Customize your lock screen with the help of these five free apps

Introduction

Mobile device lock screens are easy to take for granted.\r\nThey help secure your device — but depending on what type of device you have,\r\nthey might not do much else. However, there are apps on nearly every mobile\r\nplatform that let you customize your lock screen. Some apps add a bit of flair,\r\nwhile others add much more.

Note: This gallery is also available as an article.

FancyLock

The only real downside to this app is that it includes in-app\r\npurchases.

FancyLock is free for iOS.

Unique Locks Free

Like FancyLock, this\r\napp also has in-app purchases.

Unique\r\nLocks Free is for free for iOS.

Fireflies Lockscreen

What\r\nreally got my attention about this app was the cool firefly (or lightning bug,\r\nas we call them in the south) animation that appears while the lock screen is\r\ndisplayed. Maybe I’m a sucker for pretty flashing lights, but I like this lock\r\nscreen app because it reminds me of all the hot summer nights that my wife and\r\nI have spent on our screened porch watching the fireflies until the wee hours.

Cover Lock Screen

Cover Lock Screen is still in beta, but the idea behind it is cool\r\nenough that I wanted to include it anyway. This tool displays a series of apps\r\nthat are based on your location. For instance, you might want to see business\r\napps while you are at work and games or entertainment apps when you’re home.

Cover Lock Screen

The app shortcuts are displayed directly on the lock screen\r\nand you can peek into the apps or jump between apps from your lock screen.

Cover\r\nLock Screen is free for Android.

Lock Manager Free

As with most other lock screen utilities, you can pick a\r\ncustom background to be displayed.

Lock Manager Free is free for Windows Phone.