If you are bored with the default skin on your Android device, there are plenty of third-party Android launchers that can completely change the look and feel of your phone. However, nothing comes closer to this new Windows Launcher that lets you relive the classic Windows XP memories on your phone.
It has the classic XP theme, a desktop and Start menu, screen savers, a cute puppy, and even some classic apps like Winamp and Internet Explorer, which are designed to put a smile on your face.
- OS
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Android
- Developer
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Gjovanovski
Windows Launcher is a retro Android launcher that faithfully recreates the look and feel of Windows 9x, XP, and Vista, including classic themes, icons, start menu, and built-in retro apps and games.​
Looks and feels like XP
I first spotted Windows Launcher on Reddit. However, this launcher, developed by an independent developer (gjovanovski), was initially available only through the developer’s own server, which was not exactly the safest or most convenient option. So, I waited until it was finally uploaded to GitHub before giving it a try. And it was worth the wait.
Windows Launcher greets you with the familiar Windows XP startup sound and welcome screen and tries to recreate the Windows experience. You have a working Start menu, a desktop, and the lovable search companion, Rover—the yellow puppy. When you tap on him, he even says, “Hi, I am Rover, welcome to Windows XP,” in that nostalgic robotic voice.
Remember Clippy? He’s here too, now integrated with your calendar events to pop up with reminders. The classic dialogue screens for settings look exactly like they did back in 2001, right down to the pixelated buttons and that distinctive grey-blue colour scheme.
You can access desktop properties with a long-press on the old Windows desktop. From there, you can change wallpapers or switch between different themes—Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, and classic XP. Each theme comes with its own startup and shutdown sounds, login screens, and those built-in wallpapers we all remember. The 3D pipes screensaver is there too, bouncing around when your phone is idle.
The attention to detail is impressive as well. Desktop icons use the classic Windows iconography, and you can rename them or change their appearance just like on a real Windows machine.
Built-in classic apps
Comes with retro apps that look almost identical to the default XP apps
Beyond the XP look, it recreates some of Windows’ classic charm through built-in apps. The developer has created a few retro apps from scratch that look and work like legacy apps on Windows XP. For example, it has Internet Explorer 6 that offers surprisingly smooth browsing. You can even set your homepage with a long press; it worked surprisingly well on modern websites.
It also has Winamp to play multimedia files. Notepad looks and works exactly like the original, now with tabs for multiple documents, and a Phone Dialer app that maintains the classic Windows aesthetic and offers basic calling and speed dial functions.
The Registry Editor lets you tweak launcher settings in a way that feels authentic to the Windows experience. Functionality-wise, you can use it to export and restore your launcher configurations to Google Drive.
What’s Windows XP without the classic Minesweeper and Solitaire? Both games are included, looking and playing exactly as they did twenty years ago. They’ve been faithfully recreated for this launcher, right down to the card animations and mine explosion effects.
Performance and quirks
Runs surprisingly smoothly, but not without faults
Windows Launcher is not available on the Play Store due to copyright concerns, so you’ll need to download it from GitHub and sideload it. The developer mentions plans to release it on F-Droid, though it hasn’t appeared there yet. Installation is easy if you’ve sideloaded apps before. First, allow app installation from unknown sources, then download the APK from GitHub and install the app.
On my Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, the launcher runs remarkably smoothly. There’s no lag when opening the Start menu, apps launch quickly, and even the animations feel responsive. The launcher would probably work even better on an Android tablet or foldable phones like the Pixel Fold or Galaxy Z Fold, where the larger screen real estate would better accommodate the desktop layout.
It also supports a couple of gesture controls. For example, swipe up to open the Start menu, swipe down for notifications, and swipe right to quickly launch your favorite app. You can search for any Android app through the Start menu, then create shortcuts on the desktop or pin them to the Start menu itself.
That said, it’s still not as polished as popular third-party launchers like Niagara, but that’s part of the charm of a project trying to recreate a legacy PC experience on a smartphone. According to the developer, most dialog boxes are actually static screenshots with overlays instead of fully dynamic interfaces. As a result, some windows may not scale correctly on phones with unusual aspect ratios.
A nostalgic trip worth taking
This Windows XP launcher is more than just a novelty—it’s a lovingly crafted time machine that I intend to use as a daily driver on my secondary device. I have used Windows Phone launchers to recreate the tiled interface from the Nokia Lumia era, but this is a full-blown XP experience on a phone. From Rover’s animations to the authentic startup sounds, the attention to detail can make you smile.
This may very well remain a passion project, but for anyone who spent their formative years clicking through Windows XP, this launcher offers a blend of nostalgia and functionality. It’s not trying to be the most efficient launcher or the most customizable—it’s simply trying to recreate an experience many of us remember fondly, and it succeeds brilliantly.