The best launchers for Android. Launchers for Android Download the most popular launchers of the year

Launchers for Android - third party applications, changing the system interface and, in some cases, the way the user interacts with an Android smartphone. Android launchers do not require, do not affect the warranty and are not a flashing of the smartphone. We'll tell you which launcher for Android is better, how to install and how to remove the launcher from an Android smartphone.

What is a launcher for Android

Launcher ( English launcher) allows you to simulate various interfaces, turning Android smartphones into Windows devices or Apple devices running on iOS.

The best launcher for Android should have the following characteristics:

change backgrounds, icons, process of interaction with the device
do not affect the operation of the system
do not show ads to the user
ideally be free

There are two types of launchers:

operating system simulators, using the graphical interface of Windows, iOS or other versions of Android.
fundamentally new shells, changing the appearance and increasing the level of comfort of user interaction and mobile device.

Both types of launchers can be downloaded in the “Personalization” section of the store Google applications Play. Also, to search similar programs You can simply type the word “launcher” or “launcher” into the appropriate line of the market. But not all shells can be called truly the best and interesting shells that are worth installing on your smart phone.

The best launchers for Android

A good launcher redraws icons, changes the menu structure, adds new widgets and wallpapers. The best launcher for Android optimizes memory consumption and processor load, prevents viruses from entering the device using a special kernel, and protects personal data.

Not all applications posted on the website fall under the definition of the best launcher. Google Play. The Five-Inches editors have chosen the three best launchers that deserve the attention of our readers:

Best of the Best – Action Launcher 3

Chosen by 5 million users. The application is compatible even with the fourth version of Android. After installation the launcher changes Android interface, including a curtain, an updated list of applications sorted alphabetically (A to Z) and an improved panel Google search. In addition, the phone will have new folder covers, icons and wallpapers.

At the same time, Action Launcher 3 does not overload the phone's desktop - it offers the maximum useful functions, occupying a minimum of space. Moreover, the OS interface is receiving an update in the Material Design style, bringing Android Nougat closer even to those users who will not see the seventh version of Google’s operating system on their phone under any circumstances.

The main advantage of Action Launcher 3 is a very interesting and convenient graphical interface that offers ample opportunities for managing your smartphone and applications.

Main disadvantage– access to most of the tasty features requires purchasing the advanced version of the program, which costs about $5. However basic version will allow you to enjoy a qualitatively improved interface.

Launcher with the best interface - Google Now Launcher

Google Now Launcher interface ( aka Google Start) is recognized by users as the best. The classic design of Google Now Launcher was thought out by the creators operating system Android. This launcher responds to “OK Google”, launches a prompt on any screen and does not overload the smartphone’s hardware. In addition, there are multi-page folders and alphabetical lists of applications, and the Google Now launcher interface is understandable even for children. Google Now Launcher has been appreciated by more than 50 million Android users.

The main advantage of Google Now Launcher– this is ultra-stable operation and compatibility with any Android smartphone starting from version 4.1.

Main disadvantage– constant hints and lists begin to irritate over time.

The best launcher for choosing settings is Nova Launcher

Rebuilds the standard operating system interface beyond recognition. Nova Launcher offers new icons, widgets and desktops, binds buttons to a specific location on the screen and saves backups settings, accepts imported installation packages, adapting to any design, and does not overload the phone’s hardware. Because of this, Nova Launcher was chosen by more than 10 million users, with about 730 thousand people giving this launcher a well-deserved “5” score on Google Play.

The main advantage of Nova Launcher- Very flexible system settings that allow you to customize your interface.

Main disadvantage– all functions are opened only paid version Nova Launcher Prime.

How to install or remove a launcher from an Android smartphone

In order to install the launcher on your smartphone, you just need to download it from Google Play and install it as a regular Android application.

How to remove launcher from Android? The course of action is standard:

Open “Settings”, go to the “Applications” section.
Find in the list of programs installed launcher and click on its icon.
In the menu that opens, select the “Delete” option.

