Modern smartphones, such as Samsung Galaxy, have incredibly powerful hardware, but their convenience directly depends on the organization of the workspace. Knowing how to properly set up your home screen is a skill that saves time and frustration. You go into your phone dozens of times a day, and if the application you need is not at hand, it’s annoying.
In this article we will look in detail at how to add a shortcut to the Samsung Android desktop using the shell capabilities One UI. We will look not only at standard applications, but also at creating direct links to contacts, websites, and even hidden system functions.
The Samsung interface differs from “pure” Android, offering more flexibility in customization. You can turn your screen into a convenient control panel, where every element is exactly where you need it. Let's start with the basic principles.
Adding application icons from the menu
The most obvious way is to transfer already installed apps. On smartphones Samsung there are two modes for displaying the application menu: classic (all icons on desktops) and separate (separate menu button). If you have the second option enabled, the procedure is as follows.
Open the application menu by clicking on the corresponding icon in the dock bar or swiping up from the bottom. Find the application you need in the list. It is important here not to confuse deleting and moving. Hold the application icon with your finger for one or two seconds.
As soon as the icon begins to “shake” or a pop-up menu appears, without releasing your finger, drag it to the top of the screen. The system will automatically switch you to the main screen. Release your finger in the place where you want to place application shortcut.
- 📱 Long-press the icon in the application menu.
- 🚀 Drag it up until the main screen appears.
- 📍 Release your finger in a free cell grid.
If the application is already on the screen, but you want to create a duplicate of it in another location (for example, in a folder), simply repeat the procedure by holding the existing icon. The Samsung system allows you to create multiple copies of the same shortcut without restrictions.
Creating shortcuts for contacts and calls
For people who often call certain subscribers (relatives, colleagues, emergency services), creating a direct shortcut on the desktop is an excellent solution. This allows you to make a call with one touch, bypassing searching in the phone book.
To do this, perform a long press on an empty area of the desktop. A settings panel will appear at the bottom of the screen. Select item Widgets. Scroll down the list to the “Contacts” section.
Here you will see several options. Select the Direct Call or Contact widget. Drag it onto the screen. The system will immediately prompt you to select a person from your address book. After selection, an icon with the subscriber’s photo will appear on the screen.
⚠️ Attention: When you delete such a shortcut, the contact is not deleted from the phone’s memory. You are only deleting the shortcut button, not the address book entry itself.
There is also a method through the display settings. Go to Settings → Home screen. Make sure the "Show contacts" option is active if you want to see them in widgets. However, the widget method is more flexible, as it allows you to place a button in any corner of the screen, not just in a fixed grid.
Use Direct Call widgets for emergency numbers or close relatives to avoid wasting time searching in stressful situations. situations.
Adding websites and pages in the browser
Often we need to quickly get to our favorite news portal, bank website or social network page. Browser Samsung Internet or Google Chrome allows you to bring any page directly to your desktop, turning it into a kind of application.
Open the browser and go to the desired site. Click on the menu (three dots in the corner of the screen). In the drop-down list, find the “Add to Home Screen” item. In some versions, it may be called “Install application” if the site supports PWA technology.
The system will prompt you to change the name of the shortcut. A short name is more convenient, as it fits better under the icon. Confirm the action by clicking "Add". The shortcut will appear on the screen automatically or will require you to manually drag it from the menu, depending on the software version.
| Browser | Path to function | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Internet | Menu → Add page to | Integration with One UI |
| Google Chrome | Menu → Add to Ch. screen | Versatility |
| Firefox | Menu → Page → Add | Support for add-ons |
Such shortcuts are convenient because they open in a simplified browser mode, without an address bar and extra buttons, creating the effect of a full-fledged applications. This is especially useful for web versions of services that do not have official applications in Google Play.
Working with widgets and customizing the grid
Shortcuts are not just icons. Widgets provide dynamic information: weather, exchange rates, calendar or music. They are managed in Samsung through the same menu by long pressing on an empty space.
Select a section Widgets. You will see a huge list of available items from system applications and installed apps. Some widgets have different sizes. When you drag them onto the screen, you can change their size by dragging the blue frame.
For neat placement, it is important to set up a grid. Go to Settings → Home screen → Home screen grid. Here you can select a configuration, for example 5x5 or 4x5. The more cells, the more shortcuts will fit, but the smaller they will be.
☑️ Setting up the ideal screen
Don't forget about folders. If you have many shortcuts, group them. Just drag one icon onto another. The system will automatically create the folder. You can rename it by clicking on the name and change the background color in the folder settings.
