The home screen of your smartphone is a vital part of the user experience. It’s the first thing you see when you turn on your phone, and it’s where you access your most important apps. However, if you’re not careful, your home screen can quickly become cluttered with apps that you don’t use very often. This can make it difficult to find the apps that you do use, and it can also make your phone look messy. Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can take to add apps to your home screen without cluttering it up.
The first step is to create a folder for your less-used apps. This will help to keep your home screen organized and make it easier to find the apps that you use the most. To create a folder, simply drag and drop one app on top of another. You can then give the folder a name, such as “Productivity” or “Entertainment.” Once you’ve created a folder, you can drag and drop any other apps that you want to keep in it.
Another way to add apps to your home screen without cluttering it up is to use the app drawer. The app drawer is a feature that’s available on most Android phones. It allows you to view all of the apps that are installed on your phone, even if they’re not on your home screen. To access the app drawer, simply swipe up from the bottom of the screen. You can then scroll through the list of apps and tap on the one that you want to open. If you want to add an app to your home screen from the app drawer, simply press and hold on the app’s icon and then drag it to the home screen.
Locate the App Drawer
The app drawer, also known as the app tray or apps menu, is a component of the graphical user interface (GUI) of a mobile operating system that allows users to view and launch all the installed applications on their device. The app drawer is typically accessed by swiping up from the bottom of the screen, tapping on the app icon, or pressing the dedicated app drawer key on some devices.
The app drawer is organized into a grid of icons, with each icon representing an installed app. The icons are typically arranged alphabetically, by category, or by usage. Some app drawers also allow users to create custom folders to organize their apps.
To find an app in the app drawer, simply scroll through the list of icons until you find the one you’re looking for. You can also use the search bar at the top of the app drawer to search for an app by name.
Opening the App Drawer
There are three common ways to open the app drawer:
| Method | Steps |
|---|---|
| Swipe up | Use your finger to swipe up from the bottom of the screen. |
| Tap the app icon | Tap on the app icon in the dock or home screen. |
| Press the app drawer key | Press the dedicated app drawer key on the side of the device. |
Search for the App
To add an app to your home screen, you first need to find it. There are two ways to do this:
1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the app drawer. This will show you a list of all the apps installed on your device.
2. Open the Play Store and search for the app you want to add. To open the Play Store, tap on the Play Store icon on your home screen or in the app drawer.
In the Play Store
Once you have opened the Play Store, type the name of the app you want to add in the search bar at the top of the screen. A list of apps that match your search will appear. Tap on the app you want to add.
You’ll be shown a page with more information about the app. To install the app, tap on the “Install” button.
Once the app has been installed, it will be added to your home screen.
| Device Name | Steps |
|---|---|
| iPhone | Swipe down from the middle of the screen, type the name of the app in the search bar, tap the app, click “Install”. |
| Android | Swipe up from the bottom of the screen, type the name of the app in the search bar, tap the app, click “Install”. |
Long-Press the App Icon
This method is the most straightforward and works on most Android devices. To add an app to your home screen using this method, follow these steps:
- Navigate to the app drawer on your device.
- Long-press the icon of the app you want to add to your home screen.
- Drag the app icon to the desired location on your home screen.
Note that on some devices, you may need to long-press the app icon and then tap the “Add to home screen” option that appears. Additionally, some devices may allow you to create folders on your home screen by dragging one app icon on top of another.
| Device | Steps |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy | Long-press the app icon > Drag to home screen |
| OnePlus | Long-press the app icon > Tap “Add to home screen” |
| Google Pixel | Long-press the app icon > Drag to home screen or create folder |
Drag and Drop to Home Screen
This method is supported on most Android and iOS devices. Simply long-press the app icon in the app drawer or app library. When the app starts to jiggle or a menu appears, drag and drop it onto the desired location on the home screen.
Android
- Long-press the app icon in the app drawer.
- Drag the app icon to the top of the screen until the home screen appears.
- Drop the app icon in the desired location on the home screen.
iOS
- Long-press the app icon in the app library.
- When the app starts to jiggle, tap and hold the app icon.
- Drag the app icon to the desired location on the home screen.
| Device | Steps |
|---|---|
| Android |
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| iOS |
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Create a New Home Screen Page
Creating a new home screen page allows you to organize your apps and widgets in a way that makes sense to you. Follow these steps to add a new home screen page:
1. Pinch Out on the Home Screen
Place two fingers on the home screen and pinch them together. This will zoom out and show you a bird’s-eye view of all your home screen pages.
2. Tap the Plus Sign
In the bottom-right corner of the screen, tap the “+” icon. This will create a new home screen page.