That's all. After this, you can download another Android launcher or continue to use the standard interface of the Android operating system. Let us remind you that the warranty is not violated when installing the launcher. The launcher is not an unauthorized modification software provided by the manufacturer. Root rights are not required to install the launcher.

Buying new Android device, be it a smartphone or a tablet, we are happy 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 they come to our aid special applications(themes), so-called Launchers, which allow you to completely change the appearance of your Android device.

What is a launcher

If you don’t know what a launcher is, we’ll 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 Android system.

Launcher for Android (launcher, launcher) is graphic method registration appearance operating system, which includes the desktop, menus, widgets, icons, lock screen, etc.

There are currently many different launchers that can be downloaded from Google. Play Market, as 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, etc., 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.

Open Settings.
Find and select the desired launcher from the list.
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.

1.CM Launcher 3D

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:

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

DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY

2. APUS Launcher

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 operation. 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:

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

DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY

3. Yandex.Launcher

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:

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

DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY

4.Nova Launcher

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 functions.

Features and Benefits:

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

There are more than enough free launchers for Android. The many options available in Android present us with a problem of choice, so let us solve this difficult problem for you. After all, it's easier to choose between three best, than between thirty, right?

We've done Android launcher comparisons in the past, but good paid apps don't always come with equally good free apps. In addition, the functionality of Android applications has changed a lot since then.

Today, if you want to make changes to Android without paying a penny, check out the following list of the best launchers. All of them are excellent, so you can't go wrong by choosing any of them.

Note: All the following launchers have been tested for Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini.

– perhaps the most popular launcher to ever grace Play Store. Created and controlled by TeslaCoil Software, this beautiful application is every power user's dream. In almost every web article dedicated to Android review, one can observe the highest assessments of its capabilities, and interest is growing every day.

This is confirmed by our review of Nova Launcher in 2012, when we concluded that it was the best launcher available at the time. Three years later, even with increased competition, we're inclined to think the Nova is a top contender.

What makes Nova Launcher so unique?

The main feature of Nova is its close attention to custom settings. It offers various customization options that you can adjust to create the screen format you want, including multiple home screens, different icon sizes and grid layouts, subgrids for more flexibility, icon padding, etc.

Nova is also making changes to the Drawer app. Icon sizes and grid layouts are also adjustable here, and you can go to general appearance list. It doesn't stop there, Nova also gives you more options for drawing widgets, grouping them by app for optimal organization.

And it doesn't matter whether you're dealing with the Home screen or the Drawer app, you have unlimited options for scrolling the page over and over again. You can also change animation settings as you switch between them.

Having folders on the home screen allows you to group icons to save space and streamline organization. Almost any object (labels, folders, tabs, etc.) on the main screen changes its color palette.

Finally, the docks have undergone significant changes. The Dock, located at the bottom of the home screen, has a wide range of different visual options such as background appearance and icon design. Nova's capabilities allow you to scroll through anywhere from 1 to 5 dock pages independently from the main screen.

While the free version of Nova is quite acceptable, you may want the upgraded version of Nova Launcher Prime (RUR 220) with a full set of the following options: screen and icon operations, unread items, custom tabs and folders in the Drawer app, hidden apps, more visual effects.

It is one of the oldest free launchers that has not lost its relevance to this day. It's funny, but Apex Launcher is often compared to Nova Launcher with the claim that they are largely similar in terms of quality, but the latter has received the lion's share of fame and recognition. This doesn't mean that Apex is a Nova clone or anything like that. It has its own characteristics, its own nuances and its own reasons to convince you that the Apex may actually be better than the highly acclaimed Nova. I reviewed Apex in 2013, and my opinion hasn't changed since then: this launcher is a real beast!

What makes Apex Launcher one of the best?

The first thing that piques your interest is the range of sizes available for home screen grids. Many launchers, including Nova, limit you to about six rows and six columns, but Apex allows you to expand the scope to ten rows and ten columns, respectively. For small screen This is a clear limitation, however, it is absolutely amazing for larger phones and tablets.

