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Back in the days before Microsoft had not yet given up on their mobile operating system, there were a bunch of Android apps that made your Android smartphone or tablet look like a Windows device

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As recalled, that Metro/tile aesthetic still attracts fans. 's caution about adoption and breakage is valid: radically re-skinning Android often creates usability and reliability problems. If the goal is "tile look" rather than a full, unsupported OS clone, a pragmatic approach keeps Android behavior intact while giving you the visuals you want.

  1. Start with a well-maintained launcher (examples: Microsoft Launcher, Nova, Lawnchair). Set a square grid (3x3, 4x4), remove labels and increase icon size so icons read like tiles.
  2. Use a tile-style icon pack or custom icons for the main apps to get uniform squares.
  3. Build "live tiles" with a widget maker (KWGT or similar): a 2x2 widget with a colored rectangle, an icon, a short text line, and a tap action that opens the app. Use native widgets for calendar, weather and email where possible so information stays live and reliable.
  4. Keep everything reversible: export launcher settings and keep a backup of the original home app choice.

Practical cautions and fixes: avoid sideloading old Windows Phone APKs or obscure launchers—unmaintained launchers often request intrusive permissions, include ads, or fail on modern Android. If notifications or background updates stop after switching launchers, check that the launcher has been granted notification access and is excluded from battery optimizations (Settings -> Apps -> Default apps/Home -> launcher; Settings -> Battery -> Background/Optimization exceptions). If anything goes wrong, switch back to your previous launcher, clear defaults and reboot.

Bottom line: emulate the tile look by combining a stable launcher, icon packs and small, purpose-built widgets. That preserves Android app behavior and notifications while giving you the Metro vibe without the stability and privacy risks of a full OS skin.

Member Avatar for rproffitt

And a fine way to instantly tank your app's adoption rate. Need proof? Do you know anyone with said phone from a Microsoft company?

Edited by rproffitt
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