Apex Launcher 4.9.36 for Android

Apex Launcher 4.9.36 is a free home screen launcher for Android from the developer Android Does. It replaces the standard home screen and app drawer that came with your phone, and you can download Apex Launcher for Android to give the device a different look and layout without rooting it.

What a launcher does

The launcher is the part of Android you see most: the home screens, the dock at the bottom, the app drawer and the way icons and folders are arranged. Phone makers ship their own launchers, and some people find them cluttered, slow on older devices or simply not to their taste. A third-party launcher like Apex lets you change that layer while leaving the rest of the system untouched. You install it as a normal app, choose it as the default home app, and from then on pressing the home button opens Apex instead of the stock screen. If you do not like the result, you switch back in the settings and nothing is lost. That makes launchers one of the safest ways to personalise an Android phone, because they do not change system files or require special permissions beyond what a home screen needs.

Key facts

• Version: 4.9.36
• Developer: Android Does
• Platform: Android
• Licence: freeware
• Size: about 17.02 MB according to catalogue data

Who will like it

Apex suits people who want a clean, tidy home screen, owners of older phones whose stock launcher feels heavy, and those who enjoy arranging icons, folders and widgets their own way. If you are happy with your current home screen, there is no need to install another launcher.

How to install it

1. Install Apex Launcher from Google Play and check that the developer name matches.
2. Press the home button and choose Apex as the default home app when Android asks.
3. Arrange icons, folders and widgets on the new home screen.
4. To go back, open Android settings, find the default apps section and select the stock launcher again.

Safety and price

Apex Launcher is free. We do not have an official website for it in our data, so install it from Google Play rather than from APK sites, where modified builds with extra ads or malware may appear. A launcher sees which apps you open, so pick one from a source you trust and review its permissions.

Tips

Before switching, take screenshots of your current home screens so you can recreate the layout if you return. Keep the number of home screens small and group rarely used apps in folders; a simple layout is faster to use every day.

Pros and cons

• Pro: new look without rooting.
• Pro: easy to switch back.
• Pro: free.
• Con: takes time to set up the layout.
• Con: no official website in our data.

Alternatives

For other ways to customise your phone, our listings include QuickShortcutMaker and Activity Launcher for shortcuts to app screens.