Header Banner
gadgethacks.mark.png
Gadget Hacks Shop Apple Guides Android Guides iPhone Guides Mac Guides Pixel Guides Samsung Guides Tweaks & Hacks Privacy & Security Productivity Hacks Movies & TV Smartphone Gaming Music & Audio Travel Tips Videography Tips Chat Apps
Home
Nexus

Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs

Jul 29, 2014 03:44 PM
Settings menu on a smartphone showing wireless network options.

Yes, I know. Nexus owners aren't exactly the biggest Apple fans out there. That "Pure Android" experience was one of the main reasons we bought our Nexus devices. But give the other side some credit—the iPhone's operating system has come along way, and is still the champ when it comes to aesthetic design (at least until Material Design dethrones it this fall).

Among many other features, the new "flat style" interface was introduced with iOS 7, and it brought tons of polish to Apple's mobile OS. Little touches, from Gaussian blur effects to new icons were ushered in, and the interface gained a bit of class.

Developer ibocharov decided he'd bring a lot of "flatness" over to the Android realm. To be clear, this isn't a copy of iOS 7, it's simply this developers interpretation of flat setting icons and a blurred notification panel.

His Xposed module, which is called iOS7Flat Style Module, lets you apply these elements to your Nexus 5 so easily that it would almost be crazy not to try it out.

Prerequisites

Install Flat Style Module

Adding many of these flat visual elements to your Nexus is really as simple as installing an Xposed Module and ticking a few boxes. But the module that makes this all possible hasn't made its way to the Xposed repository just yet, so you'll have to download it separately.

Just point your Nexus's browser to this link to download the installer file, and when that's done, tap the Download complete notification.

Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs
Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs
Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs
Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs

Tap Install on the next screen, and in short order, you should see a notification from Xposed that lets you know the module isn't activated yet. Tap the Activate and Reboot button on this notification, and Xposed will handle the rest for you.

Application installation prompt on a mobile device.
App installation confirmation screen for Flat Style Module.
Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs
Application installation prompt on a mobile device.
App installation confirmation screen for Flat Style Module.
Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs

Choose the Elements You Want to Theme

When you get back up, head into the Flat Style Module app. In here, you'll see a bunch of different elements that you can theme. Enable the individual elements that you wish to have themed by toggling the respective switch to the right of the entry.

Settings menu interface with options for structure, notifications, and environment configuration.
Settings menu with options for visual styles, notifications, and keyboard appearance.
Warning message indicating that changes will become active after reboot.
Settings menu interface with options for structure, notifications, and environment configuration.
Settings menu with options for visual styles, notifications, and keyboard appearance.
Warning message indicating that changes will become active after reboot.

After enabling the entries, you'll see a message that tells you Changes will become active after reboot. When you're ready, just reboot your phone and the new theme will be applied.

Settings menu on a mobile device showing wireless and device options.
Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs
Settings menu on a mobile device showing wireless and device options.
Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs

As you can see, lots of different things got the flattened treatment, with an iOS 7-like blur for the notification shade. The Android Settings menu is themed in the flat style, and the system icons are redone.

Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs
Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs
Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs
Theme Your Nexus 5 with Flat System Icons & Translucent Pull-Downs

That Gaussian blur treatment is evident in most system menus that previously had any translucency. You can see it in the recents menu and the Quick Settings and notifications panels. Even list items and menus have the flat look applied.

Did you decide to keep this theme for a while? Or did you just take a look and go running back to vanilla Android? Let us know in the comments section below.

The next big software update for iPhone is coming sometime in April and will include a Food section in Apple News+, an easy-to-miss new Ambient Music app, Priority Notifications thanks to Apple Intelligence, and updates to apps like Mail, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari. See what else is coming to your iPhone with the iOS 18.4 update.

Related Articles

Comments

No Comments Exist

Be the first, drop a comment!