines of the missed SMS.

Settings is accessed using the Menu button and allows you to open both your phone's system options and MiHome Launcher display settings. I’ll say right away that you won’t have to deal with them for a long time, since there are not many functions and they are all perfectly understandable.

To switch between running applications, use a special panel at the bottom, which appears when you swipe up with your finger. There is also a button to clear the RAM, which is quite convenient when running large programs.

As you can see, MIUI looks very cool in the above screenshots. Now forget everything you just saw, because it doesn't matter. The fact is that for this shell there are hundreds, and maybe thousands of different design themes, including a thematic set of wallpapers, lock screens, icons, widgets, and so on. And many of them make a truly impressive impression. Most, however, are paid, but there is enough freely available for every taste.

In this review, we got acquainted with the main functions of MiHome Launcher. It's time to try to answer the question of who might benefit from this. If you are a lover of everything new, you can spend hours tinkering with settings and firmware, then this launcher is for you. If you are an aesthete and want your phone to really stand out among the identical bricks, then you will find rest for your sophisticated soul here. If you bought a phone for your girlfriend, then the kawaii pink themes of this launcher will make an unforgettable impression on her. Finally, if you're just bored, you can try this launcher out of curiosity. Fortunately, it is free, installed without any problems and removed just as quickly.

As for me, MiHome Launcher piqued my curiosity so much that I went looking for a full MIUI firmware for my phone.

From a dozen free, including top launchers for Android, it was difficult for us to select contenders for the title of the best. However, using the method of exclusions and comparisons, we left the strongest participants, who were quite trendy as of 2019.

We will pay attention to such characteristics of launchers as ease, freeness, and the presence of themes. If the Russian language is included with the launcher, we will note additionally. We will also identify other features, if any are found.

So, we present to you top launchers for Android:

Nova Launcher - launcher with flexible customization of grid and icons

A fairly original launcher for Android with a Russian-language interface, flexible personalization, intuitive gestures, colorful effects and the ability to backup settings.

Nova Launcher supports gestures on the desktop and displays counters of unread messages for most instant messengers on the dock panel. The function is implemented thanks to the TeslaUnread plugin. In addition, Nova allows you to flexibly customize the application menu to suit the user. Other space organization features include the ability to create folders to group applications and switch between horizontal and vertical scrolling on the phone.

Customizing icons in Nova Launcher

Setting up widgets and applications in Nova

After installing the Nova Launcher application, you can modify the desktop and application menu of your Android smartphone. The launcher's color scheme supports fine color customization, and the grid sizes vary from 2x2 to 12x12. The dock bar at the bottom of the phone screen easily scrolls, the number of panels changes, and you can drag and drop popular shortcuts and widgets there.

Apex Launcher: speed and convenience

Fast, smooth and easily customizable launcher for Android devices. Apex Launcher has multiple settings for customization. The owner has the opportunity to choose the number of desktops and customize the grid sizes. Home screens and application menus support circular or elastic scrolling.

The launcher allows you to launch some functions using gestures, change background transparency in applications, and turn wallpaper scrolling on and off. Using the desktop lock feature, you can prevent adding new objects and changing the position of old ones.

The appearance of icons and the size of all widgets can be changed, applications on the device can be grouped into folders, adding icons in unlimited quantities.

The dock is controlled using gestures, and scrolling is implemented for quick access to important applications. Apex Launcher supports Russian interface.

GO Launcher EX is the best launcher for Android with many themes

One of the most popular Android launchers on Google Play. GO Launcher EX is an enhanced version of the classic GO Launcher. It is distinguished by high speed and smooth interface, plenty of settings and stylish themes.

In Display Settings, you can set the scroll speed to adjust how smoothly you move between displays. By holding the application icon, you can bring up the context menu. On the screen and on the dock, control is carried out using gestures.

In the application menu you can create folders for grouping - a long tap on the application icon allows you to switch to settings mode. Using the application manager, the user can hide and block programs to protect their own confidential information.

GO Launcher EX allows you to resize all widgets and supports desktop scrolling settings and application menus. The launcher has its own widgets for the most comfortable organization of work with the device. For the most convenient placement of elements, various grids are used.

GO Launcher EX has Russian language support.

Holo Launcher is a lightweight and simple launcher

A simple launcher for Android with the ability to fine-tune, the appearance of which is taken from the design of Android Ice Cream Sandwich and KitKat, which can be run on earlier or later versions of Android.

