Windows 10 launcher on Google pixel is very convincing

aimulaidni

New member
Nov 4, 2012
192
0
0
Visit site
Is there a launcher on android that entirely emulates win10 mobile or wp 8.1. I like the ones that you guys showed for the start screen and the app list but if the rest of the system looked like win does too, that would've great...i just can't get used to the UI on android, feels gaudy
 

tgp

New member
Dec 1, 2012
4,519
0
0
Visit site
i just can't get used to the UI on android, feels gaudy

What does the desktop on your PC look like? Don't you have a grid of icons? To me, my PC and my Android and iOS devices look similar, much more similar than my PC and my Windows phone. The only time you see Live Tiles on a PC is when you click the start button, and that's usually for only an instant.
 

Robert Kukulak

New member
Feb 9, 2015
12
0
0
Visit site
Does this have swipe right for app list, swipe left to get back to tiles screen, and transparent tiles?

Was trying to set up a windows like UI on my mum's android, and installed square home, but its kinda a dogs breakfast. Has the app list which is something, but it's not as intuitive as the real UI, and looks ugly.
Yeah it swipes to an app list like win10m. 👍
It's like Windows 10 mobile, but with apps!
 

Chris_NH

New member
Feb 1, 2016
22
0
0
Visit site
When I use my Surface Pro 3, which is 80% of the time ... other 20% is spent in front of a desktop PC ... I find myself flipping back and forth between the desktop and tablet modes. In the tablet mode, anyway, you do see live tiles.
 

Randychloe

New member
May 2, 2016
3
0
0
Visit site
I've tried all those launchers and they all are TERRIBLE.
Most of the live tiles are worthless and most do not update very often.
Clocks will display the wrong time because they do not update, weather tiles don't display the most recent forecast, and news tiles always seem to show the same story from weeks ago.
The best part of Windows phone along with the vertical scrolling is the live tiles. And with all those android launchers the widgets fail to update like we are used to seeing with windows phone. And worse, many apps don't have decent android widgets. Garmin and Instagram are great examples.
 

aimulaidni

New member
Nov 4, 2012
192
0
0
Visit site
What does the desktop on your PC look like? Don't you have a grid of icons? To me, my PC and my Android and iOS devices look similar, much more similar than my PC and my Windows phone. The only time you see Live Tiles on a PC is when you click the start button, and that's usually for only an instant.


I don't...installed rainmeter and put tiles on it, and they are all placed next to each other to look like one big tile...and I was talking about the UI on android that comes up when you use something like say the settings page...windows phone and windows 10 desktop more or less look the same UI wise
 

travis_valkyrie

New member
Jan 3, 2012
449
0
0
Visit site
It's ok I guess? Don't get me wrong it looks really convincing especially with the modified navbar, but performance is still jittery as with the other windows phone wannabe launchers. I had trouble pinning apps on screen, they would automatically go into folders. The lock icon on the top right blocks that space to resize a tile. It feels fake, which it is.

0TsFBwl.jpg

I personally miss using Windows Phone. But for now as a fairly broke postgrad I'll have to settle with my Xperia Z2 (that's right folks). It's ok, I customized it to look like as if Microsoft made a custom android rom (or as I'd like to call it 'Microsoft Signature Edition') complete with the navbar, Arrow launcher, windows emoji, and Cortana. And as you can see, it's Google-free! (except for the play store, which I need for apps/updates).

O9WH4kN.jpgMOxszdy.jpgW8RNdC3.jpg

I'll be moving back once Microsoft releases the next Windows phone whenever that happens.
 

cnjvh

New member
Jan 27, 2013
34
0
0
Visit site
I'm using this launcher as well, it does have live tiles and count badges (paid add-on) for calendar, photos, and clock. For other apps it duplicates the information from the notification shade (when there's a notification present) into the tile to make it a live tile. I really like this launcher a lot, makes me not miss my 950xl so much. Worth the money to me.
 

rhapdog

Retired Senior Ambassador
Aug 26, 2014
3,035
0
0
Visit site
It's ok I guess? Don't get me wrong it looks really convincing especially with the modified navbar,

Where do I get the navbar!? I need that! I'm using this launcher, and love it. Works smooth and flawless on my Honor 5X, now that I've done some tweaking. I've tried to do some searching for a navbar like that, but can't find it. Help please.

What does the desktop on your PC look like? Don't you have a grid of icons? To me, my PC and my Android and iOS devices look similar, much more similar than my PC and my Windows phone. The only time you see Live Tiles on a PC is when you click the start button, and that's usually for only an instant.

