Xperia 1 ii can't change icons shape and theme - andriod 11

[justsonghua]

I just brought a second hand HK version Xperia 1 ii. The build number is 58.1.A.1.178. I can't find any setting with theme changing or icon shape changing. Is Xperia 1 ii can't change theme or only on this version? What should i do? Somebody help plz.

[Strampke]

Hi @@1OfAnotherKind 

It's difficult to say.

Once it was possible to change the lot but Google crippled it.

So now you are stuck with the Sony home screen.

Even the Xperia themes have disappeared, although some developers still offer some.

What I did is accept it and be happy with it.

You can download a lot of launchers.

If you want to have an overview of what's available then just install Dark Matter Vintage, and icon design I like a lot.

In Dark Matter Vintage click on install and you'll see a lot of launchers.

Choose and test.

What I did by accident is install the Microsoft launcher.

Inside the launcher I chose to have a new background everyday from Microsoft.

Then I went back to the Sony home launcher and still I get a new background in my home screen every day.

I'm quite happy with it.

Last point.

Don't fight new developments Google made, adapt and enjoy, be happy with what you've got and forget about what you've lost.

[NathanielSJ]

You can easily resize icons in Nova, I use Nova 7 Beta and it is perfect on the Xperia 1 III. I got rid of all the stock icons and just use Minimal White Rings on a Black 4k HDR Wallpaper, it looks perfect.

 The phone itself is just sublime.

[1OfAnotherKind]

@NathanielSJ Hi 🙂 to be honest I don't have any issues with the shape or look of the app icons themselves it's the fact that I have to put up with them all being crammed on just the one Home Screen! I always had them sorted into certain groups ie, music apps only on one page and Google apps only on the next and so on. I loved the themes and how much you could personalise the look overall too.

On another note lol, you mentioned that you have the Xperia 1 III so could I ask you what if any improvements it has in comparison with the Xperia 1 II? 

[1OfAnotherKind]

@Strampke Hi thanks for the information and suggestions 🙂 Can you explain though why I don't have the same issue with my Samsung Galaxy Tablet (Android 11) if as you say it is down to Google? The disappearance of the themes is the second thing that I really miss with the first still being the disablement of the page transitions where I used to have about three pages with my app icons in specific groups. 

[Strampke]

Hi @1OfAnotherKind 

You can still create groups.

Move one icon over another and your group is created.

You can give names to these groups.

The screenshot is attached to this post.

If you want to group on different screens side by side you can act as follows.

Move an icon to and over the side of the home screen it will open a new home screen where you can place the icon.

[1OfAnotherKind]

@Strampke Hi thanks for the quick response. I already have the folders and the groups on different screens. It's the original page transitions that I really miss (along with the themes) where I had an uncluttered Home Screen instead of the cluttered 3 or 4 screen pages I have now... I know you and a couple others on here have suggested trying different launchers but for some reason I can't take to them although I have tried a couple in the past.

You mentioned in one of your recent messages that I shouldn't fight change or future developments and that I should embrace them instead. As a rule I do embrace them and go with it but I don't seem to be able to with the disablement of the page transitions.