Holo Launcher completely replicates the appearance of Android 4.0.4: the appearance of icons, tabs, folders, outlines, etc. The maximum available number of desktops for the user is 9, the grid for installing widgets has the largest size of 10x10. Custom grid settings are available for portrait and landscape mode.

The dock and widgets are easy to scroll, you can enable infinite scrolling on the desktop and in the application menu). You can install up to 7 icons in the dock and create up to 3 pages for quick access to frequently used applications.

Holo Launcher supports gesture control, as well as backing up settings and desktop shortcuts for later data recovery.

Holo Launcher has a Russian-language interface.

Next Launcher 3D Shell Lite

Next Launcher 3D Shell Lite has the status of the world's first 3D launcher with a flexible interface and vibrant effects. Judging by the reviews, this is one of the best 3D launchers for the Android OS in general.

The program supports working with gestures: the settings of Next Launcher 3D Shell Lite include 9 basic gestures, and it is also possible to create your own.

When switching between screens, users can observe original 3D effects (fabric, crystal, etc.). Also, beautiful effects are observed when changing desktops, screens in the application menu, or opening folders. Next Launcher 3D Shell Lite has built-in 3D widgets created specifically for this application.

The launcher has flexible customization options: the user can edit icons: change the angle, size, style, fonts and color design. Quick screen setup allows you to add folders, shortcuts, widgets, and change themes.

A powerful built-in application manager allows you to quickly sort icons in the menu, as well as batch add and remove programs. The proprietary multifunctional Next button is responsible for turning on the floating mode, switching effects, as well as the function of scrolling desktops.

During stereographic viewing of screens, the user can observe original animation and beautiful effects.

Next Launcher 3D Shell Lite has a Russian interface.

APUS Launcher - thoughtful and understandable

A lightweight and thoughtful launcher for Android with an intuitive interface. APUS Launcher supports the phone acceleration function, clearing memory with just one click, so that switching between applications and running the device becomes even faster.

The program can identify applications that are important and frequently used by the user in order to perform “smart” sorting into folders. You can search the Internet for information right on your home screen. APUS Launcher allows you to link your own desktop with the desktop of your significant other, colleague or relative in order to jointly change the wallpaper and share the mood with each other.

Every month, the APUS community provides free themes for its launcher that allow you to customize your device's home screen. APUS Launcher has a Russian-language interface.

CM Launcher 3D 5.0 ​​is an innovative and flexible launcher

A beautiful, fast and optimized launcher from the creators of the popular Clean Master application.

CM Launcher 3D helps to decorate your desktop and smartphone menu, enhance the privacy of data on the device and make using your smartphone as comfortable as possible.

Users have access to more than 10,000 free design themes, including 3D, custom lock screens, icon packs for applications, themes for contact modules and live wallpapers, which allow flexible individual settings for the appearance of the launcher. If none of the suggested themes are to your liking, it’s easy to create your own theme.

The launcher has a smart lock screen, the function of hiding applications, as well as taking a photo of an intruder, which allows you to maximally protect the confidentiality of data on the device.

Smart app sorting, quick search and smart cards make using your mobile phone easier.

Yandex Launcher with "Alice"

Yandex Launcher is rightfully considered one of the most promising applications for Android smartphones. With its help, you can personalize almost any smartphone, adding brightness and individuality to it. The launcher not only provides access to a huge number of new features, but also provides quick access to the main functions - calls, messages and settings.

Yandex developers have made the new launcher as comfortable as possible. There are no unnecessary advertising banners or familiar services; standard browsers - Bing or Google - are used to access the Internet. In general, the design of the new launcher is quite simple, the set of basic functions is standard, so even a child can understand how the application works.

Yandex Launcher for Android offers users a wide range of features designed to simplify the process of using a smartphone. The most commonly used functions are:

• Desktop. Allows you to personalize the device screen - change the design theme, conveniently place application widgets and buttons. The appearance of the desktop grid can be changed in the visual editor. There is also a special quick access panel (opened by swiping down) that allows you to access contacts and the search bar in the browser;
• Folders. For each folder, you can set a different color scheme, this allows you to arrange the information at your discretion. Recommended applications are also displayed in folders; each folder has a set of customizable widgets;
• Application menu. After installing the launcher, all available applications will be formed into groups using thematic tabs. You can change the composition and location of folders at your discretion. You can also configure filtering programs by color.

Among other things, Yandex Launcher has voice search installed - a favorite of many users. With its help, you can quickly get any relevant information, send a message or call your loved ones.

