These are the Best Android Launchers in July 2021: Lawnchair, Lynx, Niagara, Nova, and More!

Android is one of the more customizable operating systems, especially considering all the limitations imposed on its Apple counterpart, iOS. You don’t need to root your Android device or flash a custom recovery and ROM to spice up your homescreen. If you’re mainly concerned about the pre-installed user interface (UI) from your device maker and wish to change its look, all you need to do is download one of the best Android launchers.

Android launchers provide an easy way for you to change the look of your Android smartphones in a cinch – avoiding all the technical side of things. Need something near to stock Android? There’s a launcher for it. Something minimal? Very customizable? There’s an Android launcher for that. If you’ve just grabbed a new device and want to add more aesthetics to your device or are just bored with your current homescreen, you can pick one of these Android launchers. Even if you have one of the best Android phones out there, there’s always a chance to soup things up without much overhead.

For new smartphone owners, be sure to check out our comprehensive list of the best Android apps, which includes apps in various categories from social media, music, to dating, to podcasting apps.

Here’s our list of the best Android launchers you can install today to change your device’s homescreen layout in just seconds.

Nova Launcher

Nova Launcher has become synonymous with the best Android launchers for quite some time. It’s heavily customizable, letting you change different things from app icon style, icon size, app drawer, and much more. Add in support for icon and theme packs, and you open up a whole new world of customization possibilities. Nova is light and fast as well, despite its wide array of customization options.

The premium version gives you even more ways to customize the launcher to your preferred look and feel. It’s also one of the most supported Android launchers, with new versions coming out fast, and there’s a vibrant customization community. Also, you can back up your customization settings for an easy restoration when you switch phones or reset your Android device.

Nova Launcher (Free, Google Play) →

Lawnchair 2

If you fancy minimal Android launchers, you should go for Lawnchair 2. The UI is clean and sleek, much like Google’s Pixel launcher. Lawnchair 2 features icon pack support, which allows you to use other custom icon packs of your choosing.

It also supports adaptive icons, adjustable icon sizes, and, most importantly, is an easy Android launcher to customize. Lawnchair 2 is entirely free and is a go-to app if you’re looking for a Pixel launcher-like UI but with customization options for the homescreen.

Lawnchair 2 (Free, Google Play) →

Niagara Launcher

Niagara is a new launcher, but its novel approach has made it climb the ranks to become one of the best Android launchers. Niagara has a modern minimal UI, sleek animations and is very clean. You choose your favorite apps that will reside on the homescreen and navigate to any other hidden app by tapping the vertical alphabet-style navigation menu. Notifications from your favorite apps are integrated into the launcher allowing you to reply without opening an app.

Niagara is customizable, but your options are limited given its minimalistic nature. It supports widgets, embedded notifications, gestures, and a couple of options to customize the look and feel of the launcher. Most extras like calendar and weather widgets, advanced customization options, pop-up widgets are locked away behind a paywall. To balance it out, Niagara is totally ad-free.

Niagara Launcher fresh & clean (Free⁺, Google Play) →

AIO Launcher

AIO Launcher does things differently than typical Android launchers. Most notably, instead of a standard homescreen, it features an information-packed layout in one screen. It includes several categories covering everything from your frequent apps, notifications, dialer, mailbox, a control panel, and other helpful information. All your apps are just a swipe away – you can swipe forward or backward.

You tap the button to launch an app. Atop the list is a system information section. A search button resides on the bottom left, with which you can search other apps, contacts, and even information on the internet. Holding the search button opens the settings, and swiping it will open the quick launch menu.

The premium version unlocks Android widget support, themes and UI tuner, icon packs, and custom font size, to name a few.

AIO Launcher (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Microsoft Launcher

Microsoft Launcher is majorly focused on productivity which makes it a commoner in the list of best Android launchers. Swipe left, and you find a smart card composed of several sections, including tasks, sticky notes, a calendar, frequently used apps, screen time usage, and recent activities.

The smart card can be a handy way to keep up with your latest tasks if you’re into the Microsoft ecosystem. You can also modify to add or remove widgets. Customization is also available on the launcher, with options to customize your homescreen, gestures, app drawer, icon shape, and visibility of the status bar, to name a few.

Microsoft Launcher (Free, Google Play) →

Smart Launcher

Smart Launcher has a sorted app folder that categorizes all your apps into six major categories, communication, internet, games, media, utilities, and settings. This categorization, plus the available search button atop every section, makes it easy to search for apps.

