Android 101: How to Organize Your Homescreen

If you’ve got had an Android telephone for a very long time, it is simple to get used to dwelling with the chaos. If you are something like me, you are always including new apps, deciding they’re positive however not nice, including others, and so forth. Then, a couple of months later, as you are scrolling by your app drawer, you are shocked to search out so many apps you forgot about and may not even bear in mind what they have been used for. Is.

It can get messy very quickly. And when you’re really an app fanatic, it could begin taking over extra space than you’ve got left. (Here, we are able to take the necessary KonMari reference in writing.)

There are basically two steps to determining all these Android apps: discover a technique to manage them (and there are a number of, relying on what’s handy for you) and periodically delete all these additional apps you’ve got Have frozen and now not used. Here are some ideas that can assist you do each. If you are new to Android, this will help you keep organized from day one; If you might be an skilled person, you will get some ideas.

As you undergo these options, remember that not all Android interfaces are created equal. This how-to was created utilizing a Pixel 6 working Android 12, however your interface could range barely relying on the mannequin of your telephone and the model of Android you are working.

For essentially the most fundamental (and anybody who’s had an Android telephone for greater than every week or two can provide up a bit), you possibly can merely entry the app drawer, which may be accessed both by swiping up from the underside of the telephone. Or may be accessed by urgent on the Apps icon within the backside heart of your show. Long-press the apps you utilize essentially the most within the app drawer on a number of of your homescreens.

The app drawer is (fortunately) organized alphabetically, along with your final used apps on the high. You can swipe as much as undergo the apps; You also can swipe all the way down to undergo the alphabet (which may be quicker). A search bar on the high helps you to kind within the identify of your app, if you want.

However, when you begin accumulating apps, you might need to save a while by making a extra structured system.

fill favourite tray

You can shortly entry your most used apps by placing them within the Favorites tray, the underside row of apps, regardless of which homescreen you swipe up on. Tray already full? There is not any drawback.

• Long press on the app you now not need to have within the favorites tray. Move it to a different location on the house web page, or transfer it up till you see the Remove and Uninstall choices on the high of the display. Pick one and transfer the app there.
• From the homescreen or app drawer, long-press an app and transfer it to the tray.

Create a folder in your homescreen

A great way to prepare your apps is to make use of folders. For instance, you possibly can put all of your music and podcast apps in a folder named “Listen” or all of your social media apps in a folder known as “Social.” Creating folders is straightforward.

• Select the primary two apps you need to embrace in your homescreen.
• Long press one and transfer it over the opposite. This will create a brand new folder.
• Android can provide your folder a reputation. If you need to give it a special identify, faucet the folder, faucet the identify just under Apps, and kind your new identify.
• Add extra apps to the folder by lengthy urgent on the app and transferring it to the folder.
• Reverse that course of to take away an app from a folder: Long-press the app and take it from the folder to the house web page.
• To delete a folder, merely take out all of the apps from it.

Sometimes once I set up a brand new app, I do know immediately that it is not for me, and I uninstall it there and there. More typically than not, sadly, I’ll attempt an app, determine I’d need to use it sooner or later sooner or later, and depart it there. the place it sits. for months. or yr.

Once you begin accumulating apps, it is extremely straightforward to neglect apps you now not want. But leaving outdated apps in your telephone might not be as dangerous because it sounds. Not solely are they taking over helpful space for storing, however they’re additionally accumulating information unnecessarily (assuming you gave them permission). And in the event that they’re working within the background, they is perhaps draining your battery.

As a consequence, it would not harm to see which apps you have not used not too long ago and take away them out of your telephone. There are a number of methods to do that.

use app drawer

Yes, it’s apparent, nevertheless it must be stated. Spend a little bit time cleansing out your app drawer: Open it up, and see what’s in it. You is perhaps shocked at what you’ve got forgotten and what you now not want. Swipe as much as uninstall something you do not want.

go to play retailer

It’s not as straightforward as going into your app drawer or Files by Google, however when you’re within the Play Store and need to do away with some pointless apps to put in a brand new one, there’s a means.

• Once within the Play Store, faucet in your private icon within the high proper nook and choose “Manage apps and devices”.
• Tap “Manage” on the high of the web page. You must be on the “Install” tab; If not, it is the primary tab on the high.

• Tap on the parallel traces to the precise of “Apps & Games” and you’ll kind by least-used apps. You can faucet the little arrow to the precise of any app’s identify to see if there’s something new. For any app you now not need, simply faucet the field to the precise of the arrow, faucet the trash can icon within the high proper, and choose “Uninstall.” (Don’t fear about by chance uninstalling an necessary system app – or an app that your telephone’s producer deems necessary. You’ll simply be advised that you would be able to uninstall the replace, however not the app itself.)

If you delete an app and later suppose, “I shouldn’t have done that,” otherwise you out of the blue bear in mind an app you used as soon as that you simply need to use once more, you possibly can go to the App Store. Can discover and restore your earlier apps. (together with gadgets you faraway from earlier gadgets that have been utilizing the identical account).

• Go again to the “Manage apps and devices” web page. Tap the “Install” tab in order that it now not reads “Not Installed”.

• Check the field for any app you need to reinstall and choose the obtain icon within the high proper. If you recognize you may by no means need to see that app once more, there is a trash can with an “x” subsequent to it that may completely take away the app out of your record. (You can nonetheless set up them from the Play Store.)

use your voice

If you are strolling down the road and haven’t got an empty hand, remember about Google Assistant. Activate it (by long-pressing your energy button or saying “Hey Google”), and say “open appname” or “find appname” and your telephone will open the app.

Try Files by Google

Files by Google is a surprisingly helpful app that, amongst different issues, helps you do away with pointless information which can be taking over area. If you determine to put in Files (or in case your telephone is already put in with it), you should use it to do away with unused apps.

• If it is not already chosen, faucet the “Clean” icon on the backside of the display.
• Scroll down till you discover the part labeled “Remove unused apps”. Tap on “Select Apps”.
• Now you possibly can see how a lot area every app is taking over and the date it was final used. You can kind the record from oldest to latest, largest to smallest, or alphabetically.
• Tap the circle to the precise of every app to pick the one you need to uninstall.

use one other app

There are quite a lot of Android apps obtainable within the Play Store in addition to Files by Google that may assist. To begin with, there are different file managers that may make it simpler to trace and handle your telephone’s content material. (In truth, there are a number of apps known as “file managers” within the Play Store.)

Some create overlays that can assist you manage your homescreen. jinaFor instance, helps you to create a sidebar that extends out from the sting of your display and offers you a collapsed record view of all of your apps. taskbar Puts a configurable Windows-like Start menu in your show.

If you need much more management over your Android setting, there are launchers like new star And Action Launcher Which permits you to extra completely customise your app drawer and homescreen with icons, animations and completely different layouts.

UPDATE March 2nd, 2022, 9:20AM ET: This article was initially revealed on March 6, 2019, and has been up to date for Android OS and app updates.