You can install the launcher via Google Play, the program is free. The required Android version is 5.0 and higher. The number of downloads has already exceeded 5 million (the application is among the top launchers on Google Play), updates are regularly released and new features appear.

Smart Launcher - great design and flexible functionality

To make working with their phone more comfortable and efficient, many users install third-party launchers that allow them to optimize the operation of the device as efficiently as possible for specific needs.

Among the wide variety of options, Smart Launcher deserves special mention, for several reasons:

1. Design. The icons are drawn in a relaxed manner, so it will take a minimum amount of time to get used to the new application system. At the same time, the overall design is extremely simple and does not require the consumption of a large amount of system resources.
2. Functionality. All applications are extremely adequately and conveniently sorted by area of ​​application, which makes the process of working with the launcher even more convenient. Moreover, frequently used applications are initially installed on the main desktop, which is also extremely convenient.
3. Optimization. Due to its extreme simplicity, the launcher allows you to use your device as efficiently as possible, while ensuring smooth animations and the fastest possible launch of applications even on fairly old devices.

Initially, the application is provided completely free of charge, and you can use it this way for an unlimited amount of time. There is also a paid version, in which advertising is completely removed and additional options are available. These include adaptive application icons, the ability to fine-tune sorting and a host of other features. However, it is especially worth highlighting the ability to create an extended desktop, which allows you to hide the on-screen navigation buttons, thereby increasing the usable screen area.

The application itself is available to everyone on the Google Play service, which allows you to install it on absolutely any device running on the Android operating system, be it a phone or a tablet.

It should be understood that the official application store is replete with a lot of similar programs, but it is Smart Launcher that combines extreme simplicity, functionality and an extensive list of features that allow you to fine-tune the system to your own needs.

Rootless Launcher

Rootless Launcher is a modified Pixel launcher that, unlike the basic one, gives users access to more settings. Inferior to other similar applications due to the small number of “decorations”, while consuming a minimum of RAM, and ultimately suitable for weak devices. Judging by the reviews, on some smartphones it works faster than the standard launcher.

The capabilities and features of the program include:

• Enable/disable date;
• Enabling or disabling the news feed;
• Selecting a desktop theme and wallpaper;
• Changing the size and appearance of icons;
• Drag and drop search bar from Google.

The advantages of the launcher include:

• Distributed free of charge;
• Consumes a minimum of RAM, freezes are excluded even on weak devices;
• Automatic search for new updates;
• Access to a pack of themes, wallpapers and icons.

The disadvantage is the lack of support for Google Feed; for normal operation, you need to download an additional utility to your smartphone from the developer’s website.

Microsoft Launcher

Microsoft Launcher allows you to quickly pair your smartphone with a laptop running the latest version of the Windows 10 operating system. The user can take photos on the phone and immediately edit them on the PC, quickly edit files in the office and send them back to the smartphone, etc.

The launcher offers packages of gestures, desktop icons, the ability to access frequently used applications using a swipe, etc. The program is distributed free of charge.

The benefits of the application include:

• Quickly continue working on your PC;
• Simultaneously search the Internet on a smartphone and laptop;
• Setting up smartphone gesture control;
• Personal news channel for quick viewing of important news, events and notifications;
• Customize the theme, wallpaper and icons to your taste;
• Icon for quick access to contacts.

The disadvantage is that it consumes quite a lot of RAM, it is advisable to install it on devices with 2 GB or more of RAM.

To very roughly define what a launcher is, it is an application that can represent the home screen of a device and show a list of applications running on the device. In other words, the launcher is what you see when you press the Home button on your device. Now you are most likely using the standard launcher that was installed with the operating system. There are many such programs on the Play Market, by installing which you can change the design of your device:

In fact, every smartphone and tablet manufacturer has its own launcher and design style (for example, Samsung - TouchWiz, HTC - Sense).

In this tutorial we will learn how to create a simple launcher with a basic user interface. Our application will have two screens:

Home screen displaying desktop wallpaper;

A screen showing a list of installed applications and some information about them;

So let's begin. We create a new project, we traditionally leave the names by default, you can enter some of your own. The minimum version to run the application is Android 2.2, select Blank Activity.

Let's go straight to editing the application manifest file. We need to add 2 activities here and give them some settings. Open the file AndroidManifest.xml and add the following there:

< activity android: name= "ah.hathi.simplelauncher.HomeActivity" android:label="Simple Launcher Home" android:theme= "@android:style/Theme.Wallpaper.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen" android: launchMode= "singleTask" android: stateNotNeeded= "true" >< intent- filter> < action android: name= "android.intent.action.MAIN" / > < category android: name= "android.intent.category.HOME" / > < category android: name= "android.intent.category.DEFAULT" / > < / intent- filter> < / activity>

We have added categories to this code android.intent.category.HOME And android.intent.category.DEFAULT so that our application behaves like a launcher and is displayed when you press the Home button of the device.

