8 ways to customize Android smartphone in your own style

We always want to be different from each other. That is probably why we value our identities and are in a constant struggle to set ourselves apart from the crowd.

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken — Oscar Wilde

As mobile devices have become the one stop shop of our lives, an extension of our personalities, we need our smartphones to look unique and show off who we are. That is why, so many people have their selfies saved as a wallpaper or their name flashing on the lock screen.

So, here are 8 ways you can customize Android smartphone of yours into something special.

Launchers

Launchers are a great way to completely transform your smartphones home screen. You can easily get rid of the default look of your device by just downloading one.

Here are some of the best launchers for Android:

• Nova launcher
• Apex launcher
• Solo launcher
• Action launcher
• Aviate launcher
• Google Now launcher

Icon Packs

With launchers come the ability to change the look of your icons. To do that, simply download one of the icon packs from the Play Store and start customizing your icons.

There are thousands of icon packs out there to choose from. These are just to get you started.

• Moonshine
• Adastra
• Rondo
• Numix circle

Themes

If you want to change the look of your device with just one click, download themes that go with your launcher.

There are literally thousands of themes out there that will transform your smartphone to look like anything you want. Although all these customizations work on the outer level, which means, you can change the look of the app icon, but not the way app itself looks when you open it.

Download Themer to give you a kick start.

Widgets

Widgets are the small windows of live information that resides on your phone’s home screen. You can put as many widgets on your screen as it may allow.

Foe e.g. If you want to look at the news and the weather, first thing in the morning, simply put a widget displaying the weather or news on your main home screen.

They are a great way to give your smartphone that unrivaled look you always wanted.

Usually widgets come with the apps that you install, but you can install specialized widgets as well, such as weather widget or countdown widget etc.

One of the best widgets, you will ever use is DashClock Widget. It comes with thousands of extensions which makes it even more cutthroat in functionality than it already is.

Wallpapers

Well, you saw this coming, didn’t you!!

Wallpapers are the classic way of customizing your device.

While wallpaper apps are in abundance in the Play Store, and you are well capable of finding them, there are three that I’d like to recommend.

• Tapet
• Wally
• Muzei

Live Wallpapers

Android, for a long time has supported Live Wallpapers. They are just like wallpapers but with animations.

However, there is one caveat, live wallpapers drain battery fast. So you will have to be careful in that regard.

Lockscreen

On Android, you have the power to change the lock screen of your smartphone by downloading lock screen replacements from the Play Store.

Better yet, you can transform your lock screen to mimic iPhone lock screen or even Windows phone if you like it. There are thousands of possibilities out there that will make your devices lock screen standout.

Replace default apps

Many people never take advantage of this, but the Android OS allows you to replace the default apps on your phone.

If you don’t like the look of your dialer, download a new one from the Play Store. Hate the gallery app?? Download a replacement. Abhor typing on the keyboard?? Get the best one out there suitable for your needs.

You can even download and replace the default camera app if you like.

Try some of these replacement:

• Quickpic for gallery
• Textra for messaging
• ExDialer for dialer
• Camera Zoom Fx for the camera
• Swiftkey to replace default keyboard

You can go on and on to replace all the apps for your device, but, that is not what I’d recommend. As you cannot delete the default ones, they, together with the new ones you download can put extra burden on your device’s RAM and battery.

So, choose carefully and be selective as to which apps you would like to replace keeping in mind your device resources.

There you have it folks, all the possible ways you can customize Android smartphone to give it that unmatched and peerless look you always wanted.

Now go on and give these apps a try and if you liked this post, please hit the recommend button down below. Thanks!

Originally published at www.techreviewpk.com on July 9, 2015.