⚠️ Warning: Changing the grid size may shift existing widgets and shortcuts. It is recommended to do this before the elements are completely arranged so as not to disturb the layout.
Shortcuts for system settings and functions
Many users do not know that not only applications, but also specific system settings can be placed on the desktop. This is called Settings Shortcuts. This function is hidden a little deeper in the widgets menu.
In the widgets menu, find the “Settings” category (gear icon). Inside you will find a list of actions: turning on the flashlight, hotspot, power saving mode, NFC and much more. Drag the desired switch onto the screen.
Now one tap on this shortcut will instantly turn the function on or off, bypassing the notification shade and the deep settings menu. This is extremely convenient for controlling airplane mode or Bluetooth.
Secret method via Good Lock
If there are few standard shortcuts, install the Home Up module from the Good Lock application. It allows you to create custom shortcuts for almost any action in the system, including launching specific camera modes or sound profiles.
You can also create a shortcut for quickly dialing USSD codes or sending message templates using third-party launchers or special widget applications from the store Galaxy Store. It is more difficult to do this using standard means, but it is possible through the “Contact” widget linked to an action.
Deleting and managing existing shortcuts
Sooner or later, the desktop becomes cluttered. Removing unnecessary items in Samsung is intuitive, but has its own nuances depending on what exactly you are deleting.
To remove an application shortcut, hold it and drag it to the top of the screen, where “Delete” will appear. Important: in most cases, this will only remove the icon from the screen, but not the application itself. It will remain in the menu.
If you want to delete the application itself, drag the icon to the “Delete” zone, but hold it a little longer until the system confirmation for uninstallation appears. For widgets, the procedure is similar: hold and drag to the trash.
- 🗑️ Dragging to “Delete” removes only the icon.
- ❌ Long hold in the delete zone uninstalls the application.
- ↩️ Accidentally deleted the widget can be returned through the widgets menu.
If the shortcut is frozen or is not removed, try restarting the device. Sometimes an interface failure One UI Home prevents correct work with objects on the screen. As a last resort, you can reset the launcher settings in the applications menu.
Removing a shortcut from the home screen is not the same as deleting an application. Be careful when cleaning the workspace so as not to accidentally erase important apps.
Common problems and solutions
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where a shortcut is not added, the grid does not change, or widgets are displayed incorrectly. Most often, the problem lies in the limitations of the current launcher or a full cache memory.
Check if “Simple Mode” is enabled. In this mode, the interface is simplified, the icons become huge, and the ability to add widgets and change the grid is blocked. Disable it in the settings: Settings → Display → Simple mode.
Also make sure there is free space on the screen. If the grid is completely filled, the system will not allow you to add a new element. Delete unnecessary items or create a new page by swiping sideways.
⚠️ Attention: The One UI interface is updated regularly. The location of menu items may vary slightly between different models (S23, A54, Z Flip) and Android versions. Always check the current interface of your device.
If problems persist, clear the One UI Home app cache. Go to Settings → Applications, find “One UI Home”, select Memory and click “Clear cache”. This is safe and will not delete your wallpaper settings or icon layout.
What to do if icons become transparent?
Sometimes after updating Software icons may not display correctly. Try changing the theme in the Galaxy Themes store to the standard one, and then returning yours. This will reload the graphical resources of the interface.
Why can't I resize the widget?
Not all widgets support resizing. It depends on the application developer. Samsung system widgets are usually resizable, and third-party ones are only resizable if the author has provided this function. Try holding down the widget: if there is no blue frame, the size is fixed.
How to restore a deleted shortcut if I don’t remember the name of the application?
Go to the all applications menu. A complete list of installed software is displayed there. Find the desired icon visually and drag it back to the desktop. Even if you deleted the shortcut, the application remained in the system.
Is it possible to add a shortcut to the lock screen?
With standard Samsung tools, you cannot place arbitrary application shortcuts on the lock screen. Only clock, music and notification widgets are available there. This requires third-party launchers or applications to customize the lock screen.
The shortcut has become a white square, what should I do?
This means that the application has been deleted, but the shortcut remains, or the icon cache has failed. Try removing this broken shortcut. If it's a system app, clear the One UI Home cache or reboot your phone.
Where can I find hidden folder shortcuts in One UI?
Tap on an open folder, then tap on its name at the top. In the menu that appears, you can change the folder background color and display style. These are not exactly shortcuts, but they help customize the appearance of groups of applications.