3. Customize Your Page
Once you’ve created a new page, you can customize it by adding widgets, changing the wallpaper, and moving apps. To add widgets, tap and hold on an empty area of the screen and select “Widgets.” To change the wallpaper, tap and hold on the home screen and select “Wallpaper.”
4. Add Apps to the New Page
To add apps to the new page, tap and hold on an app icon and drag it to the new page. You can also create a folder on the new page by dragging one app icon on top of another.
5. Arrange Your Apps and Widgets
Once you’ve added apps and widgets to the new page, you can arrange them in any way you like. To move an item, tap and hold on it and drag it to a new location. You can also resize widgets by tapping and holding on their edges and dragging them inward or outward.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Pinch out | Zoom out to see all home screen pages. |
| Tap the plus sign | Create a new home screen page. |
| Add widgets | Tap and hold on an empty area and select “Widgets.” |
| Change the wallpaper | Tap and hold on the home screen and select “Wallpaper.” |
| Add apps | Tap and hold on an app icon and drag it to the new page. |
| Move items | Tap and hold on an item and drag it to a new location. |
| Resize widgets | Tap and hold on the edges of a widget and drag them inward or outward. |
Use a Home Screen Widget
A Home Screen Widget is a small, customizable box that can be added to the Home screen. Widgets can display a variety of information, such as the time and date, weather forecast, news headlines, or stock prices. Some widgets can also be interactive, allowing you to perform tasks such as controlling music playback or sending messages.
Add a Home Screen Widget
- Tap and hold an empty space on the Home screen.
- Select “Widgets” from the menu that appears.
- Scroll through the list of available widgets and select the one you want to add.
- Drag the widget to the desired location on the Home screen.
- Release your finger to place the widget.
- Some widgets can be customized by tapping on them and selecting “Settings.” This allows you to change the appearance of the widget or the information it displays.
Benefits of Using Home Screen Widgets
There are many benefits to using Home Screen Widgets. Widgets can:
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Provide easy access to information | Widgets can display important information at a glance, making it easy to stay up-to-date without having to open an app. |
| Save time | Widgets can save time by providing quick access to frequently used apps or tasks. |
| Personalize the Home screen | Widgets can be customized to match the user’s personal style and preferences. |
Install Apps from the Play Store
To install apps from the Google Play Store, follow these steps:
- Open the Google Play Store app on your device.
- Search for the app you want to install.
- Tap the Install button.
- If prompted, enter your Google account password.
- The app will begin downloading and installing.
- Once the installation is complete, the app icon will appear on your home screen.
- Tap the app icon to open the app.
You can also install apps from the Google Play Store website. To do this, follow these steps:
- Go to the Google Play Store website.
- Search for the app you want to install.
- Click the Install button.
- If prompted, enter your Google account password.
- The app will begin downloading and installing.
- Once the installation is complete, the app icon will appear on your home screen.
Troubleshooting
If you are having trouble installing apps from the Google Play Store, try the following:
- Make sure you have a stable internet connection.
- Make sure your device has enough storage space.
- Make sure you are using the correct Google account.
- Restart your device.
- Contact Google support.
Add Apps from a Launcher
The Launcher is the main screen of your Android device, and it’s where you can access your apps, widgets, and other features. To add an app to your Launcher, simply follow these steps:
- Open the App Drawer.
- Find the app you want to add.
- Tap and hold the app icon.
- Drag the app icon to the Launcher.
- Drop the app icon in the desired location.
- Release your finger.
- The app will now be added to your Launcher.
You can also add apps to your Launcher from the Google Play Store. To do this, simply open the Play Store, find the app you want to add, and tap the “Install” button. Once the app is installed, it will be automatically added to your Launcher.
Here is a table summarizing the steps on how to add apps to your Launcher:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open the App Drawer. |
| 2 | Find the app you want to add. |
| 3 | Tap and hold the app icon. |
| 4 | Drag the app icon to the Launcher. |
| 5 | Drop the app icon in the desired location. |
| 6 | Release your finger. |
| 7 | The app will now be added to your Launcher. |
Customise Home Screen Layout
To customise your home screen layout, long-press on an empty area of the screen. This will bring up the home screen edit menu, which allows you to add widgets, change wallpapers, and create folders.
Add Apps to Home Screen
To add apps to your home screen, simply drag and drop them from the app drawer onto the desired location on the screen. You can also create folders by dragging and dropping one app onto another.
Remove Apps from Home Screen
To remove apps from your home screen, long-press on the app and drag it to the “Remove” icon at the top of the screen.
Rearrange Apps on Home Screen
To rearrange apps on your home screen, simply long-press on an app and drag it to the desired location.
Create Folders on Home Screen
To create a folder on your home screen, drag and drop one app onto another. This will create a new folder with the names of both apps. You can then add more apps to the folder by dragging and dropping them onto it.