It also has a so-called smart search bar at the bottom of the homescreen that offers a one-stop-shop to search your contacts, apps, the web, and even Google Play apps. Smart Launcher provides several customization options from font styles, themes, icon appearance, colors, and more.

The premium version includes the ability to customize app categories, an ultra-immersive mode, multiple home page widgets, custom icon sorting, and pop-up widgets.

Smart Launcher 5 (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Poco Launcher

Poco Launcher from Xiaomi includes a slightly customizable homescreen. The launcher thrives for its effortless yet familiar UI. It consists of an app drawer that’s just a swipe away, and you can easily find apps by swiping through the different categories. Poco Launcher allows you to customize the background, app transparency, icon size, app drawer, and manage app categories.

It does support icon packs, so you can use custom icons if you prefer those over Xiaomi’s icon style. Poco Launcher is free to download and is ad-free.

POCO Launcher 2.0 - Customize, Fresh & Clean (Free, Google Play) →

BIG Launcher

BIG Launcher is a simple to use android launcher for seniors. Icons are large and have distinctive colors that ensure it’s easier to differentiate between a handful of apps featured on the grid-style homescreen. It also prioritizes essential apps for seniors, including the dialer app, messages, gallery, camera, and an SOS button. There’s a button that takes you to the app drawer as well.

The heavily contrasty homescreen is also ideal for users with eyesight issues. BIG Launcher offers a handful of customization options, including text size, full-screen display, navigation bar, safe borders size, and others. It keeps it simple, so it doesn’t get overwhelming for the elderly. A one-time fee unlocks additional ways to customize the launcher.

BIG Launcher (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Launcher iOS 14

If you want your Android to mimic iOS 14’s UI, this launcher will help you. Launcher iOS 14 features an iOS 14-esque design from the lock screen to the control center, animations, wallpapers, and widgets. You can hide apps and customize several aspects of the layout, similar to what is available on OS 14 to some extent.

Launcher iOS 15 (Free, Google Play) →

Lynx Launcher

Lynx Launcher is a relatively new launcher in the Android world. With over 50,000 downloads, it may be still finding its feet but that hasn’t stopped it from already gaining a fan following. The Lynx Launcher offers a clean-looking homescreen with easy-to-remember gestures to navigate around it. According to its developers, the launcher has been inspired by Gnome Desktop Environment, which is quite clear from the dock on the homescreen.

It comes with lots of customization options, including the ability to download new themes from the launcher’s website, although I only found four themes to be currently available. Additionally, you can get custom icon packs from the Google Play store, change the location of the dock, select dark mode, and more. Gesture-based navigation is quite quick and smooth and can be tweaked as per your liking.

Lynx Launcher is free to download and use; however, there’s a Pro version that gives you access to screen transitions, more desktop pages, advanced theming options, and a lot more.

Lynx Launcher (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Wide Launcher

The Wide Launcher is another interesting home-screen replacement app. It’s attempting to be different from other launchers by offering a 3-times wider homescreen, so you’re not limited to your typical homescreen size and grid. You also get lots of customization options, including the ability to select icon styles, themes, decor stickers, and more. Moreover, the Decorate mode allows your creativity to run wild.

It also comes with its own mini-apps called Applets that provide a variety of functions and can be added to the homescreen. Overall, if you’re really planning to try something different, you should give it a spin. The Wide Launcher is free to download and use.

Wide Launcher - 3x wider home screen (Free⁺, Google Play) →

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Customizing your Android homescreen is a no-brainer with the best Android launchers. Want a minimalist launcher? Try Niagara. Something that mimics iOS 14? Go for Launcher for iOS 14. BIG launcher is excellent for the elderly, and Lawnchair 2 gives you a Pixel launcher-like experience. Microsoft Launcher is your go-to for productivity and Nova is for those looking for a heavily customizable Android launcher. While you’re freshening things up, check out the best wallpaper apps for Android too.

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Samsung’s Galaxy S21 FE may not just be delayed, it could also be changing SoCs

Over the last several months, we’ve seen a ton of leaks about the upcoming Galaxy S21 FE. The leaks have given us a good look at the affordable flagship’s design and an overview of its specifications. We’ve also learned that Samsung might unveil the device alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z Flip 3, and the Galaxy Watch 4 series in August. However, recent reports suggest that Samsung might not launch the Fan Edition device in August due to supply constraints.

