Android offers more and more options for customizing the interface: if earlier users had to get root rights in order to simply change the color of the settings menu or select a dark mode for Google Play, now many manufacturers themselves include this option in the system..
Nevertheless, you can also change the appearance of Android using the old proven methods: various sets of icons, wallpapers, third-party launchers. Or you can even go all the way with applications for creating widgets. You can create anything with a theme on Android and, frankly, one article is not enough to tell you about all the customization methods. Today we will list the best ones.
Action Launcher
The best place to start with interface design is Action Launcher . This launcher already includes several basic themes. Depending on the installed desktop image, the launcher automatically changes its color..
The app contains Android 7.1-style shortcuts, a quick launch bar, and items from the Google Pixel launcher. In addition, the launcher offers smart icon size management. Action Launcher allows you to create various themes for Android.
Another launcher that offers ample opportunities for customizing the design of the system is Evie Launcher..
Energy Bar
The Energy Bar / Ring is a group of applications that you can use to position the battery indicator bar at the top of the screen. Such a scale will allow you to quickly assess the remaining operating time of the gadget.
For frameless devices and devices with "bangs", the developers offer Energy Ring. The apps work on all devices with regular bezels, most bezel-less devices and some smartphones with bangs.
Gboard and SwiftKey
Gboard and SwiftKey are some of the most popular keyboards for Android devices, both great for customizing the interface.
The SwiftKey collection offers some pretty unusual keyboard themes, some of which are tailor-made for the season, while GBoard's thematic variety is not that great. However, both apps offer customization of the keyboard to suit your needs.
There are other keyboards with similar functionality, but Gboard and SwiftKey are some of the best in terms of usability and customization. Plus, they are free and offer no ads. Thanks to Google and Microsoft!
KWGT and KLWP
KWGT is a powerful widget editor. The app supports Google Fit, displays information from most sensors, shows the weather, and even lets you customize countdown timers. For more fine-tuning of widgets, there is support for Tasker.
KLWP is a WYSIWYG live wallpaper editor that lets you edit your wallpaper as you see fit.
KLWP and KWGT have many features in common, both are great for creating themes on Android. The developer also offer KLCK Kustom Lock Screen to customize your lock screen.
Nova Launcher
Nova Launcher is probably the best launcher out there, great for customizing themes on Android. It offers a very large number of options for customizing the interface, allowing you to bring any of your ideas to life in the look of the theme.
Nova Launcher supports various icon sets, allows flexible customization of the icon grid, change colors, and create a scrollable dock.
You can also find themes for this launcher on Google Play, which adds even more variety, or you can download a special plugin that will display new notifications on the icons. The paid version offers even more additional features.
Reddit
Another great resource for customizing the interface is Reddit . There are no topics on Reddit as such, but if you go to the right thread, you can find many ideas from other users.
We recommend starting with AndroidThemes . There, users share their screensavers, and (usually) leave links to applications with which they managed to change the appearance of the interface. Thus, you can find for yourself various sets of icons, wallpapers, downloadable themes from KWGT and KWLP, and much more.
Either way, you have nothing to lose, because Reddit is a free resource, except for a voluntary monthly subscription, which will save you from ads and give you access to some additional settings.
Tapet
There are tons of cool wallpapers to be found now, but Tapet stands out from the crowd. This is the first application that automatically creates wallpaper from the patterns loaded into it. It offers over 100 patterned styles, as well as the ability to completely change their color. Tapet does not download images from the Internet, but creates new ones right in your device.
Tapet takes a little getting used to: Compared to other apps, it's not entirely clear. But this is only a temporary drawback that pales in comparison with how unusual the created images can be.
The paid version of Tapet opens up even more style options.
UCCW
UCCW is one of the most popular widget customization apps. It allows you to edit widgets in WYSIWYG mode, this allows you to track changes already in the editing process.
At the same time, the range of displayed information is simply huge, weather, calendar, battery power, missed calls, etc. There is support for Tasker.
Themes for UCCW can be downloaded both in Google Play and in the application itself from other users. Disadvantages of UCCW - some malfunctions may occur, and you will have to get used to the functionality.
Walli
Walli is no ordinary wallpaper app. Similar to Etsy, it offers an impressive collection of designer wallpapers exclusively created by artists for you. Other advantages include easy navigation through the collection and the ability to add images you like to the queue to automatically change the background. For wallpaper selection, we also recommend Google Wallpapers, Abstruct and WallPix.
Xposed Framework, Substratum and Synergy
Users who dare to violate the terms of warranty service and get root-rights on Android open up ample opportunities: for example, you can use the Xposed Framework, Substratum and Synergy to add various custom chips to the interface, or you can install custom firmware.
Perhaps this is a good reason for becoming a superuser, because it gives you the opportunity to gain complete control over the system. We only link to Substratum here, but there is an incredible array of apps for rooted devices on the internet.
Facer and WatchMaker
Wear OS offers ample opportunities to customize the interface. Probably the most feature-rich app for this is Facer and WatchMaker .
It allows you to create your own watch faces for your Android Wear smartwatch, as well as enjoy other users' creations. And by uploading your own watch face, you can join the ranks of the creators.
