Does the UI on GrapheneOS look the same as Default Google Pixel?

Exile

Hi!
I'm currently looking into joining the Android team and whilst looking for phones I came across the Google Pixel, which lead me into rabbit hole of GrapheneOS things, and it looks super cool with the focus on privacy and what not.

I personally think the Google Pixel looks very clean with the new UI changes that came with Android 16 however..

My question is, does GrapheneOS have the option to look the same way as a Google Pixel does by default? Or is the UI very much custom GrapheneOS, plain and boring etc?

Are you able to install things such as "Launchers" to customize the UI just like you would on any Android device? I get that installing certain things would sort of make the privacy stuff obsolete but I think you can get a good balance between installing apps and also having the privacy you feel necessary, no?

Appreciate all the answers! Super excited to learn more about this!

Tandara

The UI is the default AOSP one with the support for md colors.

Sure, you can install launchers and use them without problems. Personally, I went with Lawnchair as it's the most 'Pixel' look you can get.

For top bar controls, it's still the default AOSP look and not 'Stock' looking (maybe they will add it into AOSP in some distant future).

Exile

Oh! I see.. Well I'm sure there are a lot of launchers to choose from so I'm probably fine.

Thank you for the response, much appreciated! :-)

Tandara

Exile Np :)

mrn

The UI is close enough to stock, for example the "Settings" app, control center and sound change are in appearance exactly as you would find them on stock on Android 15.
The biggest difference in interfaces is some of the stock apps preinstalled. I'm thinking about Clock, Messages and Phone for example, which have kept their appearance and features of how you would find them on Android 5, so they're pretty outdated. The launcher is barebones too, but that's not necessarily a bad thing depending on who you ask.
The team explained why that is, and the reason is that security and timely updates of the OS are their biggest priority, and that they will update these apps some time in the near future when they can.

mrn

mrn I say Android 15 in appearance, because for now the Android 16 interface still looks like the Android 15 one, and not like the screenshots you've been seeing.
That's because they haven't rolled out the new Android 16 appearance on stock either yet, that will be coming with an update soon.