The beauty of Android lies in its freedom. You can change almost any aspect of the Android smartphone as you please. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 comes with Samsung’s own custom Android skin, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to change the way it looks and behaves. The best part of owning an almost completely open platform is that you can swap out default things with a few taps.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is a remarkable smartphone with its 5.7-inch screen and vibrant colors. I have always admired how well Samsung makes their AMOLED screens and truly it would be a shame if you don’t customize Samsung Galaxy Note 4 at all.
This article will assume that you know your way around the smartphone and want to get rid of the old interface. So, I will be discussing the best ways you can change the look of your smartphone both physically as well as spiritually (by that I mean the changes in the way the interface looks).
1. Change Wallpaper
One of the easiest way to completely change the look of your home screen is to simply change the wallpaper. While it may seem like a trivial change, its impact is huge on the way your home screen feels. For example, if you are using the default teal colored wallpaper that came with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, you will feel refreshed after you apply a wallpaper of different color.
If you are using dark tones in your wallpapers, you will feel the change when to use lighter tones. It also works the other way around as well. I highly recommend you check out the best wallpaper apps for Android list if you need a burst of inspiration.
2. Use a Custom Launcher
I have always stressed the importance of using a custom launcher on Android smartphones. A lot of manufacturers try to shoehorn their own user interface elements into the stock Android experience. Sometimes they work, and sometimes those additions turn out to be quite irritating. The inclusion of Flipboard as a home screen on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is a prime example of a feature no one asked for.
Thankfully, you can easily change the whole look of your smartphone by installing the custom launcher. I highly recommend that you use Nova Launcher Prime as your first custom launcher. Fret not, there are some other impressive custom launchers for Android available on the Google Play Store as well.
3. Get a Great Live Wallpaper
If you want to liven up the main screen interface of your smartphone then on live wallpaper will help you the most. We have already listed some amazing live wallpapers for Android on our lists. Code writing and technology, the wallpapers don’t take that much system resources to run. So, there is no need to worry about battery life while using these great wallpapers.
4. Change the Default Font
Like I have always said, the beauty of Android lies in its ability to be customized. So naturally, you can easily change the font of your smartphone. Not many people do this at all and practically use the same boring standard font that ships with their smartphone. Changing the font not only makes the smartphone feel different but also makes certain apps adapt to that.
For example, if you change your font to something funky, you will see the change in the Facebook app as well. To change the font simply head over to Settings> Display> Font and select the style you want to use.
5. Select Another Camera App
You can further customize Samsung Galaxy Note 4 by installing a completely different camera app. Android has a ton of camera apps to offer, and a lot of them are amazing. While the standard camera avid Samsung bundles with the smartphone is great, it lacks certain features which can be easily found on third-party camera apps. Take a look at the best camera apps for Android and then head over to the best selfie camera apps for Android to completely customize Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
6. Install an Icon Pack
You can install an icon pack on almost any custom launcher. However, it is unfortunate that Samsung hasn’t introduced this in their own version of Android. If you have already installed a custom launcher, installing few icon packs on your device will make it feel completely different. We have already made a healthy list of best icon packs you can get on Android in the best part is that most of them are free.
7. Customize the Lock Screen
Even if you don’t have any custom lock screen installed on your Samsung Galaxy Note 4, you will be able to tweak with your lock screen. You can display different widgets as well as adjust the shortcuts on the lock screen. You can also display additional information about you, right on the lock screen which gives you a better way to show off. To do so, simply head to the Settings> Lock Screen and change the things you want.
8. Install an Awesome Keyboard
Over the years, Samsung has greatly improved their keyboard, but it is nowhere near the level of custom keyboards available on the Google Play Store. If you want to make better use of your Samsung Galaxy Note 4, it is highly recommended that you select a more efficient and beautiful keyboard.
Installing a different keyboard will enable you to type much faster or change the color of the keyboard with ease. I highly recommend SwiftKey keyboard; it is a free keyboard with a lot of features baked in. If you need a large variety to test, we also have the best keyboard for Android list on the site.
9. Speed Up the Animations
Some people do not like the animations that play on the transitions. It is understandable because some of the animations are quite slow and make the device feel unresponsive. To speed up the window and transition animations, you’ll need to do a few additional steps. The first one will be to enable the developer option on your smartphone.
To do so, head over to Settings> About Phone and keep tapping on the Build number until a pop up message comes on screen. The message will inform you that you are now a developer and will enable an additional menu in the settings. From there, go to the Developer Options> Window Animation Scale and set it to 0.5x.
This small step will enable faster transition as well as the animations on your device. If you are not well versed in developer terminology, I recommend that you do not touch other settings in this menu.
10. Get Epic Widgets
Samsung has included a lot of widgets on Samsung Galaxy Note 4 but as good as they are they may not suit the color scheme you have going on your home screen. To get the most out of the customizability of Android, simply head over to the Google Play Store and install different widgets. Check out the best weather widgets for Android list to get some amazing looking widgets for your home screen.
11. Disable Haptic Feedback
The haptic feedback also is known as the little vibration that occurs when you touch the screen can be disabled completely. While it may feel great at first but soon you will get annoyed with the constant vibrations the smartphone does in your hand while typing.
Thankfully, Samsung allows you to disable haptic feedback quite easily. To do so, head over to Settings> Sound> Feedback. From there he will be able to enable or disable the haptic feedback, the keypad sound, touch sounds as well as lock screen sounds.
12. Change the S-Pen Tips
You might have missed the different S-Pen tips Samsung includes with their Samsung Galaxy Note 4. If you still have the box with you, search it for different S Pen tips. The packaging will also contain a pen tip removal tool that will help you in easily swapping out the tips. Find the one which suits your usage and change the way the stylus feels in your hand.
13. Tweak the Screen Settings
Some people like the over-saturated tone Samsung screens have while others like the colors to be accurate. Thankfully, Samsung knows this pretty well and has included different screen modes right in the settings menu. Go into Settings> Display and change anything you want about the colors of the phone. I would have loved a better control over the screen like we have on PC monitors these days, but these options will satisfy almost anyone easily.
14. Adjust the App Drawer
The standard app drawer is good but did you know you can also change how it works and behaves? Simply tap on the icon displayed on the top right corner of the screen while in the app drawer and you will be on to customize your drawer easily. I usually like to view apps as a list, so I was happy to find that option in Samsung Galaxy Note 4 as well.
15. Install Custom ROMs
If you have completely exhausted every customization option listed in this article and still are not satisfied, then you can take the dramatic turn and install a custom ROM on your smartphone. This customization tip is only for advanced users who know how to root their smartphone and install a custom recovery menu. Installing a custom ROM will not only change almost everything about your device but completely remove any trace of Samsung bloatware from it as well. I usually install a custom ROM when my smartphone is at the end of its lifespan to breathe new life to the aging interface.
Conclusion
These were a few ways to customize Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Most of them are easy, simple to or three step processes that hardly take any time at all. Some of them, like installing a custom launcher or installing a custom ROM, might take a little bit longer because you’ll need to do all sorts of adjustments at first. However, a simple thing as changing the wallpaper on your Android smartphone can have a big impact on the way your device looks and feels.
If you have any more tips to customizeSamsung Galaxy Note 4, feel free to share them in the comments below.
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