Apex also has separate customization options for grids with Portrait and Landscape mods, meaning you can optimize your screen layout in terms of how you hold the device. Other home screen features include infinite scrolling, transition visuals, and a few other nifty tricks.

The Drawer app's settings are great and Portrait and Landscape layouts are also available, but Apex offers something similar in its free version What Nova can only offer commercially: hidden apps. Apex allows us to hide all those applications that we never directly download from the Drawer, thereby reducing clutter.

Is the paid option in Nova another Apex freebie? We are talking about home screen gestures. The actions can be characterized by the following five gestures: narrow, move up, move down, double tap, hold. There are a total of 15 different actions available.

And of course, you get themed controls like icon sets, color palettes, folders for organization, different drawing styles, launcher skins, and so on.

All of the above makes Apex a top-notch launcher, but if that's not enough for you, consider upgrading to ($200) for a number of benefits such as drawing folders, unread items, additional gestures, additional transition effects, and even support themes designed for launchers like ADW, Go or LauncherPro.

Due to its popularity on the Play Store, it is a shame that it is often not mentioned in the context of free launchers for Android, but it is really really good. In fact, at the time of writing this, I have to say that this is my favorite launcher for both smartphones and tablets.

The developer has several other applications under the dodol brand, including a keyboard, calendar, phone, file explorer, screenshot manager and several others. But out of them all, the launcher is perhaps the best.

What makes dodol Launcher one of the best?

My personal appeal to dodol was due to its characteristics. Over the past few years, I've tested numerous launchers on my device and while some of them (like Nova and Apex) have performed well, none have been as fast as this one. Still, dodol is not only fast, but also has a lot of characteristics.

Just like Nova and Apex, dodol supports custom home screen grid layouts, and dodol goes further by offering a range of 3x3 to 12x12 screen icons. Icon sizes, labels, color palette, shadows and edges are also customizable. Folders help organize the entire process.

The dock at the bottom of the screen can have up to five pages, each page containing from 1 to 7 icons. Iconic and style indicators can be customized as desired. As with the Home screen, the Drawer app is customizable in a variety of ways, with the ability to hide apps and/or labels from the general list.

In terms of aesthetic changes, dodol comes with a theme shop that stores tons of submitted and user-created changes. Browse Top as well as Dodol's Pick categories to find a huge number of high quality themes and wallpapers.

Gestures are also available: move up, move down, do it with two fingers, hold, double tap. All of them are tied to one of the possible eight combinations. Unlike the above launchers, dodol also comes with a cleaner app that manually frees up RAM. What I really love about dodol is that there are no investments, it is truly free, without an additional commercial version. No ads or annoying screen. This launcher actively competes with Nova and Apex, being initially the winner in this battle.

What do you prefer?

In case the three launchers above didn't live up to your expectations, or you're looking for something less traditional, then check out Aviate, Buzz Launcher, and Action Launcher.

The Aviate launcher shows positive dynamics, changing throughout the day to suit your goals. Buzz Launcher is really great and you can choose from about 60,000 basic topics. Action Launcher is characterized by minimalism and speed, as well as an arsenal of tempting options.

What free launchers do you remember? Are there any that have gone unnoticed? Do you think it would be better to shell out a few dollars for a quality paid launcher? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Today, many people get tired of the standard interface on their phone or tablet, and they search the Internet for launchers for Android. These are applications that completely change the design of all elements, including panels, buttons and, of course, the splash screen on all screens.

Rice. No. 1. Unusual theme on a smartphone

Each user can have their own background, screensaver and other individual elements on their Android device. As for which is the best launcher, it is definitely impossible to answer this question, because everyone has their own preferences and someone may really like what an application offers, while others will consider it absolutely nondescript and uninteresting .

Therefore, the only objective criterion in this case is the rating of the program on Google Play. Based on this criterion, 5 launchers were selected. And which one is the best, decide for yourself - perhaps you will like one of them the most.

1. Nova Launcher Prime

Interestingly, there is simply Nova Launcher on Google Play, which is also popular. But the Prime version has the highest rating among all launchers - 4.8. In fact, it is estimated to be the best launcher for Android. But Nova Launcher Prime is paid and costs about $10.