Change Wallpaper
To change the wallpaper on your home screen, long-press on an empty area of the screen and tap on the “Wallpapers” option. This will bring up the wallpaper selection screen, where you can choose from a variety of pre-installed wallpapers or your own photos.
Add Widgets to Home Screen
To add widgets to your home screen, long-press on an empty area of the screen and tap on the “Widgets” option. This will bring up the widget selection screen, where you can choose from a variety of widgets, such as weather, calendar, and music controls.
Create Shortcuts on Home Screen
To create shortcuts on your home screen, long-press on an app and tap on the “Create shortcut” option. This will create a shortcut to the app on your home screen.
Organise Apps with Folders and Subfolders
To organise apps with folders and subfolders, create a folder as described in step 5. Then, drag and drop another folder onto the first folder to create a subfolder. You can then add apps to the subfolder by dragging and dropping them onto it.
| Feature | Steps |
| Add an app to the home screen | Long-press the app icon in the app drawer and drag it to the home screen. |
| Remove an app from the home screen | Long-press the app icon on the home screen and drag it to the “X” icon at the top of the screen. |
| Rearrange apps on the home screen | Long-press an app icon on the home screen and drag it to the desired location. |
| Change the wallpaper | Long-press an empty area on the home screen and tap on “Wallpapers.” |
| Add a widget to the home screen | Long-press an empty area on the home screen and tap on “Widgets.” |
| Create a folder | Long-press an app icon on the home screen and drag it onto another app icon. |
| Create a shortcut | Long-press an app icon on the home screen and tap on “Create shortcut.” |
| Organize apps with folders and subfolders | Create a folder as described in step 6. Then, drag and drop another folder onto the first folder to create a subfolder. |
Manage Home Screen Apps
Customizing your home screen can enhance your smartphone experience. Here are some tips to manage your home screen apps effectively:
1. Add Apps to Home Screen
- Navigate to the app drawer by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.
- Find the app you want to add and long-press its icon.
- Drag the icon to the desired location on the home screen.
2. Remove Apps from Home Screen
- Long-press the app icon you want to remove.
- Drag the icon to the “Remove” or “Uninstall” option that appears at the top or bottom of the screen.
3. Move Apps Around
- Long-press the app icon you want to move.
- Drag the icon to the new desired location.
4. Create Folders
- Drag and drop one app icon on top of another.
- A new folder will be created. You can rename it by tapping on the folder name.
5. Customize App Icons
- Some smartphones allow you to change app icons. Long-press the app icon.
- Select the “Edit” option and choose a new icon from the available options or create your own.
6. Add Widgets
- Long-press on an empty space on the home screen.
- Select the “Widgets” option.
- Choose the widget you want to add and drag it to the desired location.
7. Change Home Screen Layout
- Long-press on an empty space on the home screen.
- Select the “Home screen settings” or “Display settings” option.
- Choose the desired layout, such as the number of rows and columns.
8. Change Wallpaper
- Long-press on an empty space on the home screen.
- Select the “Wallpapers” or “Background” option.
- Choose the wallpaper you want to use from the available options or select an image from your gallery.
9. Hide Apps
- Open the app drawer.
- Tap on the three dots or menu icon in the top-right corner.
- Select the “Hide apps” option.
- Choose the apps you want to hide and tap on the “Hide” button.
10. Reset Home Screen
If you make significant changes to your home screen and want to revert back to the default settings, you can reset it. The steps may vary slightly depending on the device, but generally:
| Device Type | Steps |
|---|---|
| Android | Long-press on an empty space on the home screen > Home settings > Reset home screen. |
| iPhone | Tap on the Settings app > General > Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout. |
How To Add Apps To Home Screen
Adding apps to your home screen is a quick and easy way to customize your device and make your favorite apps more accessible. Here are the steps on how to add apps to your home screen:
- Open the app drawer by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.
- Find the app you want to add to your home screen.
- Tap and hold the app icon.
- Drag the app icon to the desired location on your home screen.
- Release your finger to drop the app icon into place.
You can also add apps to your home screen from the Google Play Store. Here are the steps on how to do this:
- Open the Google Play Store app.
- Find the app you want to add to your home screen.
- Tap the “Install” button.
- Once the app is installed, tap the “Open” button.
- The app will be added to your home screen.
People Also Ask
How do I remove apps from my home screen?
To remove apps from your home screen, simply tap and hold the app icon and drag it to the “Remove” icon at the top of the screen.
How do I rearrange the apps on my home screen?
To rearrange the apps on your home screen, simply tap and hold the app icon and drag it to the desired location.
How do I create folders on my home screen?
To create folders on your home screen, simply drag and drop one app icon onto another app icon. The two apps will be placed in a folder. You can then add more apps to the folder by dragging and dropping them into the folder.
