Google’s Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL might be new devices, but some of the questions that people ask are still pertinent, regardless of how new a phone is. Custom launchers are a way to enhance the look and appearance of your smartphone, and while you might think there’s no reason to change what your Pixel 3 looks like, there could be plenty of benefits to investing in a launcher app. First and foremost, you get a completely new experience, one that it tailor made to work with a bunch of devices, opening a new avenue of customization options for your new Pixel device.
While the stock Pixel launcher that comes with these handsets is pretty decent to begin with, there’s no harm in trying out some alternative offerings to spice up the performance of your device. Keeping this in mind, we’re going to talk about some of the best launchers available for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL in 2018. You might be familiar with a few of these names, so be sure to have a closer look.
5 Best Launchers for Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL in 2018
Apex Launcher
Apex launcher has been around for a long time and has evolved with the changing market conditions. In its core, Apex is pretty much the same as any custom launcher, but as you would be aware, each launcher has its own distinguishing feature, be it in the form of available themes or customization options. Users get access to a ton of 3D effects, transition animations as well as downloadable icon packs, to further customize the look and feel of the UI. You can add or remove UI elements as you see fit, with the ability to remove the dock and status bar to give you extra display real estate to play around with.
Given the wide range of options available here, you are likely to make some accidental changes to your home screen. Features like home screen locker keep you from going through this, thus maintaining your home screen the way you intended to. If you have some sensitive apps on your device, you can go ahead and hide them from being listed in the app drawer. Further, you can sort apps based on recency, file size, and several other metrics, so you’re in full control of how the apps are laid out on your phone. Apex Launcher is a free download on the Google Play Store and lacks ads or in-app purchases.
Nova Launcher
Much like Apex, Nova has been a mainstay among custom launchers out there. Something like this could go very well with the relatively plain user interface of the stock Pixel launchers available with the Pixel lineup. With Nova, you have control over every aspect of the user interface, including font sizes and colors. If you’re a fan of Google’s Material Design UI philosophy, you will be happy to know that Nova uses Material Design throughout its launcher, keeping things classy yet functional at the same time.
The app has been designed to withstand even the toughest of tasks you throw at it, although it’s likely to slow down your device if you have a lot of unnecessary background apps running at all times. Nova also brings an unread message counter for each app, displayed right on top of its icon. This will help you get back to your unread messages before it’s too late. This can be configured from the app’s settings, along with several other launcher based features. Nova can be installed for free on your Pixel 3 and the app has no ads or in-app purchases.
EverythingMe
It’s not everyday that we come across a launcher that has won awards, but EverythingMe is an exception. Given its simple approach to making some core features available at the users’ fingertips, we’re not surprised with all the appreciation that the app is getting. The app also boasts of having the fastest on-device search among contemporary smartphones, which increases the efficiency of the device to a great extent. Features like contextual app discovery will allow you to find the best apps conveniently without having to go through the Play Store to manually look for the best app.
Contextual features aren’t just limited to the apps, however. You can also access all your calls and message notifications with a simple tap on your home screen. Naturally, the gestures can be configured as per your liking. EverythingMe is available in a bunch of languages and is a free download from the Google Play Store. It comes with in-app purchases. There are no ads, however.
Microsoft Launcher
With Microsoft steadily increasing its presence in the Android world, it was only a matter of time before a dedicated launcher came into the fray. The Microsoft Launcher might lack on some of the flashy features that other apps offer, but more than makes up for it with its array of productivity oriented features. You can pair the launcher with a Windows 10 computer for seamless integration between devices. Moreover, you can also get custom icon packs and themes as per your liking.
The launcher also brings a universal search feature, allowing you to simultaneously check your device and the web for relevant results. Microsoft Launcher is a free download on the Play Store and requires devices running at least Android 4.2 and above.
Evie Launcher
Not to be outdone by other competitive launchers, Evie Launcher has made a name for itself as a decent alternative to some of the popular launchers available in the market. What stands out about Evie is the fact that it’s a pretty simplistic launcher with little to no flashy elements. But that’s not to say it’s not customizable, however. Evie lets you set custom commands as icons on your home screen, giving you quick access to them in the future. You can import and modify the layout from other sources, while also changing up icons, color schemes and more with Evie. This launcher is free to download, and has no ads or in-app purchases.