You also need to configure the launch mode launchMode on singleTask so that only one required Activity is running at the moment. To display a custom image on the splash screen, we used a theme setting Theme.Wallpaper.NoTitleBar.FullScreen.

The second activity, as already mentioned, will display the applications installed on the device and some information about them. For this activity will not use any special settings, let's call itAppsListActivity:

< activity android: name= "ah.hathi.simplelauncher.AppsListActivity" android: theme= "@android:style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen" > < / activity>

Let's create xml markup file for the future class HomeActivity. In folder res/layout create a file by name activity_home.xml. It will contain only one button, when clicked, the user from the home screen will be taken to a screen with a list of installed applications:

< RelativeLayout xmlns: android= xmlns: tools= "schemas.android.com/tools" android: layout_width= "match_parent" android: layout_height= "match_parent" tools: context= ".HomeActivity" > < Button android: id= "@+id/apps_button" android: layout_width= "wrap_content" android: layout_height= "wrap_content" android: layout_alignParentRight= "true" android: layout_alignParentTop= "true" android: layout_marginRight= "10dp" android: layout_marginTop= "10dp" android: text= "Show Apps" android: onClick= "showApps" / > < / RelativeLayout > < LinearLayout xmlns: android= "schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android: layout_width= "match_parent" android: layout_height= "match_parent" android: orientation= "vertical" >< ListView android: id= "@+id/apps_list" android: layout_width= "match_parent" android: layout_height= "match_parent" > < / ListView > < / LinearLayout >

Let's create another one xml file by name list_item.xml. This file will define the type specified above ListView. Each list item will represent one application installed on the device. The icon, title and package name of the application will be displayed here. The icon will be displayed through the element ImageView, and the application and package name in TextView:

< RelativeLayout xmlns: android= "schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android: layout_width= "match_parent" android: layout_height= "match_parent" android: padding= "10dp" >< ImageView android: id= "@+id/item_app_icon" android: layout_width= "wrap_content" android: layout_height= "wrap_content" android: layout_alignParentLeft= "true" android: layout_centerVertical= "true" / > < TextView android: id= "@+id/item_app_label" android: layout_width= "wrap_content" android: layout_height= "wrap_content" android: layout_toRightOf= "@+id/item_app_icon" android: paddingLeft= "10dp" / > < TextView android: id= "@+id/item_app_name" android: layout_width= "wrap_content" android: layout_height= "wrap_content" android: layout_below= "@+id/item_app_label" android: layout_toRightOf= "@+id/item_app_icon" android: paddingLeft= "10dp" / > < / RelativeLayout >

Now we need to create the necessary java classes. When you create classes, make sure they are linked to the data in the manifest file, which is what we did at the beginning.

Create a file in the application HomeActivity.java, set it to inherit from the Activity class and set up a transition to another screen with a list of applications when you click on the button we created earlier (lesson on creating a transition):

import android.app.Activity ; import android.content.Intent ; import android.os.Bundle ; import android.view.View ; public class HomeActivity extends Activity ( @Override protected void onCreate (Bundle savedInstanceState ) ( super. onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R . layout. activity_home); ) public void showApps (View v )( Intent i = new Intent (this, AppsListActivity . class);

Create another activity with the name AppsListActivity.java. Let's configure this class with the interface look from the previously created file activity_apps_list.xml:

import android.app.Activity ; import android.content.Intent ; import android.os.Bundle ; import android.view.View ; public class AppsListActivity extends Activity ( @Override protected void onCreate (Bundle savedInstanceState ) ( super. onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R . layout. activity_apps_list); ) )

You can already try testing the application on an emulator/device. So far, it does not have the desired functionality, but still. Launch the application and press the Home button, you will see a window in which you will be asked to select a launcher to launch, standard and ours. We launch ours and see something like this:

We see the desktop screensaver and our button to launch the second activity.