According to South Korean publications Financial News and Maekyeong, Samsung initially planned to launch the Galaxy S21 FE in August this year. However, due to the global semiconductor shortage, the company has pushed the launch to the fourth quarter. The reports further reveal that Samsung may also switch the Snapdragon 888 on the phone with an Exynos chip because Qualcomm is facing production setbacks.

Early last month reports alleged that Samsung had shelved the hotly anticipated affordable flagship altogether. But the company later released a statement claiming that it hadn’t decided to suspend production of the Galaxy S21 FE. It now seems like the company will go ahead with the launch, albeit a bit later in the year. Currently, it’s believed that the device will hit the market sometime in October, but we have no official word from Samsung yet.

While the reports don’t specify the Exynos SoC Samsung will use on the Galaxy S21 FE, we believe it could be the Exynos 2100. The reports further add that Samsung might end up launching the phone in the US and Europe only, with a limited number of units on offer.

At the moment, we have no further details about Samsung’s plans regarding the Galaxy S21 FE. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we learn more.

Featured image: Leaked render of the Galaxy S21 FE

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Review: Doesn’t justify the “Fan Edition” label

When Samsung launched the Galaxy S20 FE last year, it said the new Fan Edition lineup was a tribute to Galaxy fans that set “a new standard of making uncompromising flagship innovations accessible to as many people as possible.” During the launch event, the company also promised it would launch “Fan Editions of our flagship devices in the years to come.”

So when Samsung reached out to send over a review unit of the new Galaxy Tab S7 FE, I expected to receive an affordable version of the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus with perhaps a few missing features. However, the device I’ve been using for the last ten days is anything but that.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE only has a total of three features in common with the flagship Galaxy Tab S7+ — the display size, battery capacity, and One UI — and in my opinion, it doesn’t deserve the FE moniker. Samsung should have just called it the Galaxy Tab S7 Lite (as previous leaks and rumors suggested) because the “FE” tag will only mislead fans.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE: Specifications

Specification	Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE
Dimensions & Weight	185.0 x 284.8 x 6.3mm 608g
Display	12.4-inch FHD+ TFT LCD 2560 x 1600 (244 PPI) 16:10 aspect ratio 60Hz refresh rate
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G Adreno 619
RAM & Storage	4GB + 64GB 6GB + 128GB microSD card slot (up to 1TB)
Battery & Charging	10,090mAh 45W fast charging support 15W charger included
Security	Face unlock
Rear Camera	8MP, AF Video: 1080p @30fps
Front Camera	5MP Video: 1080p @30fps
Port(s)	USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C
Audio	Dual speakers tuned by AKG Dolby Atmos support
Connectivity	4G LTE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band Wi-Fi Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo
Software	One UI 3.1 based on Android 11
Other Features	S Pen (not active, <30ms latency) Samsung DeX support 6-month Clip Studio Paint subscription 30-day Canva Pro trial Noteshelf

About this review: I received the 6GB/128GB version of the Galaxy Tab S7 FE (LTE) from Samsung India for this review. Samsung had no inputs in any part of this review.

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Design & Display

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE looks quite like the flagship Galaxy Tab S7+. It has a similar metal chassis with square edges, a tiny pill-shaped camera module in the top right corner on the back, antenna lines on the left and right edges, and Samsung branding in the top left corner. The only obvious difference between the two is that the Galaxy Tab S7 FE doesn’t feature a glass strip next to the camera module. That’s because the flagship model came with an active S Pen that charged wirelessly when placed on the glass strip. Since the Galaxy Tab S7 FE’s S Pen is just a glorified stylus, Samsung has removed the glass strip from the tablet.

Over on the front, the tablet features a 12.4-inch TFT LCD (2560 x 1600) that has a 16:10 aspect ratio, 60Hz refresh rate, and minimal bezels on all sides. While the display is great for content consumption and gets bright enough for outdoor use, it’s a bit underwhelming for the asking price. I expected to see a 60Hz AMOLED panel or a high refresh rate LCD at this price point, but that’s sadly not the case.

The power button, volume rocker, and SIM tray on the Galaxy Tab S7 FE all reside on the top edge, while the USB Type-C port can be found on the right edge. The tablet features a dual speaker setup tuned by AKG, another downgrade from the flagship models. It features the same proprietary keyboard connector at the bottom edge, which is compatible with the keyboard accessories designed for the Galaxy Tab S7+. The tablet features a front-facing camera, which resides in the center of the top bezel.