Rice. No. 2. Key Features of Nova Launcher Prime

This launcher has a very unusual design and many non-standard elements that are sure to attract attention regular user. In addition, this application is constantly updated and literally every month the developers add something new to it.

Features of Nova Launcher Prime:

Unread messages and other notifications are displayed on the screen using the TeslaUnread plugin. It all looks very impressive and beautiful.
The user can group applications depending on their purpose. On the Home screen, each group will appear as one shortcut.
Rarely used applications will not be displayed on the main screen. Interestingly, the launcher itself decides which applications are used and which are not. Some applications gradually become less used.
You can scale the screen as you like, change the design, screensavers, sizes and do many other operations that help make this or that device truly yours, special and unique.
Much attention is paid to security - with this launcher, attackers will have very little chance of getting to your personal information.

As for how to delete a theme, all this is done very simply - you can install a new one in the settings or completely remove the launcher from the device’s memory and then it will return to the standard theme. These instructions on how to remove a theme are relevant for all launchers.

2. ZenUI Launcher

It's already complete free application and its rating is 4.7. It turns out that ZenUI Launcher is the best free launcher on Google Play, based on user ratings. It also allows you to customize the interface and all screens on your phone or tablet. There are a variety of styles and fonts for this - much more than in any standard launcher.

Rice. No. 4. Interface features in ZenUI Launcher

Deserves special attention main screen. The user can easily organize applications (for this there are so-called single-layer and double-layer modes), group applications the way he wants, block them and make them invisible to strangers.

Other features of ZenUI Launcher are:

All settings are available after scrolling up the screen.
There is a function quick search, which lets you find popular apps, themes, and other content in seconds.
The launcher's standard collection has a huge number of wallpapers, screensavers and styles - you don't have to download anything additional. Perhaps this is also the best launcher for Android in terms of richness of styles.
The support service works very well - just write an email [email protected] and in the next update the developers will use all your recommendations and wishes.

3.CM Launcher 3D

Already by the name you can understand how this launcher is different - it has very bright and impressive 3D screensavers and HD wallpapers. Grade this application- 4.6. There is a huge collection of 3D clocks, effects, wallpapers, widgets and other interface elements. Moreover, this collection is updated literally every day.

At the very least, you can definitely download new wallpapers, widgets and themes every week. Special attention is devoted to widgets - there are a huge number of them here. They relate to weather, device resource usage, news and other information that may be of interest to the user. Navigation and screen settings are also very convenient.

Other features of CM Launcher 3D:

It has its own acceleration system, which works without consuming system memory - everything runs on internal resources. This is useful, first of all, because all other applications and even pages on the Internet will open many times faster.
All themes in the standard set are free. Moreover, there is a so-called DIY mode in which each user can apply their design skills and create their own own topic.
In addition to animation, each 3D effect also has sound. It all looks very cool!
This launcher saves up to 30% battery power every day. And this despite the fact that it itself uses a lot of the device’s graphic resources.
It has its own protection system, which also performs very well.

4. Evie Launcher

In the description, the developers write that their product allows you to radically change the appearance of the device. This is very close to the truth. The rating of this application from Google Play users is 4.6. This launcher is distinguished by elegance, simplicity of details and sophistication.

Rice. No. 8. Evie Launcher Interface

You won't find any flashy themes or screensavers here. All this does not prevent users around the world from customizing their device. By the way, Evie Launcher has its own community where everyone can find new topic or offer yours.

Features of Evie Launcher:

It also has its own mode in which you can create your own unique themes. This way, the user can take their images, customize the size and appearance of the icons on the screen, and make a theme out of it all.
This launcher allows you to change the contents of the main screen. You can display any element on it, even writing it to phone book. This is done by long pressing on one or another element.
With each update, developers change many functions, and Evie Launcher becomes more convenient and practical.
Evie Launcher also has a quick search feature for apps, recordings, files, and even supporting information. For example, a music file has additional information about the artist, which is displayed in the player. Using Evie Launcher you can search in it too.

