Best Android launcher

After purchasing an Android device, you are wondering if it is possible to customize it by installing an alternative launcher. Some of your friends have in fact explained to you that the launcher is an application that replaces the default home screen and allows you to change the user interface of the same. The topic is of interest to you, and from the moment you would like to do it, you are wondering what is the  best Android launcher .

Very well, if this is the way things are, don't worry: I'm here, ready to help you and guide you to discover these particular applications. In the course of this tutorial, I will show you in detail what I believe are the most noteworthy launchers and I will explain step by step how to use them to customize your device from top to bottom. Do not worry, even if you are not yet familiar with the operation of the Android operating system, I am sure that, by following my instructions, you will be able to install the launcher that best suits your needs.

How about getting started right away? Sit comfortably, take a few minutes of free time, grab your Android device, download and install the launcher applications that I will tell you about in this tutorial of mine and I'm sure you will be thrilled. Are you ready to get started? Yup? Very well! I wish you a good reading and above all a good "job"!

Nova Launcher is one of the most famous and used launchers and is especially designed for those who want to completely customize the user interface of their Android device.

One of its strengths is certainly its ease of use and the wide possibilities of changing the aesthetics. This launcher is free but there is also a paid version (costs € 4.50); the latter is called Nova Launcher Prime and offers several other additional tools for aesthetic customization, such as the ability to customize the notification badge, add folders in the drawer, hide apps, use gestures and much more.

After downloading and starting Nova Launcher from the Play Store (to do this, first press Install , then Accept and finally Open  and, in case of problems, do not forget to refer to my tutorial on how to install apps on Android ), the first what you have to do is press the Next button : you will be asked to customize the user interface through basic tools. Don't worry though, you can later customize it more thoroughly.

Nova Launcher is characterized by a user interface reduced to a minimum, essential and, in its main screen, only the Google apps are contained within a folder. All other installed applications are visible by tapping on the app drawer icon (the one with the dot symbol located in the center).

To customize Nova Launcher , instead, make a long tap on the home screen, press the Settings button  that appears on the main screen and then use all the items in the Nova Settings menu ( Home screen, App menu, Dock, Folders, Appearance, Night mode , Gestures & Actions ) to modify its appearance in an advanced way.

In particular, you can use the Home screen item to customize elements such as grid, icons and search bar and effects related to the main screen of your device. The app Menu item is used, on the other hand, to adjust aesthetic settings and apply customizations to the app drawer (the icon with the symbol of dots ); aesthetic changes can also be applied to the dock bar ( Dock section ), in order to adjust its size and style as desired. To adjust the icons, instead, refer to the Appearance section and, if you like it, activate the dark theme by pressing the Night Mode menu item and moving the lever fromOFF to ON for the app menu, for example.

To set Nova Launcher as the default launcher, tap on the Settings application in the app drawer (it is the icon with the symbol of the dots located at the bottom ), then press the Home item and put the check mark in correspondence of the word Nova Launcher .

Through the same section, in case of second thoughts, you can uninstall Nova by pressing the button with the trash can symbol  and confirming the operation with the OK button .

Launch Applications Now

Application Launcher Now is undoubtedly one of the best Android launchers . It is, in fact, the launcher developed by Google which integrates, directly into the main screen, the possibility of accessing the customizable Google Now cards , in order to view all the favorite information regarding for example news, weather, traffic, etc.

Download the launcher for free from the Play Store (press the Install button and Accept to download it from the link provided) and, once the download is complete, start it by pressing the Open button . Now, confirm the launch of the same: at the wording Use a different home app , tap on the entry Start applications Now , in order to start the launcher and start using it.

On the main screen of the same, first accept the terms and conditions of service by clicking on the Continue button . As you can see, its user interface is very simple and linear: at the top there is the Google search bar which can also be used for voice searches (I told you about it in detail in this tutorial of mine ).

If on your device there were installed applications developed by Google (such as Gmail or Google Drive ), you will find these icons grouped in folders on the main screen of your device. To see the complete list of installed applications, however, presses the button with the symbol of the dots located in the center.

By swiping to the left, you can then view the Google Now section : this shows a series of cards that can be customized based on the user's interests. To customize the Google Now section , press the button with the symbol ( ☰ ) and then tap on the word Customize , in order to choose the favorite topics to be displayed in the feed.

At any time, you can go back to using the default launcher of your Android device: all you have to do is press the Home button (the one with a circle symbol at the bottom) and, via the Select a Home app menu , press on the wording that refers to the default launcher of your device. Then, choose whether to press the Always item or Only once , depending on whether you want to return to the default launcher temporarily or permanently.

In the second case, to remove the Google Now launcher , go to the Settings> Home section , press the button with the trash can symbol , corresponding to the wording Start applications Now and press OK  to confirm the operation. Alternatively, you can also uninstall it directly via the Play Store . In this regard, if you don't know how to uninstall applications on Android, read my tutorial where I explain how to do this.