Overall, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE feels just as premium as the flagship Galaxy Tab S7+. But it lacks a few crucial features you would expect to see on a tablet that costs over ₹45,000 (~$600), such as a fingerprint scanner. Yeah, you read that right. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE doesn’t have a fingerprint scanner. Software-enabled Face Unlock is the only mode of biometric authentication on the tablet — and we all know how secure that is.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE: Performance & Battery Life

While the Fan Edition label might lead you to believe the Galaxy Tab S7 FE packs a flagship SoC, it doesn’t. The tablet features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 750G, which is a mid-range chipset found on affordable devices like the OnePlus Nord CE. The SoC is paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage on the base model, while the higher-end variant gets 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Since I recently reviewed the OnePlus Nord CE, which also packs the same SoC, I was expecting the tablet to perform just as well, if not better. But it didn’t.

Performance-wise, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is just good enough for light workloads and media consumption. So if you’re planning on getting some serious work done or play demanding games on the tablet, then you should probably look elsewhere. While using the tablet over the last two weeks, I noticed a couple of issues with the Galaxy Tab S7 FE that may turn buyers away. The tablet stuttered quite often when I had more than a couple of Chrome tabs open for work, it froze while playing demanding games like COD: Mobile at medium to high graphics settings, and it took far too long to switch to DeX mode.

While playing videos on YouTube, the tablet worked fine as long as I stuck to the auto or 1080p video quality preset. But the video stuttered as I switched to a higher quality preset. It’s also worth noting that the tablet’s speakers, while pretty decent for the most part, crackled at high volume in some situations. Here’s a sample:

I’m not sure if the issue is limited to my review unit or not.

If you care about synthetic benchmarks, here’s a quick look at the results posted by the Galaxy Tab S7 FE:

In Geekbench 5, the tablet got a single-core score of 650 and a multi-core score of 1,882. In 3DMark’s Sling Shot Extreme OpenGL test, it got an overall score of 2,320, and it scored 33.3 in Browserbench’s Speedometer 2.0 web benchmark. In Androbench, the tablet delivered sequential read speeds of 899.63MB/s and sequential write speeds of 487.62MB/s.

I have no complaints about the Galaxy Tab S7 FE’s battery life. It performed reasonably well, with a four hour Netflix binge session at full brightness consuming around 50 percent of the battery. While doing only browser-based tasks, the tablet lasted just about two days on a single charge.

While the tablet’s battery performance was decent, its charging speeds were atrocious. That’s because it ships with a 15W charger in the box, even though it supports 45W fast charging. The charger took well over three hours to charge the 10,090mAh battery on the tablet from 0-100%, which is rather unacceptable. I’m disappointed that Samsung still doesn’t ship a faster charger with its tablets, but that was to be expected as the company ships the same 15W brick with its flagship Galaxy Tab S7.

S Pen & Keyboard Folio

As mentioned earlier, the S Pen that comes with the Galaxy Tab S7 FE isn’t the same as the one you get with the flagship models. It’s just a glorified stylus that doesn’t support any of the premium features you get with the active S Pen. In addition to that, it doesn’t offer the same 9ms ultra-low latency as the active S Pen you get with the Galaxy Note 20 or Galaxy Tab S7 series. Instead, it promises <30ms latency, which isn’t all that great for writing or drawing.

The keyboard folio case for the Galaxy Tab S7 FE is also a downgrade. While it’s similar to the keyboard folio for the Galaxy Tab S7 in terms of design and build quality, it doesn’t feature a trackpad. This makes working on the tab a bit annoying, as you have to use the touch screen for all the tasks you would otherwise perform with a mouse or trackpad.

Conclusion

I don’t see which “uncompromising flagship innovations” the Galaxy Tab S7 FE makes more accessible for buyers. It’s just a mid-range tablet with a large screen and a large battery, and it fails to justify the Fan Edition moniker. In my opinion, Samsung should’ve offered the Galaxy Tab S7 FE with an older flagship chip. That would’ve addressed the performance issues while keeping the cost low.

Speaking of which, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE’s price tag also makes it hard to recommend. You can get a regular iPad or the iPad Air for a similar price. Both of those options undoubtedly offer better performance and they’re significantly better tablets overall. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is also a much better purchase, and it’s often available at attractive discounts that bring its price down to the same level.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is a mid-range tablet with a large screen and a large battery, but it fails to justify the Fan Edition label.