Ah, no. I personally use the start menu with live tiles extensively. I never keep icons on the desktop. I prefer a clean look on my desktop without the distraction of icons. The only icon I allow is the recycle bin. No exceptions. Eh, that's probably just me, though. Maybe 2 or 3 others somewhere in the world.

but its only a launcher,using windows phone 10 fully difference experience

You said it! There's actually apps on the Android side of it. Apps I could no longer do without, like my bank, parking meter app for downtown, local grocery store apps, etc.

The biggest gripe I have so far is that I haven't found a system "theme" that will allow me to make all the apps default to a dark theme, and not all apps have a dark theme available. Very few that I use have a dark theme. Alas... I like the dark themes.


Can you do 4 columns of tiles, or just 3?

I don't have an Android anymore, just wondering how closely it can mirror W10M.

You can go from 2 tiles all the way up to 5 tiles wide, if you have a large enough screen and high enough resolution. I'm doing 4 columns, because it fits my fingers best.

Screenshot_2017-07-07-17-39-07.jpg

As you can see, I've got the tiles semi-transparent, and am able to give folder names to the folders.

There is also a good quality (and you can set the display size) apps list for it, complete with jump lists. The search bar works just as in Win10M.

Screenshot_2017-07-07-17-40-38.jpg

Screenshot_2017-07-07-17-42-32.jpg
 

travis_valkyrie

New member
Jan 3, 2012
449
0
0
Visit site
Where do I get the navbar!? I need that! I'm using this launcher, and love it. Works smooth and flawless on my Honor 5X, now that I've done some tweaking. I've tried to do some searching for a navbar like that, but can't find it. Help please.

I use these apps just for the navbar. Have a look and give it a try, they're free anyway but need to purchase if you want more functionality.

Custom Navigation Bar
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.paphonb.systemuituner&hl=en

This allowed me to change the icons and have the app switcher button replaced with the search button which launches Cortana.

Holding down the start button will reveal the app switcher, and double tapping it switches to the most recent app you were using, kinda like Alt+Tab. This function is available in Lineage OS. Because who really uses one-handed mode? I'd still prefer to hold down back button for multitasking, unfortunately I haven't found a way to do this as some apps use this function as means of long press to reveal app page history. Not sure if it's even possible to change it at all!


Navbar apps (apparently doesn't work on Huawei devices because of EMUI rom)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.damianpiwowarski.navbarapps&hl=en

Simple app, and this makes the taskbar to have a permanent color. Most android phones have a transparent navbar, but this allows me to import a solid color image and set it as the navbar background to get that static colored navbar look. I just set it to black. Most android apps are so colorful sometimes it doesn't even look nice at all with a colored navbar.

YMMV because I use Lineage OS on a fairly old device I have more access in means of customization. I'm yet to find a way to re-skin and rearrange the system icons at the top which unfortunately needs a framework recompile. The icons I used were extracted from Windows 10 dll files, I like to keep it 1:1. Send me a message if interested.

The biggest gripe I have so far is that I haven't found a system "theme" that will allow me to make all the apps default to a dark theme, and not all apps have a dark theme available. Very few that I use have a dark theme. Alas... I like the dark themes.

These all require root to work correctly. Recommend not to do if you rely on NFC payments like bank virtual cards/Android Pay. To root, you might wanna look into Magisk.

Substratum theme engine (requires root)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=projekt.substratum&hl=en

Pikzel Shadow for dark theme + Modern UI look
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=intellidesigns.pikzel.shadow&hl=en

You can also look at Shade UI for that gradienty Modern look, and the Neon series can give you a bit of the Fluent look. Not perfect but good enough.

Emoji Changer for dat Windows 10 emoji
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thepsycraft.emojifontsub&hl=en
 
Last edited:

rhapdog

Retired Senior Ambassador
Aug 26, 2014
3,035
0
0
Visit site
Well, thanks anyway, but I've got a Huawei device with that EMUI ROM.

I ended up having to remove the Windows 10 Lancher, as it was too much of a resource hog and slowed down my phone too much. Well, if I'm leaving Windows 10 for Android, then in for a penny, in for a pound as they say. I've switched to Evie launcher. Getting used to it and liking it pretty well at this point. The app drawer is at least an alphabetical list that shows new installs at the top, so that part makes it easier. One of the things I hated most about Android was the tiled icons to scroll through all your apps. My eyes don't allow me to find what I'm looking for that way. I need it in a list.
 

camaroz1985

New member
Sep 29, 2011
1,236
0
0
Visit site
That is the bad thing about personalization in Android, it is basically another interface running over the stock interface so it can slow down if not coded properly. That is why I just stayed with the Pixel Launcher on my Pixel. At least you have the option I guess.
 

neo158

Active member
Oct 6, 2011
2,718
0
36
Visit site
Why is this even on Windows Central as this is for a Launcher on Android that emulates Windows 10 Mobile not Windows 10 Mobile itself?
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
326,566
Messages
2,248,573
Members
428,514
Latest member
Shiron