Top 5 Stunning Android Background Apps to Revitalize Your Mobile Experience

Quick Links

One of the coolest things about Android is the sheer amount of ways you can make your phone look awesome. You can change everything from your home screen launcher, icons, fonts, and, of course, the wallpaper. But don’t settle for boring stock wallpapers—there are apps for that, too.

Changing up your wallpaper is the easiest way to give your phone a facelift, and I’ve rounded up five killer wallpaper apps with some seriously unique designs to make your phone pop. Let’s dive in and give your device a fresh new look!

1 Vaporwave Wallpapers

The Vaporwave Wallpapers app serves as a portal to the mesmerizing world of nostalgic aesthetics, drawing inspiration from the vibrant and eccentric styles of the 80s and 90s. Far beyond a mere random assortment, this app is a curated collection that delves deep into the heart of the Vaporwave culture.

The wallpapers within this app are carefully selected to encapsulate the core elements of Vaporwave aesthetics. Expect to be greeted by vivid neon colors, geometric shapes that echo a sense of retro-futurism, and the captivating allure of glitch art.

There are many unique categories of wallpapers here, including (but not limited to):

Vaporwave: Featuring daily-updated high-quality wallpapers blending nostalgia and classical Roman statues.
Retrowave 80’s: A collection embodying Synthwave, Outrun, and Hotline Miami vibes.
Aesthetic: A diverse range of wallpapers, from nature-inspired pink themes to abstract designs and glitches, including classical Roman statues.
Gamewave: A collection of PS1 and Gameboy wallpapers with aesthetic characters inspired by vintage gaming consoles.
Anime: Over 400 HD anime wallpapers, spanning classic titles like Sailor Moon and Evangelion.
Pixelwave: A category showcasing pixel artistry by professionals.
Live: A mix of animated live wallpapers, like GIFs, covering all the mentioned categories.

2 Abstruct

Abstruct stands as the official wallpaper app crafted by the award-winning OnePlus wallpaper artist Hampus Olsson . With a rich portfolio of designing wallpapers for over 26 OnePlus devices, Olsson brings his creative touch to this app. There is a collection of exclusive 4K wallpapers, numbering over 450, available solely through this application.

Abstruct gives you access to Olsson’s wallpapers from the OnePlus 2 to the Nord series. Plus, you get official Paranoid Android wallpapers and eight categories like Blend, OnePlus, PA, Craft, Vibrance, Peak, Void & Poly to personalize your home and lock screen.

3 Backdrops

Backdrops is my go-to app for sprucing up my phone’s look. The wallpapers are carefully chosen to bring a mix of styles, from breathtaking landscapes to cool abstract pieces.

The premium collection adds a classy touch. When I’m in the mood for something a bit more refined or intricate, I explore the premium options. They’ve got interesting names like Optic Odysseys, Synth Wavez, Acid Pop, and Cosmic Journeys. Just a heads up, though—these come with a price tag.

But if you’re all about the freebies, you’re in luck! There’s a bunch of free collections to choose from. Whether it’s the Earth collection with those sharp Google Earth shots or the Android-centric “Be Together” collection, there’s always something new to check out in Backdrops. It’s like a daily surprise, and it won’t cost you a dime.

4 Doodle Live Wallpapers

Doodle brings a vibrant collection of wallpapers inspired by the original Doodle set from Google Pixel 4 , and to spice things up, they’ve tossed in some additional wallpapers from Chrome OS .

What makes Doodle stand out? It’s not just a copy-paste job; it’s a complete rewrite. Plus, Doodle offers loads of customization options, letting you tweak your wallpapers to match your unique style.

The designs are not just pretty; they embody the authentic Pixel aesthetic, capturing that distinctive Material Design style. Adding a subtle touch of dynamism, Doodle incorporates a power-efficient parallax effect that responds as you swipe or tilt your device. Optional zoom effects give you even more control over how your wallpapers look.

Here’s a cool feature: direct boot support ensures your chosen wallpaper is active right after your device restarts, so you don’t miss a beat in enjoying your preferred visual vibe. And the best part? The app is completely open-source and ad-free.

5 Cartogram Live Map Wallpapers

Let’s dive into Cartogram, the app that turns your device into a living canvas with its dynamic live map wallpapers. Forget static images; these maps evolve and change as you use your device. It’s like having a dynamic, real-time map on your home screen.

What’s cool is the personalization aspect. No more settling for generic visuals; the app allows you to choose specific areas, cities, or countries to feature on your live map wallpaper. It’s like curating your own digital map gallery that reflects your favorite places.

Cartogram also brings a touch of realism with its day and night views feature. The maps adjust based on the time of day, providing a different visual experience, whether it’s morning, noon, or night.

Concerned about battery life? Well, live wallpapers do tend to consume more battery juice. However, Cartogram claims that it is battery-friendly, and in my case, the battery drain was not excessive, but your mileage may vary.

Hardware Updates

Top 5 Stunning Android Background Apps to Revitalize Your Mobile Experience