View at Samsung

I honestly expected Samsung to offer users better value with its Fan Edition devices. I hope upcoming Fan Edition phones or tablets aren’t as disappointing as the Galaxy Tab S7 FE.

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Twitch now lets you join Watch Parties from an Android or iOS device

Twitch now lets you join watch parties from an Android or iOS device starting today. Watch Parties launched late last year and lets streamers host viewing parties for movies and TV shows that are available on Amazon Prime, but until today, they could only be joined from a desktop.

Watch Parties are now rolling out on an Android or iOS device near you.

To learn more about Watch Parties, including how to host your own, check out the help article at https://t.co/YvqLMCD5c6. pic.twitter.com/5aQC9It02G

— Twitch (@Twitch) June 30, 2021

It’s important to keep in mind that Twitch streamers and viewers who want to watch along will need to have an Amazon Prime subscription in order to join the party. However, you don’t need to be a Twitch affiliate or partner to start a watch party. When joining a watch party for the first time, you’ll be asked to authorize the device you’re on for Prime Video playback.

Virtual watch parties have become quite popular thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic pushing people to find socially distant ways to watch their favorite movies and TV shows with their friends. Twitch has taken quite a while to get watch parties working on mobile, though its parent, Amazon, has yet to roll out watch parties support in the Prime Video app for mobile users.

Watch parties in Twitch is an awesome feature and one that a lot of people will end up using at some point. They’ve already become quite popular on Twitch, with many variety streamers taking to hosting them with their fans live on stream. There’s even a dedicated section for watch parties so that you can pick any random streamer to join and watch with if you’re feeling bored.

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AT&T’s Android phones will use Google Messages for RCS

Rich Communication Services, or RCS for short, is the successor to SMS, the protocol used by most carriers for text messages. Unlike SMS, RCS supports advanced messaging features like group chat management, higher quality file sharing, read receipts, typing indicators, and end-to-end encryption. RCS has to be supported by the carrier’s network, the phone, and the phone’s messaging app, and to nobody’s surprise, carriers are lagging behind in adopting the new technology. Frustrated by the slow adoption by carriers, Google baked its own RCS service into the Google Messages app and has been pushing carriers to make it the default messaging service on Android phones. Today, AT&T has announced that all Android phones on the network will use Google Messages for SMS and RCS.

The news was first shared by The Verge earlier today and confirmed on the Google Cloud blog, and it follows after T-Mobile made a similar announcement back in March. The announcement means that Android phones on AT&T will come with the Google Messages app by default for texting via SMS and RCS. AT&T has its own implementation of the RCS Universal Profile 1.0 called Advanced Messaging, but only a handful of Android devices — and not a single iPhone — support it. Furthermore, AT&T’s implementation isn’t interoperable with other carriers, meaning customers with a phone that supports Advanced Messaging can only message other customers who have phones with support. RCS in Google Messages, on the other hand, works on all Android devices and doesn’t depend on the carrier since Google is handling the backend.

RCS in Google Messages can be enabled by downloading the app and turning on “Chat features” in Settings. If your device is supported, the app will also prompt you to turn on Chat features. Currently, Google hasn’t opened up an API so third-party messaging apps can implement RCS support, so you’ll have to use the Google Messages app for now.

Messages (Free, Google Play) →

Verizon is now the only carrier in the U.S. to not use Google Messages for SMS and RCS. Once they do, Android users in the U.S. will finally have a proper rival to Apple’s iMessage baked into their phone. (Apple has yet to adopt RCS support in iOS, and it’s unlikely they’ll do so given how important iMessage is in keeping users in the walled garden.) Adopting RCS will also better protect users’ text messages from being read by carriers as users can turn on end-to-end encryption for each conversation.

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Switching from a Mac to a Chromebook: Problems and solutions

Switching from a familiar operating system can cause some anxiety. If you’ve used macOS most of your life, you might be a bit hesitant about making the move to a new Chromebook. More often, users are choosing Chrome OS over their Mac due to the lower cost for hardware. In fact, you can buy a high-end Chromebook for around $1,000, often less than even the cheapest Mac devices.  If you want to save some cash, the switch will require some minor adjustments to your workflow. File management, keyboard shortcuts, and app installation all work a bit different on a Chrome OS device. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know to painlessly switch from a Mac to a Chromebook.

