Pixel Launcher vs Microsoft Launcher: Which Android Skin is Better for You
While Google focuses on simplicity and adopts a minimalist approach, Microsoft is primarily looking to bridge the gap between Android and Windows 10 to improve end-user productivity.
Both launchers offer various customization options, power menu, search engine and theme support. Depending on your usage and preferences, you may find one more useful than the other.
In this article, we will compare Pixel Launcher to Microsoft Launcher and conclude if you need to change Pixel Launcher by default.
User interface
If you use Android, you'll feel at home with Pixel Launcher. Swipe up to open the application tray, swipe left to view the Google feed, swipe up and hold to display the multitasking menu.
My only problem with the current user interface is Google search. This search bar is everywhere. Whether it is the application drawer, the flow menu, the home screen or the multitasking menu, Google has imposed the search bar to users. And there is no way to remove it.
The Microsoft launcher has added a small tip to access useful notification failovers. Simply slide your finger up to access Wi-Fi, mobile data, Bluetooth, the Brightness slider, and popular apps.
The basic navigation remains the same as Pixel Launcher to access the application drawer and the power menu.
Customization options
Pixel Launcher does not go as far as Nova and Action Launcher in terms of customization. It offers the ability to hide Google's menu feed, the ability to add new applications to the home screen, text size and application suggestions in the drawer of applications.
As expected, the Microsoft launcher is moving forward here. You can change the layout and size of icons, apply third-party icon packs, appearance of folders, hide apps, and more.
You can also play with the dock settings such as the number of columns, the dock background and the size of the icon.
Google will not let you delete or replace the search bar and, of course, you can not change the default search engine. However, Microsoft Launcher allows you to delete, reorder, and set the default search engine on Yahoo, Bing, or Google.
Theming Engine
With Android 10, Google has begun to deploy dark mode on all devices. The Pixel 4 series comes with a Themes application that lets you change the color of the notification and the navigation button. You can also download it to another device.
Microsoft allows you to change the default theme to dark, light, or transparent. You can also play with a blur effect on the transparent theme. The accent color options include blue, green, orange, red, and so on.
Integration of news
Google and Microsoft allow you to access news stories throughout the day. Swipe the screen to the left and the Google feed is ready to serve you the latest news based on your interests and your browsing habits.
Over time, Google has added new ways to customize the feed menu. Now you can press the little pin to see more or less such items. It is even possible to follow or no longer follow certain topics, to permanently delete the source of information and to share the publication from the three-point menu.
Microsoft's flow menu is divided into three parts. The News tab simply displays stories on the web. You can tap the Settings icon, change the market information and customize the topics of interest.
Microsoft will not let you customize news suggestions from the feed menu. You will have to ignore it or change the interest in the settings menu.
If you switch from the default launcher
As you can see from the above comparison, Pixel Launcher does not have the same functionality as its competitor. But the general finesse, the animations and a coherent experience are still incomparable. Microsoft Launcher relies on the productive side and should be a default choice for those living in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Next Up: Microsoft's Launcher v5.0 brought host new changes to the application. Read the post below to find all the details about it.