Android is an open source operating system, which opens all sorts of possibilities for manufacturers, and tons of them make their very own versions of Android in order to appeal to people. That being said, Android, in its core, lets you edit certain aspects of it, no matter what skin lays on top of it. What exactly are we talking about? Well, if you don’t like your stock SMS app, you can always download a different one, same applies to a launcher that ships with your phone, and bypass lock screen for Android as well. Lockscreen replacement applications are exactly what we’re here to talk about, and there are tons of options out there for you to consider. We’ve picked our top 10 lockscreen applications to share with you, though do keep in mind that we did not include CM Locker on this list, even though it is definitely worth your consideration, but we’ve decided to keep in a bit more simple and stick to apps that focus mainly on replacing your lockscreen, and CM Locker is also a phone booster, battery saver, etc. That being said, these apps are not listed in any specific order, so keep that in mind.
Next Lock Screen
The Next Lock Screen application is one of Microsoft’s applications for Android, and it’s a very compelling app if you’re looking for a lockscreen replacement app. This app offers a really minimalistic design, while it has quite a few features as well. 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.
Echo Notification Lockscreen
Echo is also a simplistic lockscreen application. Unlike some other lockscreen applications, Echo will show you the full content of a specific notification, while it also automatically groups your notifications. For example, it will throw Instagram notifications in the ‘Social’ group, while your e-mails will end up in the ‘Work’ group. This app also includes a music control widget, and there are quite a few personalization options you can tinker with.
ZUI Locker-Elegant Lock Screen
ZUI Locker is one of the most customizable apps on this list. This application lets you apply different styles and themes on top of your lockscreen, so you can basically tune it to your liking. It can also set new wallpapers on your lockscreen automatically on a daily basis, while you also get a music playback widget as part of this offering. ZUI Locker is also one of the best-rated applications on this list, and definitely worth checking out.
Picturesque Lock Screen
This is yet another one of Microsoft’s lockscreen applications for Android, and it’s quite a compelling app, that’s for sure. This application can also change your wallpaper automatically every day, while it features a universal search at the very top, and a weather widget on the right, If you swipe from the top you’ll access your most used apps, while you can launch your camera if you swipe right to left. There are a number of such gestures and additional options available here actually.
Start
Start is a lockscreen app which differs from every other application on this list. You can access various apps by swiping in a number of different directions from the unlock icon at the bottom of your display. If you swipe from the left side of the display, you’ll be able to access a number of different applications that are going to be there, listed vertically. On top of all this, Start also has some customization options for you to check out.
Hi Locker – Your Lock Screen
The Hi Locker app offers you three different unlock styles to choose from, Classic, Lollipop and iOS. On top of that, it has quite a few customization options built-in, so you can tune this app to your liking. Notification are displayed here as well, of course, and you can either view or delete them right from the homescreen. All Hi Locker styles look quite nice, and it all comes down to personal preference here.
AcDisplay
AcDisplay is considerably different than any other app on this list. This application has a very simple UI, in which you get the time widget, and below it, your new notifications. Now, only an icon will be shown to you until you press and hold it, and then you’ll be able to see the message itself. If you’d like to read a specific notification, you can swipe up after you’ve read it, or you can swipe down to dismiss it. This might seem a bit weird, but the app is actually quite useful.
My Locker – Custom Lockscreen
My Locker is a highly customizable lockscreen for your smartphone. This app lets you change a number of things, including the clock, date, weather widget design, fonts, colors, icons, widgets, etc. There are tons of options packed into this app, and if you’re looking to get your lockscreen to look a very specific way, this might be your best bet. This app is free to use, though in-app purchases are included, just in case you’d like to spend some cash on in-game stuff.
LokLok: Draw on a Lock Screen
LokLok is probably the oddest lockscreen application on this list. This is essentially a shared whiteboard, so if someone you know installs this app as well, and you connect with that person, you’ll be able to write on each other’s lockscreen. You can even create a group for more people in order to make it even more fun or confusing, depending on which way you’re looking at things. In any case, this app is really fun, and quite unique actually.
NiLS Lock Screen Notifications
NiLS is not your regular lockscreen app, well, not only your regular homescreen app. This application, in addition to delivering notifications on your lockscreen, it can send such notifications in the ‘heads-up’ format, and display them over any app. Now, unlike the regular heads-up notification feature, this app offers quite a few additional options, and it’s quite customizable at that.