File and app management

Chromebooks are built for the cloud, and local storage works a bit differently. Your information gets saved within the Files app instead of on your Desktop or Documents folder. You can use the Launcher to access that app quickly and then search for what you need. All downloaded content will appear in the Downloads folder, but you can also add subfolders for easy storage.

If you plan to use your Chromebook as your main device, we recommend using a cloud service like Dropbox or Google Drive as your primary storage solution.

Customize your dock and add web apps

Organization is important for any workflow. You can pin apps to your dock (at the bottom of your screen) for easy access and use. At the bare minimum you’ll want to keep Chrome, Gmail, Files, and likely YouTube in the dock. If you use your Chromebook for work, you may also want some productivity apps like Docs and Slides.

Remember you can also pin Android apps — a good Twitter app like Albatross for Android might come in handy. You can also pin files to the dock for easy access. Just like macOS, you can keep it visible or move it to the sides of the screen. Just right-click on an empty spot on the dock and you’ll see options for autohiding and position.

To add apps to the shelf, simply right-click on an icon and select Pin to shelf. You can do the same to remove an app (unpin) or you can drag it out and drop it somewhere on the desktop.

You can also add web apps to the dock easily. To add a web app, simply visit the settings menu in your Chrome browser and choose the Create Shortcut option from the More tools menu. Name the shortcut whatever you like, and then choose Open as window to make it look more like an app than a Chrome tab.

For those that still use Apple services regularly, we recommend adding iCloud, Apple Music, and Apple TV as web apps in your Chromebook dock.

Keyboard shortcuts and scrolling

Taking a screenshot

If you want to take a screenshot of your entire screen on a Chromebook, press Ctrl + the Show windows button (Ctrl + F5 on a Windows keyboard). To capture a partial screenshot, press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows (Shift + Ctrl + F5 on a Windows keyboard), then click and drag your cursor over the exact area you want to capture.

Caps Lock key replacement

You may have noticed that Chromebooks don’t have a Caps Lock key. You can capitalize letters using the Shift key as usual, but you can also press Launcher+Alt to enable Caps Lock.

Change scrolling direction

You prefer scrolling so when you swipe down, you scroll down the page. This is very natural as it’s how smartphones and tablets behave with touch. It’s easy to change the scroll direction on your Chromebook. To do this, click the time in the bottom right hand corner, and click the Settings icon. Scroll down and select Touchpad. Under the scrolling option, select Enable reverse scrolling.

Command key replacement

The Command key is an integral part of keyboard shortcuts on macOS. In Chrome OS, the Ctrl key is equivalent to the Command key. Perhaps the most annoying thing is the Ctrl key is a bit further to the left, making it a little more difficult to reach. If you want to remedy this situation, use Chrome’s versatility to swap the Ctrl and Alt key functionality.

To do this, click the time in the bottom right-hand corner, and click the Settings icon. Scroll down to Keyboard, and remap the keys, setting Alt to Ctrl and Ctrl to Alt.

Viewing all open browser windows

Zooming out on all available windows is a feature all Mac users are accustomed to. In Chrome OS, it’s incredibly easy to navigate through browser clutter. To switch between several tabs fast, you can swipe with three fingers to the right or left (or up or down depending on if you have reverse scrolling turned on). This feature makes it easy for you to get a sense of everything you’re working on. From there, you can organize and close windows.

Installing new apps and app replacement

Loyal Apple users know to head to the App Store on Mac or iOS to download brand new apps. On Chrome OS, native apps are cloud-based. This means productivity apps like Gmail and Google Docs live and store items in the cloud. If you want local apps, you can enable Linux apps on your Chromebook.

Newer Chromebooks also support Android apps, downloaded via the Google Play Store. This opens up a wide array of possibilities, with millions of productivity apps and games available. Both web apps, Linux apps, and Android apps support shortcuts and are easily accessed via the Launcher.

If you’re looking for some apps on your Chromebook to replace their familiar macOS counterparts, check out our suggestions below. Note you’ll want to read our Linux apps on Chrome OS guide to fully understand how to install the suggested Linux apps from the command line. For a more complete list of Android app recommendations, see our full guide to Android apps on Chrome OS.

Replace Photoshop desktop app with GIMP (Linux)

• Download using:

sudo apt-get install gimp -y 

GIMP is a full-featured photo editing suite, similar to Photoshop but without the high price. If you’re a graphic designer transitioning to Chrome OS, you’ll find that GIMP is an indispensable tool. The functionality and file types are precisely aligned with what you would expect in other photo editing software. There are many advanced tools like layers, lasso and plenty of brushes to keep advanced users satisfied. If you need a photo editing app on your Chromebook, this is the only way to go.

