One of the biggest reasons why we tend to love Android is its open source nature which allows us to customize our phones as and how we want them to look, feel and behave. So, from being able to usecustom launchers to changing the font of our phones, from playing around with a variety ofwidgets to numerous icon sets, we can safely say that every aspect of our Android experience is customizable.
While we can configure and customize each and every element of our phones individually, most of us also tend to like having a unified design for our device which brings me to the topic of themes. A well designed theme can not only add beauty and class to your phone but also make the whole experience of using it more consistent. Today we present some of the best themes going around which will enhance how your phone looks, giving it a beautiful makeover.
Where Do Themes Work?
Before we begin, it needs to be pointed out that these themes can only work on custom ROMs which contain the “Theme Chooser” feature. However, most of the popular AOSP ROMS available — like CM10/10.1, AOKP, ParanoidAndroid, BAMF Pardadigm, Eclipse, XenonHD, VanirAOSP, LiquidSmooth, Baked Blackbean, SlimBean, Snapblack, JBSourcery, AffinitySeries, PAC-Man, Xylon, Rootbox, CarbonRom, CodeName Android, and many more — have the theme chooser built-in. And if you are unsure on how to find and select a new ROM, my colleague Joe already wrote awonderful article detailing out the exact process you need to go through.
Where to Find Themes?
Like most apps that we install, the one stop shop for all themes is the Play Store. While you can find hundreds of different themes by searching and looking around there, it is a tedious and time consuming approach. Making this affair much easier and efficient is Theme Chooser Themes byJRummy Apps Inc. which lists out all the available themes in a nice, detailed layout complete with screenshots and other information. You can filter and sort the themes based on their price, rating, download count, compatible ROMs, and so on, thereby making the process of choosing a theme less of a trial-and-error approach.
Theme Chooser Themes – Ready Resource With Detailed List of Available Themes
Another great resource to find themes is that Android goodies haven, the XDA Developers Forum. There’s a running thread, Official MEGA CM10/CM10.1 Theme Chooser, with around 800 themes complete with screenshots and download information. It is frequently updated with all the latest themes available and forms an exhaustive resource for all Android themes.
How to Install Themes?
Installing these themes on your device is an easy and simple process. You will need to:
- Download and install the theme to your device as you would any other app.
- Apply the system theme first.
- Select and apply the downloaded theme from the Theme Chooser app — even if it says it’s not compatible with your device.
- Often you may encounter an “Improperly Compiled” error on applying a theme, just reboot your phone and your selected theme should be easy to apply and working.
Examples of Great Themes
Cobalt Inferno – Orange and Black Theme
Arctic Grey – Minimalistic Matte Grey Colored Theme
Alloy Red – Dark Red Metallic Theme
Crystal 2 – Simplicity and Elegance
Vivid Holo – Colorful ICS JB Blue Colored Theme
Elegant Dusk – Black Grunge Styled Theme
Deus Ex – Human Revolution Inspired Theme
Holo Blue Glow – Minimal Matte ICS JB Blue Colored Theme
Royal Elegance – Purple and Gold Colored Theme
Apollo – Dark and Elegant
PCB Blue – Ultra-crisp Printed Circuit Board Patterned Theme
Gold Edge – Gold Colored Theme With Shades of Grey, Black and White
Elemente – Sleek and Classy Theme With Element Shaped Icons
Torrid Teal – Elegant Theme With Shades of Teal and Dark Grey
Red Elegance – Royal and Elegant Red Colored Theme
Leather – Polished Leather Based UI Theme
This list is, obviously, just a selection of some of the themes that I liked best and is, by no means, a comprehensive authority on the best themes available on the Play Store. There are hundreds of themes available and you should choose one that best fits your taste.
Do let us know in the comments section which are your personal favorites or if we missed out on some really great ones.
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