I am often trying to customise my android device, I used to 'root' my phones which is basically gaining access to the protected system directory by running an exploit to unlock this.
There are many guides online you can follow which can help you do this.
I found it pretty cool to be able to uninstall bloatware, modify the cpu speed, freeze apps and save battery too.
Rooting your device has many advantages but also some risks. If you modify or delete the wrong files on your device you can end up 'bricking' your phone, which is basically turning your phone into a useless brick.
Rooting your device will also void any warranty you may have so that's something to be aware of too.
There are different ways to achieve root on your android device though the method I chose was using an app called 'Kingroot' (Use at your own risk!)
Kingroot is an app which you can just install, run and it will root your phone, though it won't work with every device.
If you are interested in trying 'Kingroot' here is a link below.
If you go ahead and use this it is your choice, do some more research about what root is and make sure you backup your device before you try to gain root access.
If you brick your device it is your responsibility!
I played around rooting my old devices, however I have not done so with my current device. My current phone is quite valuable and I don't want to take the risk, besides I have found that there are many ways you can customise your android device without root accesss.
Install a custom launcher
Custom launchers are pretty cool, you can customise your icons using icon packs, use gestures to launch apps, use cool animations when swiping through the home screens.
You can also lock your homescreen to prevent accidental removal of apps and even resize your widgets, which is not possible using the stock launcher.
Some of the best custom launchers are listed below all available on the play store.
Nova Launcher
Nova is a cool launcher and one of the most popular, it supports icon packs and gestures though some of these features require the 'pro' version which is not expensive, just a small one off fee of £3.99 in the UK.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.launcher
Microsoft Launcher
The official launcher from microsoft can give your phone a windows theme, if you really want, but I guess if you really wanted that you would have bought windows phone in the first place.
But if you really want to make your android device look like a windows phone well it's possible, maybe just for the novelty.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.launcher
So much choice
If you search the term 'launcher' on the Play store you will find that there are so many to choose from, the customisation possibilities are almost endless.
Apex launcher is another good choice and also my favourite.
Apex launcher play store link below.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.anddoes.launcher
Quick launch your apps
Another cool customisation app which I use in conjunction with my favourite launcher is 'App dialler pro'
This app is free, has no adverts and is a really clever, speedy way to launch your apps, just type in the first couple of letters of the app this will find the app you want very quickly.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=name.pilgr.appdialer.pro
These are just a few ways you can customise your android device. If you want to learn more about root, read up lots before hand so that you are fully informed.
Some secure bank apps will not work if they detect that a phone is rooted as it is seen as a security risk. There are ways around this however. Using an app called 'Island' you can create a seperate 'work' profile on your device and install your bank apps here. This works because the new profile is 'sandboxed' from the rest of the phone and therefore also unrooted!
Here is a link to the island app if you are interested on the uptodown app store. Try searching on google play too I think it is still on there.
https://island.en.uptodown.com/android
If you are nervous about rooting your phone maybe you could try the safer option of using a custom launcher to make your phone look truly unique.
However you want to use your phone is up to you, if you are happy with your stock launcher thats fine, I just wanted to share with you some of the different ways you can customise your android.
I hope you enjoyed this article, if you like you can check out some of my others here.
https://read.cash/@onlymythoughts
Article is my own
Lead image courtesy of pixabay
Others: screenshots of the apps available. on the Play store
I think the Smart launcher is pretty cool and combine it with an Azure theme. I have used it once back then on my old phone.