That said, while iOS can’t match the level of customization that Android allows, there are still a few ways to make your iPhone look and feel like an Android device. Well, let’s check them out, shall we?
1. Use a third-party keyboard
Most of us spend a significant amount of time using our device’s keyboard, making it one of the most critical elements of the user experience. So, you might have noticed that the standard keyboard on your iOS device is quite different. One way to describe it would be simple, as it does its job well, but lacks key features like the number row above the main keyboard or haptic feedback (although the new haptic keyboard is finally available in iOS 16). Fortunately, you can add and use a third-party keyboard to get the features and customization you need. There are many options you can consider, such as SwiftKey or Microsoft’s Grammarly keyboard, but you could use Google’s Gboard to get the best Android-like experience. To change the default keyboard on your iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard… to select the third-party keyboard you downloaded from the App Store. After doing this, tap on the selected keyboard and Allow full access. From here, you can go to any app that uses the keyboard and once it appears, tap the globe icon in the lower left corner of your screen to switch between the different keyboard options you have. Download: Gboard for iOS (Free)
2. Set Google Chrome as your default browser
Similar to your keyboard, the web browser you use on your device can also significantly affect your experience. On iOS, the default web browser is Safari, which is a great choice. But suppose you prefer to have some features offered by other third-party browsers or you just miss the Android browsing experience, you can change your iPhone’s default browser to Google Chrome. To do this, go to the Settings app and scroll down to find the browser app (in this case, Chrome) that you want to use. Tap on it and then select the Default browser app option. Note that you can also set Gmail or other supported email apps as the default email app on your iPhone by going to the Settings app, selecting the app you want to use, and tapping Default Mail App. Download: Google Chrome for iOS (Free)
3. Download and use other Google applications
You don’t have to use all the default apps on your iOS device if you don’t want to. Google offers many apps available that you can download and use on your iPhone, making it more like an Android device. Although you won’t be able to set most of these apps as defaults, you can use them and get quick access to them by adding them to your iPhone’s home screen.
Some essential Google apps that you can download to your iPhone include Maps, Google Photos, Google Drive, Google Calendar, and more. Adding these apps to your home screen will give you quick and easy access to them, just like you would on an Android device. Widgets are valuable tools that display important information at a glance without having to open an app. For example, you can have a widget that shows the weather forecast or your upcoming calendar events. While widgets have been available on Android for a long time, they only recently came to iPhones with the release of iOS 14. So adding a widget is not only a great way to personalize your home screen, but it can also make your iPhone look more like an Android device. While there are many amazing custom widgets for your iPhone, adding the Google widget is one of the best ways to recreate that Android experience. To add the Google widget to your home screen: The Google widget has many features that make it extremely useful, such as a search bar to quickly find what you’re looking for on the web, voice search to ask questions or give commands, Google Lens to display information about objects you scan , and in incognito mode to browse the web without saving your history.
5. Change app icons
If you’ve used different Android devices before, one thing you might not appreciate about your iPhone is that it looks the same as every other iPhone out there. Fortunately, you can change the app icons on your iPhone to make it look more like an Android device or just give it a personal touch. There are many amazing apps to customize iPhone home screen design like moloko which you can use to change app icons. Alternatively, you can create custom app icons on your iPhone using the iOS Shortcuts app. Creating custom app icons takes a little more work and patience, but it’s worth it for the fantastic results. Download: moloko for iOS (Free)
6. Try the Samsung UI
What if we told you that you could make your iPhone look like a Samsung phone without jailbreaking it? Samsung’s One UI is one of the most popular Android skins out there, and you can easily get a taste of it on your iPhone through Samsung’s iTest web app. However, you should note that you can only use it to simulate the Samsung UI. and will not replace your iPhone’s existing user interface. However, it’s still a great way to see what Samsung’s Android skin looks like and get a feel for how it works. To test the Samsung UI, follow these steps: You can now start browsing the Samsung UI and you will notice that some apps on your home screen are partially functional, such as the Messages and Camera apps. You can play with them to get a feel for how Samsung’s UI works, but you won’t be able to use them since they’re not real apps.
7. Jailbreak your iPhone
If you want to fully customize your iPhone and make it look like an Android device, you should consider jailbreaking it. Jailbreaking your iPhone allows you to bypass iOS restrictions, which means you can make changes that aren’t normally allowed, such as installing apps that aren’t available in the App Store, changing the look of your home screen, and more. Jailbreaking is relatively easy, but it can be dangerous as it voids your warranty and can expose your device to security risks. However, if you still want to go ahead, here’s how to jailbreak your iPhone for free, provided your iPhone is running an old version of iOS.
Bring the Android experience to your iPhone
If you’re trying to make your iPhone look and feel more like your Android device, chances are you’re not willing to part with some of the features that iOS offers and can do better than the competition, such as user-friendliness. the user, the security , or be a member of the blue bubble club. Fortunately, you don’t have to compromise on this aspect as you can somewhat recreate the Android experience on your iPhone by following the tips above.
