These Are the Best Android Launchers in 2025

Tired of the same old grid of icons on your phone? One of the best things about Android is the power to change your device’s entire look and feel. A custom home screen replacement, or “launcher,” is your ticket to a more personal, productive, and streamlined smartphone experience. Whether you want to tweak every pixel or declutter your digital life, there’s a perfect fit for you.

In 2025, the world of Android launchers is more diverse than ever. We’re seeing powerful apps that offer deep customization, sleek options focused on minimalism, and smart launchers designed for ultimate productivity. Forget the stock interface that came with your phone; let’s dive into the best Android launchers to transform your home screen.

The Kings of Customization

For users who want total control over their home screen, these launchers offer a universe of options. We’re talking custom icon packs, grid layouts, gestures, animations, and more.

Nova Launcher

You can’t have a conversation about the best Android launchers without mentioning Nova Launcher. For years, it has been the gold standard for customization, balancing a massive feature set with smooth, lightweight performance.

What makes Nova Launcher a top choice?

• Deep Customization: Nova lets you control almost everything. Change your icon size, desktop grid, and app drawer layout. Implement custom gestures like swiping up or down on an icon to perform different actions.
• Icon Pack Support: It supports thousands of icon themes from the Google Play Store, allowing you to create a truly unique aesthetic.
• Backup and Restore: Moving to a new phone is a breeze. Nova’s backup and restore function lets you save your intricate layout and settings locally or to the cloud, so you can import your setup on a new device in seconds.

The free version of Nova is incredibly powerful, but for a one-time fee of $4.99, Nova Launcher Prime unlocks even more, including gestures and the ability to hide apps. If you love to tinker, Nova remains the undisputed champion.

Action Launcher

Action Launcher takes the core ideas of customization and adds its own innovative twists. It’s fast, responsive, and packed with unique features designed to change how you interact with your apps.

Key features include:

• Covers: An ingenious blend of a folder and an app shortcut. Tap to open the app, or swipe to reveal a hidden folder of apps.
• Shutters: Swipe an app icon to see its widget instantly, without having to clutter your home screen.
• Quicktheme: This feature pulls colors from your wallpaper to create a seamless and integrated theme across your launcher.

Action Launcher is a great alternative for those who find Nova’s sheer number of options a bit overwhelming but still crave a highly personalized experience.

The Minimalist Champions: For Focus and Simplicity

If you find a cluttered home screen distracting, a minimalist launcher can be a game-changer. These apps are designed to reduce screen time, surface what you need, and get out of your way.

Niagara Launcher

Niagara Launcher has quickly become a fan favorite for its clean, ergonomic, and minimalist design. It completely reimagines the Android home screen to be accessible with just one hand.

Why Niagara stands out:

• List-Based Layout: Instead of a grid, Niagara presents your favorite apps in a clean, vertical list. Accessing any other app is as simple as scrolling along an alphabetized list on the side of the screen.
• Embedded Notifications: Notifications appear right next to the corresponding app in your list, making them easy to read and act upon without pulling down the notification shade.
• Clutter-Free: There are no widgets or icons littering your view by default. The focus is purely on getting you to your apps and information as efficiently as possible.

Niagara is perfect for users who feel overwhelmed by their phones and want a more intentional and focused experience. You can find it on the Google Play Store.

AIO Launcher

AIO Launcher takes minimalism in a different direction. Instead of focusing on aesthetics, it’s all about information density. This isn’t your typical launcher with icons and widgets; it’s a single, scrollable screen packed with data.

AIO Launcher displays:

• System information (RAM, battery, storage)
• Recently used apps
• Calls and messages
• Upcoming calendar events
• Weather
• And much more

It’s not for everyone, but if you’re a power user who wants to see everything at a glance without opening multiple apps, AIO Launcher is a uniquely powerful tool.

The Smart and Productive Powerhouses

These launchers aim to make your life easier through smart organization and seamless integration with your digital workflow.

Smart Launcher 6

As its name suggests, Smart Launcher 6 is all about working smarter, not harder. Its standout feature is the automatic app sorting. The moment you install it, all of your apps are categorized into logical folders like Communication, Internet, Games, and Media.

Other smart features include:

• Ambient Theme: Smart Launcher automatically changes its theme colors to match your wallpaper.
• Smart Search: A universal search bar lets you find apps, contacts, and web results quickly.
• Icon-Free Layout: It places your most-used apps in a “flower” grid at the bottom of the screen for easy one-handed access.

If you’re tired of organizing dozens or hundreds of apps, Smart Launcher 6 does the heavy lifting for you.

Microsoft Launcher

For those embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem, this launcher is a productivity dream. Microsoft Launcher provides a clean and focused home screen that integrates seamlessly with your Microsoft account.

Key productivity features:

• Personalized Feed: A swipe to the left reveals a smart feed with your calendar, to-do lists (Microsoft To Do), sticky notes, and recent documents.
• Continue on PC: You can easily send webpages or photos from your phone directly to your Windows PC.
• Clean Interface: While focused on productivity, it doesn’t skimp on customization, offering theme support, customizable icons, and a clean dock.

A New Look Awaits

Choosing the best Android launcher is a matter of personal preference. Whether you want to build your home screen from the ground up with Nova Launcher, embrace the focused calm of Niagara Launcher, or boost your efficiency with Microsoft Launcher, a fresh start is just an app away. The beauty of Android is the freedom to choose, so don’t hesitate to experiment and find the launcher that makes your phone truly yours.