In recent years, iOS has started to catch up to Android when it comes to customization, but Android is still well in the lead. That's partly because it supports alternative launchers, which replace of the default software interface to completely revamp the look of home screens, menus, icons, and dialogs.

Using a launcher, you can take pixel-by-pixel control over the visuals of the Android OS. If that sounds like too much time and effort, you can take advantage of one of many preset templates instead. This article will tell you what you need to know about launchers, and suggest a few of the best that you can currently install.

How Android launchers work

When you go "home" on Android—with a swipe up on the gesture bar or a tap on the actual home button—that's when a third-party launcher s

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