- Make a folder of apps
- Move apps between Home screens
- The tools for tidying your phone
- Remove versus Uninstall: read the label
- Use the apps list for everything else
- Shortcuts and widgets save taps
- Samsung and other phones
- A layout that works for a small business phone
- The short version from me
- Frequently asked questions
To organise apps on Android, touch and hold an app, drag it onto another app to make a folder, then tap the folder to name it. Drag apps, folders and widgets wherever you want them, and slide an item to the right edge to create a new Home screen. Google says some steps need Android 14 and up.
My phone used to have four Home screens of apps I'd opened once. Sorting them doesn't take long, and Android gives you three tools to do it: folders (Google calls them groups), extra Home screens, and the full apps list you get by swiping up. Here's how each one works, using the steps from Google's own Android help.
Make a folder of apps
- Touch and hold an app or shortcut on your Home screen.
- Drag it on top of another app and lift your finger. Android makes a group.
- To add more, drag each extra app on top of the group.
- To name it, tap the group, then tap the suggested name, pick one of the suggestions above the keyboard, or type your own.
I name folders by job rather than by app type. "Clients", "Social", "Admin" is a sight easier to scan than "Productivity" and "Tools". Short names also fit under the icon without being cut off.
Move apps between Home screens
Touch and drag any app, shortcut, widget or group. Android shows images of your Home screens, so you can slide the item to where you want it and lift your finger. To make a brand new Home screen, drag an item to the right until a blank screen appears.
Removing a Home screen's the reverse: move every app, widget and group off it, and once the last one goes, Android removes the screen for you. There's no separate delete button.
The tools for tidying your phone
| What you want | How to do it on Android |
|---|---|
| Group similar apps | Drag one app on top of another to make a folder |
| Rename a folder | Tap the folder, then tap its name |
| Add an app to a Home screen | Swipe up from the bottom, then touch and drag the app |
| Add a new Home screen | Drag an item to the right until a blank screen appears |
| Take an app off the Home screen | Touch and hold, drag up to Remove |
| Get rid of the app entirely | Touch and hold, drag up to Uninstall |
| Add a widget | Touch and hold an empty space, tap Widgets |
Remove versus Uninstall: read the label
This is the catch that trips people up when they tidy in a hurry. When you touch and hold an item and drag it upwards, you may see Remove, Uninstall, or both. Google's clear that Remove only takes the app off your Home screen, while Uninstall takes it off your device. If you want a cleaner screen but still use the app now and then, choose Remove. It'll stay in your full apps list.
Use the apps list for everything else
You don't need every app on a Home screen. With gesture navigation, swiping up from the bottom of your Home screen opens your apps. If your phone uses the older 2-button layout, Google says you swipe up on the Home button and then swipe up again to find all apps. If you're not sure which you have, open Settings and search for Navigation.
My rule: only the apps I open every day get a place on the first screen. Everything else can live in the apps list, one swipe away.
Shortcuts and widgets save taps
Some apps offer shortcuts to things inside them, like starting a new message or opening a particular chat. Touch and hold the app and lift your finger: if it has shortcuts, you'll get a list. Touch and hold a shortcut to drag it onto a Home screen of its own.
Widgets show information without opening the app, such as your calendar or the weather. Touch and hold an empty space, tap Widgets, find the app and drag the widget into place. If it can be resized, you'll see an outline with dots on the sides; drag those to change the size, then tap outside the widget.
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Samsung and other phones
Google's steps describe Android itself. Phone makers often add their own Home screen app on top, so the wording or menu positions may differ on a Samsung, Xiaomi or Motorola phone. The basics of touch and hold, drag to group, and drag to move are common across most of them. Google also notes some steps only work on Android 14 and up.
A layout that works for a small business phone
I've got one Home screen for work and one for everything else. The work screen has a calendar widget at the top, then folders for clients, social media and finance. The second screen's for personal stuff. Anything I touch less than weekly goes off both screens and lives in the apps list. When I want to show a client where something sits on my phone, I grab a quick screenshot on Android rather than describing it.
The short version from me
Touch, hold and drag does nearly everything: drag one app onto another for a folder, drag to the edge for a new screen, drag up to Remove. Read the Remove and Uninstall labels carefully. And if your phone is full of games, a folder called Games keeps the fun stuff off your work screen. If you'd like to show someone your new layout, you can also record your screen on Android as you swipe through it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a folder on Android?
Touch and hold an app, drag it on top of another app and lift your finger. Tap the folder to name it.
How do I delete an empty Home screen?
Move every app, widget and group off it. Google says the screen is removed once the last item goes.
Does Remove uninstall the app?
No. Remove takes it off your Home screen only. Uninstall takes it off your device.
How do I see all my apps on Android?
With gesture navigation, swipe up from the bottom of your Home screen. On 2-button navigation, swipe up on Home, then swipe up again.
Why don't these steps match my phone?
Phone makers can change the Home screen, and Google says some steps only work on Android 14 and up.