Replace Final Cut Pro with Kdenlive (Linux)

• Download using:

sudo apt-get install kdenlive -y 

Video editing is a big deal these days. Millions of people upload videos to YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok every hour. If you’re serious about video editing, moving to Chrome OS can be a bit scary. Thankfully, Kdenlive is a nice video editing program for Linux that can run on your Chromebook. Those of you that are used to running Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro will pick up the intuitive interface in no time.

It’s worth noting that while Kdenlive does run well on Chrome OS, you’ll need a fairly powerful Chromebook to take full advantage of this app.

Replace Logic Pro with Audacity (Linux)

• Download using:

sudo apt-get install audacity -y 

For the creators out there, you might need a nice app to record or edit audio. This is an advanced audio editor and recorder that comes in handy when you want to play around with various audio files. Audacity has a lot of features that allow you to create your own unique tracks or remix other songs.

There are also many plugins available for Audacity which will allow you to connect to sound equipment and other audio programs. Overall, this is the best audio editing app you can get on your Chrome OS device.

Get Microsoft Office (Android app or web app)

Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint & More (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Microsoft Office is the most popular productivity suite, offering Android apps for Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and so on. Overall, the Android version of each Office app runs quite well on Chrome OS. Basic editing features are free in all of the apps, but on devices over 10 inches in size — which accounts for most Chromebooks — you’ll need a Microsoft 365 subscription to enable all features. Unfortunately, the Android version of OneDrive doesn’t work properly on Chromebooks. You can now download Word, Excel, and Powerpoint in a single app, making organizing your app drawer a bit easier.

If productivity is your main goal on Chrome OS, also consider buying a docking station to turn your Chromebook into a full-time workstation.

Replace Apple Podcasts with Pocket Casts (Android app or web app)

Pocket Casts - Podcast Player (Free⁺, Google Play) →

For podcast enthusiasts, Pocket Casts is the best podcatcher you’ll find on Android. Lots of premium features and a beautiful user interface make this one of our favorite apps on Android, period. If you spend a lot of time listening to podcasts, the trim silence and skip intros feature will help you get straight to the content in each episode.

No doubt, Chromebooks are some of the best laptops you can buy. If you’re considering the switch from Mac to a Chromebook, you should now feel a bit more comfortable. Chrome OS is a breeze to use and many of the familiar macOS keyboard tricks still exist.

As for apps, there are plenty of great options. Between Linux apps and Android apps, you should be able to accomplish just about anything on your new Chrome OS device. Let us know in the comments section if you have other tips for Mac users moving to a Chromebook.

The post Switching from a Mac to a Chromebook: Problems and solutions appeared first on xda-developers.

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Google Play System Update now shows percent progress on the boot animation

With the release of Android 10 back in 2019, Google debuted Project Mainline, an initiative that lets Google directly deliver updates to key Android components. The goal was to bolster security, protect privacy, and improve developer consistency by standardizing certain system components and delivering updates to them on a consistent schedule. The mechanisms of Project Mainline are opaque to the user and updates are delivered in batches with no changelog. The only thing the user sees is that a “Google Play System Update” is pending on their device, and after downloading a small package, they’re prompted to restart to apply the changes. After downloading the latest update today, some users have noticed that the boot animation now shows the percent completion of the updating process.

Twitter user @jas0nsg was the first to spot this new functionality, and he shared the following video with us demonstrating it on his Pixel 5 which received a Google Play System Update today:

XDA Recognized Developer luca020400 also spotted the percent progress on his Pixel 5 following a Google Play System Update. We believe this functionality was triggered through an updated APEX module, though we don’t know exactly which one is responsible. Code for this functionality was committed to AOSP in early February, but at the time, Google engineers said the code was merely to show a proof of concept of the feature. Luca020400 believes the percent progress in the boot animation is only shown during updates to the ART module, which was added in Android 12. The reason, he says, is because applying updates to ART requires additional steps after the reboot.

In any case, this is a small functional update that landed on a few Pixel phones running Android 12 today. If you spot a Google Play System Update on your device and want to see what’s changed, you can run the following command before and after the update to compare the version codes of each APEX module:

pm list packages --apex-only --show-versioncode -f

The post Google Play System Update now shows percent progress on the boot animation appeared first on xda-developers.

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