10 best customization apps for Android

Despite more restrictions than years ago, Android is still a vastly more open platform than its competitors. You can still do almost whatever you want within reason. There are a variety of apps that change your experience, and we have some good ones to get you started. Here are the best customization apps for Android.

This list focuses heavily on changing or tweaking UI elements specifically. If you want home screen themes and wallpaper stuff, we recommend checking out our best theming apps list here.

We’d also like to give an honorable mention to OEM tools to change things up. For instance, stock Android lets you choose between navigation buttons and gestures. Samsung has Good Lock, and that lets Samsung users do all sorts of crazy things to their devices. Finally, Android 12 and 13 include native theming, and we’re very excited about it.

The best customization apps for Android

Gboard and Swift Key

Price: Free

Gboard is arguably the best keyboard app on Android. It features extensive theming, decent features, gesture typing, and a variety of other features. There’s another one like it called Swift Key. The experience is a little different between the two. Gboard is a little simpler with more mainstream features, while SwiftKey is a little more old-school. In any case, you use your keyboard a ton, and you can make both of these look basically however you want to. This is a good place to start if customization is your goal. Both apps are entirely free, with no advertising. SwiftKey used to charge for themes, but not anymore.

DynamicSpot

Price: Free/In-app purchases ($2.49 – $4.99 per item)

DynamicSpot is a neat customization app. It emulates iOS’ Dynamic Island feature and adds some customizations to it so you can control it a little better. It enables a Dyanmic Island-style notification pop-up that you can customize to include things like multimedia controls, timers, batteries, and even navigation stuff. You can customize the size, shape, and location of the pop-up so that it lines up with your phone’s notch or punch-hole front camera. It even has some Android 13 optimizations already. Yes, it mimics an iOS feature, but it’s still fun to use.

PowerLine

Price: Free

PowerLine is an app to transform your status bar. With this app, not only can you keep a tab on your Android’s performance, but you can also make the user interface more visually pleasing according to your needs. The app offers a multitude of options in the form of indicators that can be displayed on your status bar. These include stuff like CPU usage, RAM, battery, WiFi status, phone temperature, and signal strength.

Audiko

Price: Free/In-app purchases ($0.99 – $7.99 per item)

Audiko is one of the more popular apps on this list. It’s a free MP3 editor and ringtone maker with a vast library of free sounds and music. It also lets you download MP3s, choose specific portions of them, and use them as ringtones and notification sounds. The app also has a few wallpapers available.

KWGT, KLWP, KLCK

Price: Free

KWGT, KLWP, and KLCK let you custom-make a bunch of stuff for your phone. KWGT is a widget maker that lets you add a bunch of information, skins, and designs. KLWP is a live wallpaper creator that does basically the same thing as KWGT but for wallpapers. Finally, KLCK lets you custom-design a lock screen. All three apps have steeper than average learning curves, but you can also find pre-made themes on the Play Store and in other places in case you just want to borrow someone else’s design. You can do a lot of seriously cool things with these apps if you take the time to learn them.

Always On

Price: Free/In-app purchases ($0.99 – $4.99 per item)

Always On is an app that adds a bit of a unique touch while you listen to music on your Android phone. When you listen to any song you like, this app is going to create a live music visualizer along the edges of your screen. You can also choose from a variety of always-on display screens and edge lighting, and there are even customization options for time, date, and notifications. It isn’t that much, but it’s still a pretty cool feature.

Tasker

Price: $3.49

Tasker is arguably the most powerful app in the entire Google Play Store. It can do basically anything. The app can automate tasks, create new actions, and do all kinds of other stuff. Seriously, we have limited space here, and it’s not nearly enough. Of course, with great power comes great difficulty. Tasker is not an easy app to use. Additionally, there are many apps with direct Tasker support and a bunch of apps, like AutoTools, that add even more stuff that it can do. Prepare to tackle a steep learning curve. The app goes for $3.49 but has no additional in-app purchases or advertisements.

Backdrops

Price: Free/In-app purchases ($0.99 – $8.99 per item)

Backdrops is a powerful app for Android customization. One might think that it’s weird to have a full app dedicated to wallpaper, but don’t underestimate Backdrops. Not only will you be able to find thousands of curated 4K and HD wallpapers here, but the app is also going to take care of widgets and icon packs for you. The free version is sufficient by itself, but it does have ads; if those bother you, you can pay to have them removed.

Volume Control Panel Pro

Price: $2.49

Volume Control Panel Pro is one of a few decent customization apps for your volume panel. This one lets you switch between horizontal and vertical sliders, use your actual volume buttons to activate it, and even do neat stuff like control your media with double taps. Additionally, you can change the colors and themes of it to match what you have going on with your current theme. It’s cheap, and it worked pretty well in our testing. Volume Styles (Google Play link) is another volume panel customization app in case Volume Control Panel Pro doesn’t work for you.

Zedge

Price: Free/In-app purchases ($0.49 – $399.99 per item)

Zedge is one of the most popular customization apps. It has wallpapers, and the selection is fairly decent. However, Zedge’s big draw is its ringtones, notification tones, and alarm tones. You can find a swatch of excellent sound effects, songs, and other content for that kind of stuff. Additionally, you can upload your own on Zedge’s website if you have something you want specifically and also want to share. This is one of the few really good apps for ringtones and notification tones that don’t require you to make them yourself. It’s a must-try for customizing your Android device.

Bonus: Launchers

Price: Free

Android launchers are where your home screens come from. You can switch them out with other launchers, and each launcher brings its own set of customizations to the table. Additionally, most of them support universal customizations like icon packs. You can get a very specific look and feel depending on your launcher choice, and some of them go off the rails entirely. We have Nova Launcher linked to the button because it’s as good a place to start as any.

If we missed any great customization apps, tell us about them in the comments! You can also click here to check out our latest Android app and game lists!