The best apps for smartphone detox on Android in 2026, from open-source Olauncher to Niagara, Minimalist Phone, Before Launcher, One Sec, and Forest.
Turn the USB-C port on your monitor into a real desktop. Seven Android apps for Samsung DeX, Pixel Desktop Mode, and generic HDMI-alt-mode phones.
Gesture and shortcut apps that put double-tap-to-lock, edge swipes, remapped power buttons, and one-hand mode on a Pixel today, without waiting for Google to ship them.
Pixel 11 preorders are live. Here are 8 companion apps that get more out of a Pixel: launcher, camera, wallet, wearables, and more.
Steam hides half of its most useful settings, and Valve's client doesn't expose everything a big library needs. Seven desktop apps that fill the gaps.
The best apps for Steam library management on desktop in 2026: seven launchers and organizers that unify stores, add tags, and import emulator games.
COSMIC is finally shipping, but it is not the only modern Linux desktop worth switching to. Seven alternatives ranked on speed, polish, and community momentum.
The bunny runner is charming, but Buns and Bounce Home Screen leaves a lot on the table as a daily launcher. These seven alternatives cover deeper customization, cleaner minimalism, and open-source picks.
Smart TV software ages fast. These 8 streaming-box apps for Android TV, Google TV, and Fire TV OS keep your TV working long after its built-in launcher rots.
Pixel Bubbles is not on your phone yet. These 7 Android floating-window apps let you turn any app into a pop-up window and multitask across chat, video, and notes.
Pixel Launcher looks clean but caps icon customization, hides gestures, and locks feed placement. Seven Android launchers that give you back control.
KDE Plasma widgets turn the desktop into a live dashboard. Here are seven plasmoid apps that give Linux the glanceable panels Windows 11 keeps promising.
XDA argued Windows launchers do things the Start menu can't and power users have known it for years. Seven Windows launcher apps that actually replace Start on your daily driver.
GOG Galaxy is finally coming to Linux, but the wait was long enough that alternatives ate its lunch. Seven GOG Galaxy alternatives on desktop, from Heroic to Playnite, ranked.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 now runs three apps in a 90:10 split. Seven Android apps that treat the big inner screen as a real workspace, not a stretched phone.
Google killed Active Edge on the Pixel line years ago. These seven Android apps bring back squeeze, edge-swipe, and side-button gestures without root.
Fire TV and Android TV home screens are ad walls. Seven Android launchers that strip the streaming stick down to a plain grid of the apps you actually use.
Android 17's clock face options are still limited. Seven Android lock screen clock apps that give you real font, layout, and always-on control.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 shows how good foldables have become, but One UI's launcher wastes the inner screen. These seven Android launchers make foldable phones feel purpose-built.
With Nothing planning six phones in 2027, the customization scene around Phone (3) and Phone (3a) keeps growing. Seven apps to push Nothing OS beyond its stock look.
IntelliClean Launcher bundles a home screen and a phone cleaner into one install, which is a mixed bag. These seven alternatives cover proper launchers, dedicated cleaners, and a pair of no-compromise Android launchers.
GNOME's extension model breaks with every release. Seven desktop apps that install, update, back up, and vet GNOME shell extensions on Linux.
Niagara Launcher's alphabetical scroll is not for everyone. We tested seven Android launchers that keep the calm-home-screen idea alive without the paywall.
One XDA writer replaced their phone with an Android Auto tablet at their desk and gained an hour a day. Eight apps to turn an Android tablet into a focused desk dashboard.
Good Lock unlocks Samsung's hidden One UI knobs, but you don't need a Galaxy to customize deeply. Here are 7 Good Lock alternatives that work on any Android.
FocusOS Launcher ships iOS-style icons and gestures on Android, but comes with ads and a shallow feature set. These seven FocusOS Launcher alternatives cover cleaner customization, deeper theming, and open-source picks.
Pixel and Samsung phones dock to a monitor now, but most apps still feel like phone apps blown up. These 7 best apps for Android desktop mode handle real work.
The Pixel 10 Pro's Quick Tap turned a hidden gesture into a daily-driver flashlight shortcut. These seven Android apps bring back tap, double tap, and custom gestures to any phone.
Turn an old Android phone into a PSP-inspired handheld with a launcher styled after Sony's cover-flow menus. Eight apps we tested for retro libraries and Bluetooth controllers.
Seven apps that make Android Auto's Coolwalk dashboard actually yours: split-screen widgets, third-party launchers, and better shortcuts for daily drives.
