Do you hate your Android default homescreen? Ugly, messy, and too cluttered?

We will fix that for you, with an intuitive step by step tutorial on how to make your homescreen unique, beautiful and functional. The next time you show your friends what Android is all about, your friends will be wowed. 

Today, we’ve picked the homescreen called “Extreme Minimalism” created by our Founder, Peach.

Prerequisite

If you are not aware of how Android system works, I suggest you read this article to get you started: Customizing Your Android Without Rooting

Required Apps:

ADWLauncher EX

Install App »

mClock

Install App »

Required custom mods on Your SD Card:

(Copy the mClock folder in the .zip to the root of your SD Card.)

(Copy all the files inside /mod/ folder in the .zip to the /mclock/ folder in your SD Card)

Launcher Settings

Let’s start making your Android more attractive:

1. Make sure you’ve installed ADWLauncher EX and have it as a default launcher.
2. Go into ADW Settings, from 
   [Menu] > More > ADWSettings
3. Change Screen preference options by going into UI Settings > Screen Preferences:
    > Desktop Column > Set to 4
    > Desktop Rows > Set to 5 
    > Screen Indicators > Un-ticked
    > Hide StatusBar > Ticked
    > Overlap Widgets > Ticked
    > Advanced Settings > Auto Stretch > Ticked 
4. Now, go back to UI Settings and select Main Dock
    > Dock Size (Portrait) > Set to 5 

Adding Widgets

1. Empty the homescreen and dock you wish to customized by removing any existing widgets and/or icons.
2. Add the Clock widget to your homescreen by holding your finger on the empty homescreen, select Widgets and add a widget called mClock (4x3).
3. Once done, mClock settings window will appear. Select xml template.
4. File Explorer will appear. Navigate as follows (shown in the image below):
   mClock > MIUI > MIUI_clock.xml
5. Now press back button to get out of the settings window. You will be alerted with the widget size settings, choose column as 4 and row as 2, then click ok.

You should now have a slick looking clock on the homescreen. Let’s add the calendar to the homescreen.

1. Follow the same procedures as previously done on the clock until step 5.
2. Instead navigate to:
   mClock > calendar.xml
3. Now press back button to get out of the settings window, you will be alerted with the size of the widget, choose column as 4 and row as 2, then click OK.
4. Begin laying out the clock first to match the right image below by holding your finger on the clock widget and let go without moving the widget.
5. Addition options window will appear, click Edit and you will see a resize box around the clock widget. 
6. Resize and move the clock to match the screen on the right of the image below.
7. Since we’ve enabled Overlap Widgets, we can overlap the calendar widget as shown on the left image below. This can be done the same way as previous step.

Adding Custom Icon

 Now let’s add the icons:

1. Hold down your finger on the homescreen, you will see an option. Select the first option called “Launcher Actions”
2. Choose the third option called “Open/Close App Drawers”. The icon added on the homescreen will act as a button to your app drawer.
3. Now drag the recently added icon down to the dock and release your finger. 
4. To change the icon image, simply hold down your finger on the icon and release without moving, additional options drop down should appear. Select Edit.
5. You will see a box containing the icon on the left side of the window. Click the box  > Select Picture > Gallery > Navigate to where the Meego Icons are on your SD card  > Select the grayish grid icon > OK.
6. Now I’ll let you play around with this. Grab any apps you want to make as a shortcut and repeat the step 3 - 5 to change each icon on the dock. 
7. Instead of using the Meego Icon, you can also use the Touchit HD icon we’ve included in the prerequisite section.

End Result

The end result should look like the above image. I hope you enjoy our little tutorial to help you start making Android prettier. 

If you have any question, let us know: contactus@mycolorscreen.com

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