We admired it and that’s enough, let’s get back to working in Android Studio. Create another class named AppDetail, which will contain more detailed information about the application, package name, application name and icon. The code for this class is extremely simple and looks like this:

import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable; public class AppDetail ( CharSequence label; CharSequence name; Drawable icon; )

In method loadApps class AppsListActivity we use the method queryIntentActivities, it is needed to select all objects Intent, which have a category Intent.CATEGORY_LAUNCHER. The request will return a list of applications that can be launched by our launcher. We run a loop based on the results of the query and create and add each of its items to the list by name apps. To implement all of the above, add the following code:

private PackageManager manager; private List<AppDetail > apps; private void loadApps())( manager = getPackageManager(); apps = new ArrayList<AppDetail >(); Intent i = new Intent(Intent. ACTION_MAIN , null ); i. addCategory(Intent<. CATEGORY_LAUNCHER);

List apps ResolveInfo > ListView availableActivities = manager. queryIntentActivities(i, 0 ); for (ResolveInfo ri: availableActivities)( AppDetail app = new AppDetail(); app. label = ri. loadLabel(manager); app. name = ri. activityInfo. packageName; app. icon = ri. activityInfo. loadIcon(manager); apps.add(app); Now you need to configure the display of the application list. In the created list we have placed all the necessary data about the application, now they need to be displayed in the one created at the beginning of the lesson. For this we create for (ResolveInfo ri: availableActivities)( AppDetail app = new AppDetail(); app. label = ri. loadLabel(manager); app. name = ri. activityInfo. packageName; app. icon = ri. activityInfo. loadIcon(manager); apps.add(app); ArrayAdapter ListView:

and describe the method<AppDetail > getView<AppDetail >(this, R . layout. list_item, apps) ( @Override public View getView (int position , View convertView , ViewGroup parent ) ( if (convertView == null )( convertView = getLayoutInflater(). inflate(R . layout. list_item, null ) ImageView appIcon = (ImageView )convertView(R . id. item_app_icon); appIcon. setImageDrawable(apps. get(position). icon); ); appLabel. setText(apps. get(position). label); TextView appName. findViewById(R. id. appName. setText(apps. get(position). name); ) );

list. setAdapter(adapter); ) When the user clicks on list items with applications, our launcher should launch the corresponding application. This will be done thanks to the method getLaunchIntentForPackage Intent, creating intention

, launching the desired application:private void addClickListener())( list. setOnItemClickListener(new AdapterView .OnItemClickListener() ( @Override public void onItemClick(AdapterView

av , View v , int pos , long id ) ( Intent i = manager. getLaunchIntentForPackage(apps. get(pos). name. toString()); AppsListActivity . this. startActivity(i); ) )); ) AppsListActivity It remains to collect all the methods described above into one working mechanism. In class loadApps, call methods loadListView And:

addClickListener

protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) ( super. onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R . layout. activity_apps_list); loadApps(); loadListView(); addClickListener(); )

Let's launch our application. Now, when we click on the button for calling the second activity “Show Apps”, we see a list of installed applications. When you click on a selected list item, we will launch the corresponding application:

Congratulations! Now, in addition to our own calculator, browser, converter and much more, we also have our own Android Launcher. I hope the lesson was interesting and useful to you.

When we buy a new Android device, be it a smartphone or a tablet, we are satisfied with everything, but time passes, the appearance becomes boring and we want something new. But what to do if you are still far from buying a new gadget, but want to update the appearance right now? Then special applications (themes), the so-called Launchers, come to our aid, allowing you to completely change the appearance of your Android device.

If you don’t know what a launcher is, then we will try to explain it to you in simple words. Literally, translated from English, Launcher means launcher (launch something), in this case we are talking about launching applications in the Android system.

A launcher for Android (launcher, launcher) is a graphical way of designing the appearance of the operating system, which includes the desktop, menus, widgets, icons, lock screen, etc.

Currently, there are many different launchers that can be downloaded from the Google Play Market as a regular application. As a rule, most of them are free, or shareware, in which you are offered a Lite version with limited functionality. If you like the launcher, you can purchase the full Pro version with advanced functionality.

How to change the launcher

Launcher is one of the most important and basic applications in the Android OS; it is the one that ensures user interaction with the device. Everything you see on the screen of your smartphone or
tablet: desktop, widgets, menus, icons, lock screen and so on, displays a standard launcher.

To change the preinstalled launcher on your Android device, you need to select the launcher you like in the Google Play Play Store and follow a few simple steps:

How to remove the launcher

Usually deleting a launcher does not create problems and it can be deleted in the same way as any other application or game.

