Every Android user has a theme on their phone. They just don't know it yet.
It's true. Even if you don't know what icon packs or launchers are, if your phone has a home screen on it, it's got a theme. Android users don't have to live in their app drawers: they can choose how their phone looks and functions. They can use widgets to interact with apps without opening them. They can use custom icons to theme or obscure the apps on their phone from prying eyes. They can even use gestures and contextual data to help their phone adapt to where they are and what they're doing.
So, what are Android themes and how can you get started with one?
WHAT'S IN A THEME?
There are many types of themes within Android, but the one we're going to refer to throughout this article is home screen themes or launcher themes. A theme is the visual styling of your home screen, through the choice and use of launchers, wallpapers, widgets, icon packs, sounds, and other elements.
When most users think of themes, they imagine complex elements and high-maintenance setups. They imagine custom Zooper widgets and elaborate icon packs. And while there are many people who do completely overhaul their launchers regularly, for most of us, a theme does not mean changing the way your phone is set up, only how that setup looks.
Even if you're not interested in making your home screen look pretty, there are some other uses for launcher themes and customization that you may be interested in:
- Hiding apps: Most launchers have the option of hiding an app from the app drawer. Also, for apps that you want easily accessible but wouldn't want a wayward family member finding, many launchers also allow you to rename apps and give them icons less likely to draw the eye.
- Transferring themes and setups: Your mother just got a new phone, but she just wants everything where it was on her old one. Well, with theme backups, you can make all her Android devices look like her old one.
- Efficiency: The less time you spend fumbling around your app drawer looking for the app you need, the quicker you can get back to doing something with your life besides staring at your phone. Many launchers will re-order your apps based on your location, and through the use of your launcher's folders, you can cut down on the clutter, both in your app drawer and on your home screen.
- Choice: Don't like the way your app drawer is alphabetized? Don't like only having a 4x4 grid on your homescreen and not being able to resize your widget? A third-party launcher can give you choice, in how your app drawer is organized, in how much you can put on your home screen.
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