How to organize apps on Android phones

Decluttering anything results in one of the best feelings ever. Whether it’s the closet, your car, that one shelf with all the stuff from your trip to Joshua Tree, it just feels super nice to see some space again. This definitely holds true with your phone too. Nobody likes scrolling through endless screens trying to find their bank app, so what can we do? Well, this article is going to show you some hacks, tips and quick fixes that will get your phone organized and make Marie Kondo proud.

How to move Android apps

You might have noticed this already, but by holding down any app or widget on the home screen (the fancy term is “long press”), you can undock the app from its default location. 

1. For a few seconds, long press the app you want to move 
2. Move the app to a different location by dragging your finger
3. Drag fully to the left or right to place the app on another home screen panel 

Note: You can also long press an app and move it to the home screen if you use it all the time and want it front and center.

How to remove unwanted Android apps from the home screen

Yes, this is the fun, decluttering part. Let’s get those apps you haven’t used in 8 months or can’t even remember downloading off of your home screen. Here’s how:

1. Find the app you want to remove
2. Tap and hold on the app, then drag it to another screen or uninstall it to remove it completely from your phone

How to add additional Android home screen panels 

Kudos if you can manage, but for us mortals, a single home screen panel isn’t enough. Adding additional panels can help prioritize your most important apps and avoid clutter. 

1. For a few seconds, hold down on an empty space on your home screen 
2. Swipe over to the right until you see the “+” icon
3. Tap to add the additional panel

How to create folders on your Android home screen

You can get as creative as you want when categorizing apps. Your imagination is the limit, and folders are a great organizational tool to declutter your home screen. 

1. For a few seconds, hold down the app you want to move into a folder 
2. Drag the app on top of the other app you would like to combine into a new folder
3. Drop the app when a folder frame appears around both apps
4. Enter a funky folder name 

With folders you can save screen space, tidying up your home screen panels for widgets.

ow to use Android shortcuts and widgets

The original widget wielders, Android users know the convenience of a good app shortcut. Here’s a refresher course on how to widget like a pro. 

1. For a few seconds, hold down on the empty space where the widget will be 
2. Once the menu pops up, tap on “Widgets” 
3. Select the app whose widget you’d like to add to your home screen
4. Select the widget’s size and tap on “Add”

Check to see your favorite apps come with their own widgets. It makes for a better experience with your most used programs.

How to prevent Android from automatically adding apps to your home screen

Now that you’ve got your phone all cleaned up, you should be in charge of what you see on your home screen. Good thing it’s very easy to turn off the feature:

1. Tap and hold a blank area of your home screen
2. Now tap “More” or “Home Settings” to find the feature and turn it off

Enjoy that decluttered phone feeling

It’s time to admire all that hard work you did and just take in your brand new, clutter-free home screen for a second. We’re guessing it’s way easier to navigate through your apps and find the ones you use the most (like the Mint app). Speaking of Mint, if you need any more ways to enhance your Android phone experience, we’ve got the How to screen record on Android phones, the How to create group text on Android phones and the super popular How to free up space on Android blog articles ready and waiting to help out.