1. Open Settings.
2. Find and select the desired launcher from the list.
3. In the menu that opens, click “Delete”.

Difference between launcher and theme

Are launcher and theme the same thing? Many people, out of habit, call launchers “themes” that were on old phones from 2000, which is not entirely correct. The difference between a launcher and a theme (skin) is that the launcher can add additional features, change the desktop and application menu. But a theme can be part of the launcher and already change broader areas, for example, it can add a general style to the system, change the color of icons, change the appearance of settings, notification shades, and so on.

The best launchers for Android

Now that you know what a launcher is and how to change it, it’s time to introduce you to the 5 best launchers from the Google Play catalog.

Small, fast, smooth and secure launcher for Android in Russian. Become the designer of your Android, change the interface of your smartphone, decorate icon packs, themes and live wallpapers to your own taste. You can find many popular themes in CM-Launcher, such as “Hello Kitty”, “Shrek”, “Kung Fu Panda”, “Madagascar”, etc.

Features and Benefits:

1. Over 10,000 free 3D themes, 2D icon packs, live wallpapers, contact themes to customize your phone interface.
2. Security - Hide and lock apps to protect your privacy.
3. More efficient - Fast search, smart app sorting and phone booster will make your life more efficient.
4. The 1-Tap Boost feature will speed up your phone and make it even easier and faster to use.
5. Automatically organize apps into smart folders (app drawer) to keep your menu organized.

DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY

A lightweight and smart Android launcher that provides an intuitive service to more than 300 million users worldwide. Good optimization ensures the fastest and smoothest performance possible. Among the new products in the launcher there is a Free Swipe curtain, which allows you to access recently used applications; You will also be pleased with the built-in widgets for news, accelerator, flashlight, calculator, notepad and other useful functions.

Features and Benefits:

1. Improved App Market, with a comfortable browsing experience using an improved and simplified interface.
2. Easy and fast memory clearing with one click.
3. Easily search for apps sorted by category or frequency of use.
4. Linked wallpapers allow you to link your desktop with the desktop of your significant other or friend.
5. Install new and amazing HD wallpapers for your home screen. Share your favorite images with APUS users around the world.
6. All applications are collected in one convenient directory, with an easy search for your applications, sorted by list.

DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY

Make your smartphone beautiful and convenient. Yandex Launcher will help you customize the interface the way you like, and at the same time optimize the phone's performance. Among the new products, you will be pleasantly surprised by the Yandex.Zen smart feed; just pull the screen to the right to see a feed of articles, videos and other materials selected taking into account your interests. The more you use Yandex.Zen, the more accurate the recommendations become.

Features and Benefits:

1. Collections of built-in wallpapers and themes.
2. Quickly search through contacts, applications and the Internet.
3. An accelerator widget with the ability to automatically terminate unnecessary processes.
4. Clock widget with weather forecast.
5. New applications - the launcher itself will recommend what may be of interest to you
6. Yandex.Zen - the smart feed will automatically select interesting news and publications for you.

DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY

Another popular launcher in Russian that replaces the home screen, changes icons, layouts, animations and much more. The application strikes a balance between incredible performance and high customization, while the launcher is easy to use and has many additional features.

Features and Benefits:

1. Fast and smooth operation.
2. Support for choosing themes.
3. Customize the desktop, menus, icons, gestures, and so on.
4. Infinite scrolling.
5. Data backup/restore.

One of the best things about Android is that you can customize not only how it looks, but also how it behaves. One way to do this is to download a new launcher, an application that will change the interface of your phone and allow you to customize it to your tastes.

Plus, such apps allow you to have the same interface you're used to even if you bought a new phone - just restore your settings backup from cloud storage. Now this is especially true when almost every manufacturer installs its own shell, which is not always intuitive and fast.

I don't think it's possible to determine the best launcher that will suit everyone. You use your phone differently than I do, and I use my phone differently than my colleagues or friends. Everyone has their ideal launcher, but if you haven't found your favorite yet, here are the best ones that I think will satisfy almost any Android user.

Nova

Nova Launcher has been a well-known application for a long time. It has support for gesture control: if you want to open the application list, just swipe up and double-tap the screen to turn it off. In short, the app works with gestures and folders better than anyone else!

The set includes packages of icons and themes, of which there are about a thousand (look for it on Google Play), application interface settings, an unread message counter, additional scrolling effects and much more. Another feature is constant updates with the addition of new functionality and bug fixes.

It is worth noting the possibility of backing up settings to the cloud with their subsequent restoration on a new phone or when resetting to factory settings.

Microsoft

Microsoft Launcher is an updated version of the Garage Arrow project and we've covered the key changes that came with this update. The app currently supports integration with many Microsoft services, including calendar and email.

