Despite the flexibility of Android in customization, the options available in stock on Android are quite simple. Only with the help of third-party applications can we fully transform sections of the user interface to our liking. And thanks to a new application, we can modify another part of the operating system, the status bar.
There are only a handful of apps that allow you to change the appearance of the status bar. The best option was QuickStar, an app from the Good Lock collection, but it’s only limited to a handful of Samsung Galaxy devices. Tom Bayley, the same developer behind one of my all-time favorite apps, Bottom Quick Settings, has filled that void with an app that works on any phone running Android 5.0 or newer.
Step 1: Download the Super Status Bar
The app that does it all is Super Status Bar, and it’s available for free from the Play Store. To get the most out of the app, you can upgrade to the pro version for a one-time fee of $ 1.99.
Step 2: activate permissions
When you open the application for the first time, a few initial configuration pages are displayed. After these, press “Start” from the main menu. On the new page, you will see two toggles associated with the necessary authorization. Tap each of them and you will be redirected to the corresponding Settings page. Locate the Super Status Bar on these pages and activate the permissions.
Once tuned, you will see the “Start” button changed to “Stop” on the main application page, indicating that the main application service is running.
Step 3: Change the status bar
From the main screen of the application, choose “Status bar”. For larger changes, you’ll need to upgrade to the pro version, but there’s a lot to do without spending a dime.
If you want to keep the standard status bar, go to Edit tab for your customization options. Here you will see a list of all the different icons that you can turn off. You can also activate hidden icons like “Network Speed” and extend the clock to also display seconds. These options depend on your phone and may not work on all devices.
Go back to Customs tab, by activating “Activate custom status bar”, you can do a lot more with the status bar, most of which require the pro version. For those who are not looking to spend money, you can deactivate the icons by selecting “system icons”. Activating the custom status bar will also change the color to match the current application, which for the Super Status Bar application is green.
Step 4: Upgrade to the Pro version for themes and more
If you want to get the most out of this app, upgrade to the pro version for $ 1.99. If you’re like me and take advantage of Google Opinion Rewards, you can earn as many Play Store credits in no time.
And honestly, it’s worth it! With the pro version, the first thing you will want to do is activate the “custom status bar” under the Customs tongue. From there, “Style” changes the appearance of the icons in the status bar – it’s like a theme. Currently, you can emulate Android, iOS, and MIUI, but other themes are in the works.
With “Colors” you can go beyond simply matching the current colors of the application by opting for a brighter color or by using a personalized arrangement.
“Order of items” allows you to rearrange the icons, allowing you to move the clock to the right or the center. If you move the time to the right, you can position it to the left or right of the system icons.
Finally, you can force the custom status bar to always appear, as Android will return to the original state in some cases. This will result in the loss of full screen mode for some applications.
One thing to note is that the custom status bar currently does not display 5G, opting instead for LTE. For most phones, this won’t be a problem, but for those who are upgrading or planning to upgrade this year, the lack of indicator could bother you.