In my observation, there are two types of tech users. One group will do whatever it takes to learn how to customize and troubleshoot their phone using online sources to set it up exactly as they want. The other group has a smartphone because they have to/were told they have to. Those folks are more likely to just accept the things they dislike about the experience.
If you are in the second camp, it is possible you either: have an icon on your home screen(s) for every single app, or have trouble finding that app you know you downloaded. Or both! While it’s true that all of your apps live in the “app drawer” that can be opened and searched, sometimes it’s just faster and easier to have the shortcut more readily available.
Today’s post will offer suggestions for organizing your phone screen in a way that aligns with your workflow and preferences.
Basic Organization Options
Both Android and iOS devices have similar options for home screen organization.
- Add/remove app shortcuts
- Add/remove webpage shortcuts
- Move shortcuts around the screen or to different screens
- Move shortcuts into folders
We’ll look at how to perform these actions one platform at a time. Let’s start with Android.
Android Home Screen
Add App Shortcut
Your device may add a shortcut to your home screen for every app you have, or it may not. If you have an app that you’d like to add to your home screen, follow these steps:
- Open the app drawer by either swiping up or tapping the waffle icon in the bottom toolbar.
- Scroll to the app and long-press (press and hold) the shortcut until a menu pops up
- Select “add to home screen”
It will be placed in the next available spot on your home screen. If you’d like to move it around, we’ll cover that later in this article.
Add Webpage Shortcut
There may be times when you want to save a specific webpage to your home screen, rather than bookmark it in your browser and then open the browser for access. To add a webpage shortcut using the Chrome browser:
- Navigate to the desired page in Chrome
- Tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right, next to the web address
- Select “add to home screen”
Again, this will place the shortcut in the next available spot. We will discuss moving a shortcut in a later section..
Remove an App or Webpage Shortcut
To remove a shortcut, press and hold it. Select “remove” from the menu. In the case of apps, this removes only the shortcut, not the app. You can still open the app from the app drawer.
Move Shortcuts on the Screen
If you want to move a shortcut to a different spot on the same screen or a different page of your home screen:
- Press and hold the shortcut until a menu appears
- Without lifting your finger, drag it to the desired position. To move it to the next page, drag it to the edge of the screen until the page changes
- Lift your finger to drop the shortcut in that location
Note: Use the visual guides to ensure the shortcut occupies its own spot. If you drop the shortcut on top of another shortcut, you’ll accidentally achieve what we’re trying to do in the next section.
Using Folders
Using folders on your home screen is a great way to organize your shortcuts in a way that works best for you. For example, I have created a folder that contains all of my streaming apps. That way, when I want to watch something, I can tap the folder and select the app from there. I also maintain a work folder that contains apps and webpages I access often at my job.
To create a folder:
- Press and hold a shortcut to select it
- Drag it on top of another shortcut and let go to create a folder containing those two apps
- Drag other apps on top of the folder to add them
- Tap the folder, then the three-dot icon to give the folder a name (optional)
- The three-dot menu also contains an option to sort the shortcuts (optional)
iOS Home Screen
Add App Shortcut
To add an app shortcut to your home screen:
- Open the app library by swiping left past all your home screen pages
- Tap the search field to find an app
- Press and hold the app shortcut until all of the icons jiggle and the app moves to the home screen
Add Webpage Shortcut
To add a webpage bookmark to your home screen:
- Open the website in the Safari app on your phone
- Tap the three-dot menu icon, then “share”
- Scroll through the options and select “add to home screen.” If you don’t see this option, you can add it by scrolling to the bottom of the list, tapping “edit actions,” then tapping “add to home screen”
- Tap “add”
Remove an App or Webpage Shortcut
- Touch and hold the app on the home screen
- Tap “remove app”
- Tap “remove from home screen” to keep it in the app library
Move Shortcuts on the Screen
- Press and hold an app shortcut until all of the icons jiggle
- Without lifting your finger, drag it to the desired position. To move it to the next page, drag it to the edge of the screen until the page changes
- Lift your finger to drop the shortcut in that location
- When you’re finished, either press the home button or tap an unoccupied space on your home screen. When the app icons stop jiggling, your phone is back to its default mode.
Using Folders
To create a folder:
- Press and hold a shortcut to select it
- Drag it on top of another shortcut and let go to create a folder containing those two apps
- Drag other apps on top of the folder to add them
- Press and hold the folder, then tap “rename” to give the folder a name (optional)
Note: Grouping items in folders on the home screen does not affect how apps are automatically grouped in your app library
Summary
To reduce frustration and increase productivity, it can be helpful to customize your phone or tablet’s home screen. Adding, removing, and rearranging shortcuts is only the tip of the customization iceberg. For extra credit, explore how adding widgets to your home screen on Android or iOS can make your experience even streamlined and convenient.