If your computer is updated to the latest version of Windows 10, you can pair your phone and computer, and then you can quickly and easily “Continue on PC.” This means you can take a photo and immediately see it on your computer, or edit a document in Office and then continue editing it on your computer.

There are packages of gestures, icons, and advanced settings. For example, swiping up will not open the app list, but will only show your favorite apps, as well as quick settings such as Wi-Fi, airplane mode, Bluetooth, etc.

Daily wallpaper change - Receive new wallpapers automatically from Bing, or specify your own selection of wallpapers to change.

It's important to note that Microsoft doesn't want Android to look the same as Windows 10 Mobile. For example, you won't find square "tiles" here; if you're looking for something like that, check out the following app.

It’s a little strange, but with this launcher you get the impression that you are using an iPhone on an Android smartphone, everything is so convenient and beautiful.

Apex

Apex Launcher has been around for a long time and remains one of the most popular launchers. Similar to the Action Launcher app, it's designed to be highly customizable with a few extra features, like hiding the Google search form, status bar, and even the dock, which can display up to seven icons instead of four! If you have a child, you will benefit from the desktop lock feature to prevent accidental changes.

You can choose transition animations, change the design, and custom icons for shortcuts and folders. Up to 9 home screens are supported, with flexible settings for each of them. Convenient gesture control, screen lock, optimized for use on smartphones and tablets. It is possible to display unread messages and missed calls on icons. And this is not all the features that Apex Launcher offers.

One

An excellent replacement for the standard Android interface is One Launcher. When creating it, the developer (one BJ) was inspired by the latest versions of iOS - the mobile operating system from Apple. Thanks to this, the launcher turned out to be aesthetically beautiful and very convenient.

As with Apple devices, application icons are located on the home display rather than hidden in a separate menu. You can combine several applications in folders or leave everything as is. The latter option is ideal for those who use only a small number of programs.

The developers paid special attention to ensuring that their brainchild consumes little RAM while maintaining maximum performance. Their work immediately becomes noticeable when you switch from this launcher to another. Or check the amount of free RAM. In addition, One Launcher is completely free and supports all versions of Android starting from 2.3.3.

Smart

Smart Launcher is not just an add-on to the stock launcher, and this is immediately noticeable. The home display is presented as a circle with six icons, providing quick access to the most important applications. You also have access to the widget area or can go to a unique menu. What makes it so unique? Intelligent sorting system. When you install a new utility, the launcher automatically places it in the correct category, making it much easier to access.

A convenient search bar is always at hand, so you can easily find the applications you need. An important part is the lock screen with support for notifications and a variety of themes. To completely change the device interface, download special themes for Smart Launcher 3 on Google Play. In addition, do not forget about the option to hide any utilities or set a password to launch them.

Hola

The Hola Launcher developers began their project with one single question: “What features do people need most?” After thinking about it carefully, they got to work and created Hola Launcher - an easy and simple alternative for those who want to achieve the best results with the least amount of effort.

Take a few minutes to explore what this launcher has to offer and you will be truly amazed. After all, it only takes up 4 MB. And the extremely low RAM consumption makes it very fast and responsive. The application is built around one concept - simplicity. The interface is minimalistic, easy to navigate and allows you to get to the most frequently used functions in a few taps.

Besides the usual set of features like custom themes, wallpapers, folders, etc., Hola offers users access to several very useful programs. Hola Shina is a special menu that opens by swiping from the bottom edge of the monitor. In it you will find frequently used applications and settings. Hola Boost is a small, movable circle that frees up your smartphone's RAM immediately after you click on it. There's also Hola Box, which can easily hide any utility on your home display if you don't want to show it to other people.

Launcher 8

Launcher 8 is unique in that it doesn't feel like an Android app. In fact, the only purpose of this application is to make the interface of your device look like Windows Phone. And he copes with this task perfectly. It copies not only the appearance, but also many actions. As a result, when working with the shell, you get the feeling that you are not working under Android at all.

Supports emulation of “live tiles” and a scroll bar when navigating through the application menu, which appears when you move your finger to the right or left on the screen.

There are custom themes that let you customize the look of the launcher, but most of them are very different from what we're used to seeing on Android. If you don't want your smartphone to look like a Windows Phone 8 phone, then there's not much point in installing this app.

Action

Action Launcher has long been a favorite program of many users. In addition to standard functions, there are also some original ones that make the program unique. For example, Quick Theme allows you to customize the colors of your interface.

