Smartphone owners Samsung Galaxy often face the need to reorganize their workspace. The standard layout installed by the manufacturer may not seem the most convenient for daily use. You may want to group frequently used apps or move rarely used utilities to further screens. The process of changing the arrangement of interface elements in the shell One UI is intuitive, but has its own nuances depending on the version of Android.
To get started, you do not need to install a third-party launcher or obtain root access. All shortcut management functionality is built into the system software. You just need to know the correct sequence of actions and gestures to instantly change the structure of your home screen. Moving icons This is a basic skill that significantly improves the ergonomics of using a smartphone.
The basic principle of moving shortcuts on the home screenThe easiest way to change the location of an application is the use of direct touch and drag. You need to find the icon you want to move and hold it with your finger for a few seconds. As soon as the icon “comes unstuck” from its place and a slight vibration (tactile feedback) appears, you can start moving. At this moment, the system enters desktop editing mode.
When you hold an element, the remaining icons can automatically move, making room for the moved object. This is a function automatic rearrangementthat helps avoid labels overlapping each other. If you drag an icon to the very edge of the screen on the right or left, the system will automatically scroll the page, allowing you to move the application to an adjacent desktop.
Please note that if you release your finger over another icon, the system will prompt you to create folder. This is a convenient way to group apps into categories, for example, “Social networks” or “Games”. If your goal is simply to change the order, carefully move the shortcut to an empty area of the grid.
⚠️ Attention: On some models with a small screen, the editing mode may be delayed in activating. Don't let go of your finger too early, otherwise opening the application normally instead of moving will work.
If you accidentally created a folder instead of moving, simply drag the icon from it back to an empty space on the screen to disband the group.
Using desktop editing modeA more advanced method of managing space involves entering full editing mode. To do this, you need to pinch the screen with two fingers (bringing your fingers together) or simply hold your finger for a long time on an empty space on the main page. A menu will open where you can customize wallpaper, widgets, and home screen options.
In this mode, all pages of your desktop are displayed as thumbnails at the bottom of the display. Not only can you drag and drop individual icons between cells, but you can also rearrange the order of entire pages. This is especially useful if you want to move the most important screens to the very beginning of the list so that you can reach them with a one-finger swipe.
Here you can also delete unnecessary pages or add new ones. If you drag an icon to the top of the screen, a Delete or Home area will often appear where the shortcut will disappear from the desktop but remain in the application menu. Using edit mode gives full control over the visual component of the interface Samsung.
☑️ Preparing for reorganization
Moving applications from the menu to the quick access panelMany users confuse the home screen and the application menu (App Drawer). In modern versions of One UI, these spaces are separated. To transfer an icon from the general list of all apps directly to the desktop, you need to open the application menu, find the desired shortcut, hold it and drag it up or to the side where your home pages are located.
This process creates shortcut on the home screen, while the application itself remains installed on the system. You can create multiple copies of the same app shortcut on different pages for quick access. This is relevant for instant messengers or browsers that you use constantly in different contexts.
If you want all newly installed applications to automatically appear on the home screen, you need to change the launcher settings. Go to Settings → Home screen and find the switch “Add icons to the Home screen”. Activating this function will eliminate the need to manually transfer each new app.
| Action | Result | Where is |
|---|---|---|
| Long click | Enter editing mode | On an icon or empty space |
| Drag and drop onto an icon | Create a folder | Any page |
| Swipe with two fingers | Browse all pages | Home screen |
| Drag up | Add from application menu | App Drawer menu |
Work with folders and grouping applicationsCreating folders is an effective way to free up screen space without deleting applications. When you drag one icon onto another, the system automatically creates a container. You can rename a folder by clicking on the name above it, and set a custom background color in the folder appearance settings (available in new versions of One UI).
Within a folder, you can continue to move applications, changing their order. It is also possible to move a frequently used application from a folder directly to the main screen without disbanding the group itself. To do this, open the folder, long-press the desired icon and drag it outside the container. Grouping helps maintain visual order, especially if you have more than 50 apps installed.
Some users prefer to create folders for widgets, although technically widgets and application icons have different sizes grids When trying to add a widget to an icons folder, the system may refuse or change the grid size. It is better to keep widgets separately or in special folders intended only for them, if the launcher allows it.
⚠️ Attention: Deleting a folder from the main screen does not delete the applications themselves. They remain installed on the system and are accessible through the app menu.
Secret folder function
In the latest One UI updates, you can set up automatic sorting of applications within a folder by alphabet or time of use, which eliminates the need for manual arrangement.
Customizing the grid and size of icons for easy movementSometimes moving icons is difficult due to the grid being too fine or the number of elements on the page being too large. In the main screen settings you can change the grid size, for example from 4x5 to 5x6. This will allow you to fit more icons on one screen, but will make them visually smaller, which can make it more difficult to accurately hit your finger when dragging.
The change grid size affects how the icons “stick” to each other. On a larger grid (fewer icons), movement is smoother because the elements take up more physical space on the display. You can find these settings by long pressing on an empty space and selecting “Settings” in the lower corner.
The option of hiding application name labels is also available. If you turn off labels, the icons will be visually cleaner, but they will be more difficult for newbies to identify. For experienced users who know logos by heart, this is a great way to make the interface more minimalist and focus on graphics rather than text.
The optimal grid size for most Samsung users is 4x5 or 5x5, as it balances capacity and ease of clicking.
Possible problems when moving and their solutionSometimes users are faced with a situation where the icon does not move or “shakes” in place, not wanting to move into a new slot. Most often this is due to the fact that the target area is occupied by a widget or other icon, and automatic rearrangement did not work correctly. In this case, try to free up space manually by first moving the interfering elements.
Another reason may be the activated function home screen locks. If you set your settings to prevent layout changes, you won't be able to drag and drop icons. Check your launcher settings and make sure the "Block icon layout" switch is turned off. This is a common situation after a firmware update, when the settings are reset to more secure ones.
If the problem persists after rebooting the device, the launcher cache may have malfunctioned. In this case, you can try clearing the data of the One UI Home application through the smartphone settings, but this will return the desktop layout to the factory appearance. Use this method only as a last resort, after remembering the important folder structure.
⚠️ Attention: The settings menu interface may differ slightly on models of the A, S and Z series. If you do not find the item you need, use the search inside the phone settings menu.
Life hack for left-handed people
In Samsung settings there is an option “One-handed mode”, which shifts the entire interface down. Disable it before large-scale rearrangement of icons to avoid touch errors.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to move the system application icon to Samsung?
Yes, most system applications (Settings, Phone, Messages) can be moved around the desktop like this same as downloaded apps. However, some critical services may be pinned to the Dock at the bottom of the screen and cannot be removed from there, although you can usually move it to another location on the top of the screen.
What should you do if the icon disappears after moving?
Most likely, you accidentally dragged it to a folder or to a hidden page. Check all created folders and scroll through all screens in edit mode (two-finger pinch). Also look in the applications menu - the shortcut is definitely still there, and you can return it to its place.
How to return the factory arrangement of icons?
To do this, you need to reset the launcher settings. Go to Settings → Applications, find One UI Homein the list, select “Memory” and click “Clear data”. The desktop will return to its “out of the box” state, all your folders and movements will be deleted.
Why isn't a folder created when overlaying icons?
Make sure you hold the first icon long enough before you start dragging. If you simply quickly swipe one icon over another, the system may not recognize the command to create a folder. Try to pause when you start moving.