Microsoft Launcher

Microsoft Launcher is the free launcher developed by Microsoft, thanks to which you can customize the home screen of your device in a simple and immediate way. It is certainly to be included in a guide dedicated to Android launchers thanks to its integration with Microsoft services, such as Outlook and Skype .

To use it, download it from the Play Store and select the start of the same as the Home app , as already explained in the previous lines. To start using it, press the Start now button and then customize the launcher appearance if necessary with some basic parameters; then presses the Allow button every time you are asked, to guarantee Microsoft Launcher the permissions related to the use of your device.

Now, choose whether to log in with your Microsoft account (if you need to create one, read my tutorial where I explain how to proceed step by step), in order to synchronize the calendar, mail and documents (in this if so, type your email address in the text field you see on the screen and press the Login with Microsoft button ); otherwise, tap the Ignore button twice in a row and then press the word Let 's go .

In case you are asked to select the Home app to use, press the Microsoft Launcher item and then on Only once , to use it temporarily. Otherwise, presses on the Always item to set it as default.

This launcher has an elegant and minimal user interface: at the bottom of the screen there is a quick search bar which is used to easily locate contacts or applications within the device. The launcher also integrates the Optimizer application , which, similar to the operation of other applications to clean Android , is used to free up memory inside the device. A different story concerns the Background app , which is only used for customizing the wallpaper.

If you have previously installed applications developed by Microsoft on your device, they will have been divided into folders on the home screen, in order to guarantee quick access.

To customize the launcher, tap on the application with the symbol of a gear : as you can see on the screen there are several menu items ( Personalization, Feed , Movements and Search ); in particular, tap on the words Personalization if you want to change the background, the theme, and even the shape of the folders in which to insert the applications.

Furthermore, again from the Settings section it is possible to customize the Feed (accessible with a swipe from left to right on the home screen ), which allows you to view a list of news related to customizable interests. Another interesting feature of this launcher is the gesture support: the complete list of supported ones can be viewed by tapping on the items Launcher Settings> Movements .

At any time, if you want to use Microsoft Launcher by default, press the Yes button corresponding to the warning you see on the screen, which asks you if you want to set Microsoft Launcher as the default launcher? To activate Microsoft Launcher as default, tap on the launcher Settings application located in the home, press the System Settings button and then on the Home item . Finally, put the check mark next to the wording Microsoft Launcher .

If you want to remove Microsoft Launcher , uninstall it from the Play Store , as I explained to you in my tutorial dedicated to uninstalling the app on Android , or tap on the icon with the symbol of a gear (called  Launcher settings ), press on the item System Settings and then Home . Now, press the icon with the trash can symbol , corresponding to the wording Microsoft Launcher , and then confirm the operation by tapping OK .

Other popular launchers

Did the launchers that I have indicated in the previous lines not match your tastes? Would you like to know if I can provide you with other useful tips and point you to further applications of this kind that are noteworthy? Don't worry, I can still help you; in the following lines I want to tell you about other popular launchers , illustrating the most prominent features for each of them. Pay particular attention to the lines that follow, so that you can find the one that best suits your needs.

• APUS Launcher - is another famous launcher appreciated by users due to its extensive customization possibilities. Among its main features is the presence of a native application that serves to speed up the device with a tap. The home screen applications are automatically reordered by the launcher, depending on how often they are used. Apus Launcher is free but features banner ads and recommendations for installing non-removable complementary apps; may therefore not meet the tastes of those who prefer a user interface free from frills.
• Evie Launcher - is another free launcher characterized by a minimal user interface that I highly recommend: it is very fast and is able to give its best even on less performing devices in terms of hardware. It is free and does not have advertising banners, making it suitable for those who need a simple, light and immediate launcher.
• Hola Launcher - among the main features of this free launcher are the wide personalization possibilities and a really attractive user interface. It also integrates some useful applications, such as the one for device optimization and one that is used to hide apps. It also integrates a fully customizable news feed. On the other hand, it presents banner ads and recommendations for the installation of sponsored apps that cannot be removed.
• Action Launcher - Another recommended launcher is definitely Action Launcher, famous and appreciated for its material design style user interface. Also in this case it is a free application with many advanced customization options but its Plus version (which costs € 4.99) is equally attractive, given the presence of additional features, including the ability to activate shortcuts for using apps.
• Smart Lancher 5 - it is one of the historical Android launchers which, repeatedly renewed in its user interface, has a minimal but captivating aesthetic. One of its most interesting functions is the bar called Smart search, useful for finding applications, files and contacts in the internal memory of your device in a very short time. It is completely free and has no advertising banners, as well as being a lightweight launcher suitable for less performing devices in terms of hardware.