The Shutters feature gives you access to widgets without actually installing them on your home screen. There is also a set of elements in the style of Android Oreo. There are icon settings, quick updating of small elements and much more.

GO

An excellent choice for those who want to try a custom home screen design. In addition, GO Launcher is one of the most downloaded utilities on Google Play. The program combines functionality with excellent user design.

The launcher is created on an innovative 3D engine developed from scratch. It is this that makes the program extremely fast, responsive and versatile. In addition to the engine, you switch between 25 display animation options and get over 10,000 unique themes. With such a staggering number of options for customizing the interface, it would be easy to get confused if it were not for DIY Themer.

GO Launcher also has an excellent tool that allows you to hide or block a specific program to further protect you from prying eyes. Well, built-in widgets for optimizing your smartphone increase the device’s performance, making multi-window mode faster and more enjoyable to use.

Next 3D Shell

The developers of Next Launcher 3D Shell are the same people who worked on the creation of GO Launcher. 3D animation is supported, there are many transition effects and unique settings. Using the scroll bar, you can quickly change home screens and choose the one you like best at the moment. According to most users, this is one of the most expensive launchers. True, you can try all the features of the program for free.

ADW 2

The biggest plus of ADW Launcher 2.0 is the customization: you can customize themes, gestures, folder styles, home screens, app list and even create your own custom widgets. I can go on and on, if you are a fan of settings, then you should definitely download this launcher and test it thoroughly. It contains just an insane amount of settings!

You can create an unlimited number of your own widgets and place them anywhere, even on the top bar (where the search bar is) or on the bottom bar (where you currently have 4 icons).

As always, there is the ability to edit every single icon of any application you have. The latest update introduced a new set of effects when switching to another screen, as well as the ability to change the system color palette to any color (black, red, orange, etc.). In general, in this application you can do everything you can imagine.

Evie

Evie Launcher comes with icon and widget packs. It is possible to hide any applications, quickly launch programs, and add unique shortcuts with your own signatures to the home screen. You can create your own wallpaper and change the size of the icons.

The program is fast, easy to use, and has some original features. Uses a Pixel Launcher-style app menu that can be moved from the bottom of the screen. The application is distributed free of charge.

Lightning Launcher is small in size and has very flexible settings. With this tool, you can change almost all elements of the home screen. Perhaps the most unique feature is scripting support, such as the ability to use JavaScript.

You may be intimidated by the abundance of settings and options, but there is nothing to be afraid of. Yes, there are a lot of settings, but they are easy to understand. But what opportunities! Almost all functions and elements can be customized, be it the way applications are placed, folders, widgets, home screens, icon sets, fonts, alignment, and even renaming standard elements (not all).

If you don’t want to understand, there are dozens (if not hundreds) of more classic skins at your service, which offer a couple of basic settings.

Lawnchair Launcher is an open source project that basically mimics Pixel Launcher. Many of their functions are the same, although there are some original features. It is constantly updated and improved. Notifications and context menu are made in the style of Android Oreo.

You can choose different panel and window styles, icon sizes, and much more. It will not be an exaggeration to say that Lawnchair has absorbed all the best that is in the Pixel and Nova Launcher shells. All this is complemented by the high performance and aesthetics of the Pixel shell and seasoned with customization elements from other launchers well known in the Android world.

One of the most attractive design styles is the dark theme. It applies to the appearance of the tray, home screen widget, and context menu. The possibilities for changing the design style here are not as deep as, for example, in Substratum, but still not bad.

There is integration with Google Now (if you install an additional free plugin). Even in beta it works better than many older launchers. If you're looking for the best Google Pixel alternative, you've already found it.

EverythingMe

The main highlight of EverythingMe is the so-called Prediction Bar, which is a series of icons located at the bottom of the screen (there are four in total), dynamically changing depending on the user’s location, time of day and the results of analysis of previous application launches.

Based on the results of this analysis, Prediction Bar will first offer the user those applications that he is most likely to need in the near future. For example, in the morning EverythingMe will tell you the latest news and remind you of what you have planned for today. And on a weekday, the launcher will offer applications that you most often deal with at work.

When you first launch the launcher, it will try to automatically organize already installed applications into the appropriate folders, such as “Games,” “Music,” “Social Networks,” and “News.” You can create new Smart Folders at any time, grouping apps as you see fit.

Most launchers deal with what you are doing at a given time: what you are viewing, what you are listening to. EverythingMe takes a slightly different approach. Instead of focusing on current actions, it tries to predict what you will do.