Samsung's One UI is packed already, but seven third-party apps make a new Galaxy phone genuinely better on day one. What to install first.
Android Auto isn't the only way to get maps, music, and messaging on your car screen. Seven Android Auto alternatives we tested on Android, from wireless dongles to fully replacement launchers.
XDA argued Amazon is slowly stripping what made the Fire TV Stick worth buying. Seven streaming devices that keep sideloading, a real remote, and clean home screens.
Microsoft is testing a cleaner, local-first Windows 11 Search. Seven Windows Search alternatives that already return instant, keyboard-first results on Windows 10 and 11.
One UI Home eats RAM and forces the Discover feed on you. Seven Samsung launcher alternatives that feel faster on any Galaxy device.
One home-screen setting is the difference between an inbox and a phone. Seven minimalist Android launchers we tested to strip icons, drawer clutter, and notification noise.
Raycast is spreading from macOS to Windows and folding calculator, clipboard, and window managers into one hotkey. Seven Raycast alternatives that keep the launcher lean.
An XDA piece said KDE Union might finally fix Linux theming. Seven desktop customization apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux that make the swap actually stick.
The Windows 11 widget board isn't the only path. Seven apps for Windows desktop widgets on Windows PC that put info back on your wallpaper we tested.
PowerToys and Alfred rule Windows and macOS. On Linux, these seven app launchers cover every desktop environment, from a bare tiling WM to full GNOME.
PowerToys Command Palette is finally worth using, but it is not the only game in town. These seven Windows launchers all beat the Start menu for speed.
Alfred is not the only Mac launcher worth binding to a hotkey. These seven alternatives include Raycast, LaunchBar, and free options that beat Spotlight.
PlayStation is ending discs and Xbox is digitising your physical library. Seven desktop apps that keep your game keys and installs organised across every store.
A docked Steam Deck can replace a $1000 gaming PC for most players. Seven apps that turn SteamOS desktop mode into a real workstation and living-room console.
Steam Machine, GTA 6, and the Xbox app are pushing PC gaming into more launchers than ever. Eight Windows game launcher apps we tested and how to keep them sane.
Winstep Nexus is the long-running macOS-style dock for Windows. Seven Nexus alternatives for PC that cover free docks, paid commercial options, and modular launchers.
Bazzite proved Linux can out-Xbox the Xbox. We tested 7 desktop apps for couch gaming on Linux, including Steam Big Picture, Bazzite, Lutris, and more.
Will it run on Linux? We tested 7 desktop apps and sites that answer that question, including ProtonDB, Lutris, Heroic, Bottles, and more.
Widgets are the fastest way to get information without unlocking a phone. Seven Android widget apps that go beyond what Pixel and Samsung ship in the box.
Amazon's Vega OS takes consumer control away in exchange for speed. We ranked 7 Fire TV launcher alternatives you can sideload to take that control back.
Beacon Game Launcher turns an Android phone into a handheld gaming console, but it isn't the only option. We tested 7 Beacon alternatives on Android.
An old Android phone, a Bluetooth controller, and a handful of apps make a surprisingly good gaming handheld. These eight apps cover launchers, emulators, and game streaming.
Tired of ads on your home screen? We tested 7 Google TV alternatives, from Apple TV and Roku to launcher apps that strip the cruft.
Android 17's desktop-style multitasking landed on Pixel and the threads filled with feature requests. Seven Android apps that already deliver floating windows, split-screen, and edge launches today.
Rainmeter still rules desktop widgets but the workflow shows its age. Seven Rainmeter alternatives that customize Windows without the .ini file rabbit hole.
Microsoft keeps shipping defaults nobody asked for. We tested 7 desktop apps for Windows 11 customization — from PowerToys to Windhawk — and ranked the survivors.
Volume Control Sound Launcher swaps your home screen for a volume tool. These seven alternatives boost sound and tune audio without replacing your launcher.
Find My Phone by Clap Launcher hides a phone finder inside a launcher swap. These seven alternatives find your phone with a clap, whistle, or web map - no launcher required.
PowerToys covers the basics but stops short of a custom workflow. We tested 7 alternatives for launchers, file search, automation, and window management.
The default Android TV home screen is a row of ads. These six replacement launchers put your apps and live content back where you can find them, on Nvidia Shield, Fire TV and Google TV.
XDA pointed out that Windows Phone's tile design never died, it just moved to Android. These seven Windows Phone-style launchers bring live tiles, two-column layouts, and Metro typography to modern phones.
