A guide for making your phone look like an S4

Hello! In today’s blog post, I will show you how you can turn (almost) every single Android phone you have into looking like a Samsung Galaxy S4, or at least with the software. I’ve done the majority of the work for you, so all you have to do is follow along. All work done here can be reversed and will not have any severe consequences. This entire guide is also free, meaning you won’t have to pay to download any of the files or install the apps.

NOTE: This guide can work on Android 14 and 15 devices, but you may not be able to change app icons and some other things the way this guide shows. This guide also assumes you have a Samsung device with the Play Store on it. If you do not have a Samsung, alternative steps will be provided, but it may not be exactly the same. If you do not have the Play Store installed, I highly suggest you go download it now because many steps in this process require it or an app downloaded from it, including alternative solutions.

Step 1: Downloading

In this step, you will, you guessed it, mainly be downloading apps and ZIPs. They will all be provided as links you can download, even from your phone. (the “clickette.org” links can be trusted. its just a cdn I use, the file names are automatically randomized when uploaded)

S4 Wallpapers: https://clickette.org/u/4jjMHB.zip

S4 Ringtones: https://clickette.org/u/hlfqwG.zip

S4 App Icons: https://clickette.org/u/yUkTy0.apk

Clock/Weather Widget: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.droid27.digitalclockweather

Good Lock Labs: https://galaxystore.samsung.com/detail/com.samsung.android.goodlock

Alternative solution for non-Samsung devices

Nova Launcher: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.launcher

Other links

Amazing, easy to use CDN: https://clickette.org

Step 2: Extracting and Setting

In this step, you will be extracting ZIPs that you downloaded in the step earlier and then using the files. You should be able to extract ZIPs in your file manager, but if you cannot do so, then search up “FV File Explorer” on the Play Store and use that file manager for this guide.

In your file manager, go to the same directory (folder) your downloaded ZIP files are in. Scroll down until you see 4jjMHB.zip and hlfqwG.zip, respectively. Tap and hold your finger (long press) on one of the files, and if that isn’t working, then see if there is a button with 3 dots (it’ll look like this: … but vertical) on the file. A context menu should appear, and go through the available options in the context menu until you find something similar to “Extract” or “Unzip”. If you cannot find an option like this or cannot open the context menu, search up on Google or a search engine of your choice “[File manager name] extract ZIP tutorial” (e.x. “FV File Explorer extract ZIP tutorial”) and follow that. Repeat process for both ZIP files.

Now, you should have two folders. Click the first one you want.

Wallpaper Folder

If you clicked the folder with all the wallpapers, you should just see a bunch of PNG/image files. Choose whichever ones you want as your lock screen and home screen, as the wallpapers and some other things varied between models of the S4, so there isn’t one specific pair of default wallpapers for the S4. Me personally, I chose the one with autumn leaves as the home screen and the one with the child hopping in grass as the lock screen. If you cannot find out how to set these images as your wallpaper, just google it, like this example: “set wallpaper on Samsung Galaxy S20 tutorial”, just with “Samsung Galaxy S20” replaced with your phone’s name, and follow that.

Ringtone Folder

If you clicked the folder with all the ringtones, you should just see a ton of audio files. Choose the one you want as your default ringtone, it really doesn’t matter. Me personally, I chose Over The Horizon because it is the brand theme and sounds great. Similarly, to the wallpapers, just search up how to set a ringtone with audio files on your device if you cannot figure out how to.

Step 3: Applications

With the application links provided earlier, you will install Good Lock Labs and the clock/weather widget. The next bits will guide you through setting them up.

Clock/Weather Widget App

Go to the link and install the app on your phone, and open it (obviously). Go through the setup process. Then, once you reach the main weather page, open the context menu with the button on the top-left side of your screen. Click Settings, then Appearance Settings in the menu that pops up, and finally, click Widget skin. Scroll until you find the option called “blue rectangle clock” that looks like a blue rectangle clock and weather widget (duh). Click it and exit the app. Then, progress to the next app.

Good Lock

Go to the link and install the app. When opened, look for HomeUp. Its icon will have a home on what appears to be a… rainbow geyser? Anyways, you will click the download icon for HomeUp on the right side of the screen. If it didn’t automatically open, then click HomeUp. On arrival, let’s deal with settings:

• Home Screen Settings

1. Home Screen Grid: In the folder/group of settings labeled Home screen, there will be a setting called Home Screen Grid. Set it 4 by 4 (4x4).
2. Apps Screen Grid: Same group as Home Screen Grid. Set this one to 4 by 5 (4x5).
3. Page Loop: In the same folder as HSG and ASG, there will be a toggle called Loop Pages, and it needs to be disabled.

• Folder Settings

1. Popup Folder: A toggle in the Folder section. Enable it.

Now, there is another module that needs to be installed from Good Lock. Go back to the main Good Lock screen, with all of the available options. Scroll until you find Theme Park. Install it. Now, enter the app. Remember that APK I made you download earlier? Install it. You’ll need it. Once that Multi Layout Theme is installed, reenter the Theme Park app. In the menu at the bottom of the screen, you will find a button labeled icon which kinda looks like a wrapped gift present. Click it, and there will be a big rainbow button labeled “CREATE NEW”. You probably already have, but if you haven’t, click it. Now, there will be another icon identical to the icon button you clicked earlier, but now bigger and labeled with “Iconpack”. Click it, and in the third party icon packs section, you will find the very same multi theme iconpack I made you install earlier. Now, what you likely will see, is a big fat nothing, except for the S4 wallpaper you installed earlier. Click the 3 dots in the top right corner, then the only button (“Change icons”). Click it. Now, I hate to do this to you, but because of an issue with how the icons are assigned, you will have to manually assign these icons for every app on your phone. There might be some exact matches in there (e.x. apps like Phone, Minecraft, YouTube, and Spotify), but there’s also a chance that some apps (especially games) won’t have an exact match, so you will have to find a similar match (e.x. apps with this issue include YT Studio, ibisPaint, and Bluesky). Once done, exit the menu and and click the download icon near the same 3 dots icon. Click it, give your iconpack a beautiful name, and then apply it.

Nova Launcher (non-Samsung)

In the Nova Launcher, open the app drawer and then open your Nova Settings (or something similar). Use the search feature to find the settings for grids, and set it to the aforementioned values. Remember that APK I made you download earlier? Install it. You’ll need it. Once that Multi Layout Theme is installed, go back to the app drawer. Unfortunately, to set the app icons, you will need to long press on each app and choose the appropriate icon from the S4 icon pack. Just repeat the process until every app has an S4 icon.

Step 4: Layout

Now, for your actual home screen. This is probably one of the most important parts to make your phone look like an S4. Nova or Samsung, long press on the home screen, and add the clock weather widget, at the very top. Then, under the clock/weather widget, place a Google Search widget that stretches across the screen. Under that, in order (from left to right), place Email, then Calendar, then Camera, and finally, the Play Store. Now, on the quick access bar at the bottom or whatever it is called, in order, place Call, then Contacts, then Messaging, then Internet (app of your choice, but for authenticity, I went with Samsung Internet), and at the end, the App drawer icon.

 

Your transformation should now be done! Congratulations, your phone now looks like an S4! Anyways, for more cool tech and programming stuff, make sure to tune in the the CheeseBlog. Cya!