Android is known for its customization and it let us edit certain aspects of it, no matter what skin lays on top of it. You can replace various stock apps with third-party apps. For example, if you do not like your stock SMS app, you can always download a different one, same applies to a apps launcher/home screen that ships with your phone, and bypass lock screen for Android as well. Lock screen replacement applications are exactly what we are here to talk about, and there are tons of options out there for you to consider.
The lock screen on your Android device is not just there to look good. It is the first thing that protects your privacy and improves the security of your device. It is also an important navigational screen, which you can use to jump straight to the features you use the most. While the stock Android lock screen has evolved many times over the years, many users do find it very limited in its use.
Thankfully, like almost anything else on Android, you can replace the lock screen on your Android device. Well, here is our list of the 8 Best Locks Screen Apps For Android. The apps in this list are not in any specific order, and simply a list of best of best lock screen apps.
1. Next Lock Screen
This is one of the best lock screen app available for Android and interestingly it is from Microsoft. The lock screen packs in contextual features, as it shows you your most used apps based on the time and location. Along with the apps, the lock screen also brings access to your favorite contacts, various shortcuts and toggles like WiFi, Bluetooth, brightness slider, camera etc.
The app offers customs widgets/controls for your music and weather, while thanks to the ‘Bing Wallpaper’ option, you can set this app to refresh your wallpapers every day, and let it choose those wallpapers. Plus, it supports fingerprint unlock along with the usual locks. It is also free with no ads or in-app purchases.
2. Picturesque Lock Screen
Surprisingly the second app in our list is also from Microsoft. Yes, Microsoft actually released two lock screen apps. This one is called Picturesque. This one boasts an ever-revolving lock screen wallpaper. It grabs backgrounds from Bing similar to Windows 10 lock screens. There are some other features as well. They include a search bar, various tools like camera and flashlight, and it is compatible with Bing Rewards. It also widgets for controlling your Music Player and displaying weather. In addition, it comes with custom unlock features like enable pin, password, and pattern unlock screen to secure your phone.
It can display the latest news in categories like business, sports, politics, top stories, national news and more, right from the lock screen. It also allows you to search contacts, applications, and the web without unlocking your phone. Many of its features cater specifically to Indian audiences like showing live Cricket scores on your locker. However, those not in India can just turn those features off.
3. Echo Notification Lockscreen
This is a simplistic lock screen app. Echo displays messages in a sleek, minimally-designed lock screen that gives you a fine level of control over what you see and have instant access to. Echo will also show you the full content of a specific notification, while it also automatically groups your notifications. It allows you to create notification categories, such as ‘work’, ‘media’ and ‘social’, and choose which apps go in them. For example, you can assign Instagram notifications in the ‘Social’ group, and your emails in the ‘Work’ group.
This app includes a music control widget that allows you to control the music player without even unlocking the device. There are also quite a few personalization options you can tinker with. The Echo allows you to select the customized security pattern for securing the device. It also allows you to snooze notifications and has got an awesome design which would never affect or drain the battery.
4. LokLok
This is different from most lock screen apps and it is fun to use, but your friends need to get involved too if you want to get the most out of it. This lock screen app lets you draw on your lock screen and then send the drawing as a message to a friend who uses the same app. They will see the image when they unlock their phone next and can respond accordingly. You can even create a group for more people in order to make it even more fun or confusing, depending on which way you are looking at things.
It is not great for sending risque pictures, but it is excellent for reminding someone to grab milk on their way home from work. The app is free to use. There are in-app purchases for things like sticker packs.
5. ZUI Locker
ZUI Locker is one of the most popular lock screen apps right now. It features Material Design and people really like that. ZUI provides a smart screen feature that prevents your phone from automatically waking up the phone’s display for every new notification. The app has the option to lock the status bar. It enables you to access the important features of the phone through a special interface called control panel.
The app also has some customization features, small security settings, and even some utility options. It can even take a selfie of intruders that guess your password wrong. It can also set new wallpapers on your lock screen automatically on a daily basis, while you also get a music playback widget as part of this offering. The app is free to download with a single $1.99 in-app purchase to unlock the pro version.
6. Locker Master
This is a powerful do-it-yourself lock screen app with amazing features. The Locker Master allows you to design your simple or complex lock screen from scratch. It also enables you to share your lock screen with other users of this app.
To create a lock screen, you must select a picture which you want to use as a background image. If you do not want to use the picture saved in your phone, you can explore Locker Master’s massive collection of high-resolution wallpapers and download an image which you like. Once the app loads the image, you can decorate it with stylish and customizable clock widgets, cool animated sprites, text messages, etc. Once you are done with the customizations, give a final touch to the lock screen by applying a cool animation effect. Then, save the lock screen.
7. Hi Locker
This is a fairly typical lock screen replacement app that brings a great mix of older Android lock styles and the modern ones. Hi-Locker offers you three different unlock styles to choose from, Classic, Lollipop, and iOS. In addition, there is a separate screen dedicated to your calendar, where you can quickly view upcoming events. You also get a CyanogenMod-style quick launcher that works by holding and swiping over to one of your favorite apps to quickly open it from the lock screen. The app will show you the basics such as weather, notifications, calendar events, etc. You can also have it greet you with funny quips and greetings.
It even has fingerprint support on devices with fingerprint readers. You can also have it auto-set wallpapers from Flickr. There are some customization options as well. For instance, you can have it hide notifications from certain apps so people cannot see it. It is not even close to the most complicated lock screen apps, but it is a great replacement for those who do not need a ton of features. While the app is available in a free version, some features are limited and it includes ads. To unlock all features and removed ads, you will have to get the Pro version.
8. AcDisplay
This is a minimal looking lock screen app. AcDisplay brings you notifications in a very intuitive interface and you can jump to apps directly from the lock screen. Plus, you get various shortcuts on the notification, like you would in the notification center. It also includes an Active Mode, similar to Android’s Ambient Display, which detects when the device is picked up or taken out of a pocket and shows you your notifications.
Other features of the app include the ability to blacklist apps from sending notifications to lock screen, dynamic background, low priority notifications and more. The app is available for free and like most lock screen apps, there are a lot of customization options.
A few last words
Some lock screen apps might not play well with the default lock screen on your Android device. So, you have to first disable the default lock options on your device by going to Settings->Security->Screen Lock and select “None“.
While there are many lock screen apps available in the Google Play Store, we believe these are the 8 Best Lock Screen Apps you can install on your Android smartphone right now. If we missed any of the best lock screen apps and lock screen replacement apps for Android, tell us about them in the comments and do not forget to subscribe for more updates.
See Also
- 10 Best Android Launcher Apps To Customize Your Android Phone
- 10 Best Call Recorder Apps For Android
- 7 Best Free Email Apps For Android