5. Solo Launcher

This is a very popular launcher that became so a few years ago. Its rating is not too high, 4.5, but among other similar programs with the same rating, Solo Launcher can rightfully be considered the best. The developers themselves write that they used the so-called “material design”, which now has version 2.0.

Rice. No. 9. Features of Solo Launcher

Although the name doesn't sound very impressive, the design looks really good. In addition, Solo Launcher has a large number of additional functions such as clearing the cache, speeding up the device, and clearing memory. All this is done automatically and much faster than in other launchers.

Other features of Solo Launcher:

There are more than a thousand in the collection various topics, widgets and wallpapers.
With the help of special plugins, a high degree of security is achieved - attackers have no chance of stealing your personal data.
Solo Launcher also has a search engine for all possible files and programs. It works very well.
There is also a DIY mode here, which, among other things, allows you to install photos instead of standard icons.
There is a mode for individually customizing gestures and actions for them.

An overview of Solo Launcher can be seen below.

When buying a smartphone or tablet on the Android operating system, in addition to the operating system itself, it comes with a small set of pre-installed software. Famous brands such as Samsung, LG, ASUS, Huawei, Lenovo, etc. By default there is already a proprietary launcher. It’s convenient for some, not so convenient for others, and that’s why users often switch to alternative options, of which there are a great many in the Play Market. Many of them can change the home screen of a mobile device beyond recognition. I will give my TOP of the best launchers for Android that I installed for myself, or for my acquaintances and friends.

This home screen skin is at the forefront Google store Play by number of downloads. Of course, at first glance, the Go Launcher interface may seem somewhat overloaded. This may be partly true, but only partly. The thing is that this is not just a launcher - it’s a whole shell for Android with its own set of environment programs - it has its own browser, its own screen locker, its own task manager, weather widget, etc. If you want dramatic interface changes, Go Launcher Ex is your choice!

The developers of Nova Launcher did not invent anything else, but simply modified the regular launcher of the 4th version of Android with a file, making an unlimited number of desktops, adding settings for the appearance of icons and folders, making it possible to organize the application directory vertically and horizontally, and adding transition animations. And this is only part of the changes. And if you consider that Nova Launcher also works quite quickly, then, in principle, we can say that this the best option for not the fastest phones and tablets.

Unfortunately, this desktop shell was only paid for a long time, and therefore did not gain wide popularity. However, this is one of the best apps in its class in many respects - speed of operation, rich functionality, pleasant appearance. Among the main features of Action Launcher there are several unusual and interesting ones. For example, a list of programs in a pop-up panel, quick access to desktops, unusual “smart” shortcuts and clever organization of widgets. At the same time, it is a simple and uncomplicated launcher in the Material Design style.

This original launcher is for those who want to make a tiled interface on Android Windows Phone, How on Nokia Lumia. This is perhaps the best mobile simulator Windows versions. It has many settings, capable of customizing the home screen to suit every taste. Features of the application include the ability to arrange desktop icons to your liking, add widgets, applications and shortcuts, saving them as your own themes.

The Buzz Launcher shell is perfect for the lazy person. If you don’t want to bother and spend a long, long time going through the parameters and menu of the launcher to customize it for yourself, just use one of the 300,000 templates. The most interesting thing is that all the themes necessary for work - applications, widgets, icons, and backgrounds - are automatically downloaded and installed on the device. For creative people there is also room to expand here. Make your own theme and add it to the library so others can evaluate it.

Alternative launcher for Android from Yandex

Separately, I want to talk about the shell for Android from the largest Russian search portal- Yandex. It's called - Yandex.Shell.

This launcher can rightfully be called the main competitor of any of the ones listed above. Why is he so good? There is a three-dimensional desktop, many beautiful widgets, smart folders, Yandex search both online and file system, integration with popular search portal services, convenient setup with large set various parameters to customize the appearance. It is worth noting that the Yandex Launcher is clearly not suitable for lovers of minimalism. On the contrary, it is for those who like to change Android on a global scale.