Modern smartphones of the company Samsung work under one of the most advanced shells on the market - One UI. This system offers users incredible flexibility in customizing the appearance and functionality of the device. However, despite the intuitiveness of the interface, many gadget owners encounter difficulties when trying to personalize their desktop. The standard arrangement of icons often does not meet the individual needs of a person.
The question of how to create a shortcut on the Android Samsung desktop arises for various reasons. Some people need to add a rarely used function for quick access, while others want to add a link to a favorite site or a specific contact. Understanding how the launcher works allows you to turn your lock screen and home screen into a powerful tool for managing your smartphone. This saves time and eliminates the need to delve into the menu every time you want to launch a certain action.
In this article we will analyze in detail all the available ways to place elements on the screen of your device. We'll cover not only standard apps, but also creating shortcuts for websites, widgets, and even system settings. You will learn to manage space effectively by grouping elements and creating easy navigation. Follow our steps to make using your Galaxy as comfortable as possible.
Basic principles of working with the One UI desktop
Before you start creating new elements, it is important to understand the logic of building the interface in smartphones Samsung. The desktop is a grid, the size of the cells can vary depending on your preferences. Each element, be it an application icon or a weather widget, occupies a certain number of these cells. To manipulate objects, use a long press - this is the main control gesture in the environment Android.
When you hold your finger on an empty area of the screen or on an existing icon, the editing mode is activated. At this point, the interface changes: additional buttons appear at the bottom of the display, and the icons themselves begin to shake slightly or stand out. This is a signal that the system is ready to accept your commands to move, delete or add new objects. If you release your finger too early, you will simply launch the application, so it is important to respect the time interval of pressing.
It is worth noting that in the latest firmware versions the company has introduced the ability to change the grid density. This directly affects how many shortcuts will fit on one screen. If you plan to create a lot of shortcuts, it makes sense to configure this setting beforehand. Go to the settings and find the item responsible for the grid scale to optimize the space for your tasks.
⚠️ Attention: When moving icons between screens, be careful not to delete important widgets that are tied to specific pages. Accidentally dragging an item to the trash or deletion zone may result in the widget being lost and will have to be configured again.
Navigation between desktop pages is accomplished by swiping left or right. You can create an unlimited number of such pages, filling them with thematic groups of labels. For example, one page may be dedicated to work, another to entertainment, and a third to system utilities. This organization helps you maintain digital order and quickly find the tools you need.
Moving existing applications to the home screen
The most common scenario is moving an already installed application from the general menu to a prominent place. In smartphones Samsung the application menu can be organized in different ways: either all apps are located on the desktop, or hidden in a separate list, opened by swiping up. If your application is in the menu, the action algorithm will be as follows.
Open the application menu and find the desired icon. Press and hold it for a second until you feel a slight vibration or see a visual response from the interface. Without releasing your finger, drag the icon to the home screen preview area, which usually appears at the top or bottom of the display (depending on the orientation and version One UI). Once you release your finger over the desired area, the shortcut will be pinned to the desktop.
If you want to place the shortcut in a specific cell, drag it there directly. The system will automatically move other icons to make room. However, if the space is occupied by a widget or folder, you will have to free up the space first. To move a shortcut to another desktop screen, drag it to the edge of the display and hold for a second - the screen will switch, allowing you to continue dragging.
☑️ Check before moving
There is also an automatic adding function. In the Home screen settings, you can activate an option in which all newly downloaded applications will automatically appear on the desktop. This is convenient for those who rarely clean the screen, but can lead to chaos if you install a lot of temporary apps. Manage this option through the menu Settings → Home screen.
Use the “Hide apps” function in the home screen settings to remove rarely used apps from the menu, but leave the opportunity to add their shortcut manually in case of urgent need.
Creating shortcuts for websites through the browser
Often users need quick access to a specific web resource without having to launch a browser and enter the address manually. Creating a shortcut to the site on your desktop solves this problem. The process is slightly different depending on which browser you use, since the standard Samsung Internet and Google Chrome have different menu structures.
In the browser from Samsung open the desired page. Click on the menu button located at the bottom of the screen (three horizontal bars). In the list that appears, find the “Add page to” option and select the “Home screen” option. The system will prompt you to edit the name of the shortcut, then confirm the action by clicking the “Add” button. The shortcut will appear on the desktop as a regular application icon.
If you prefer Google Chrome, the algorithm is similar, but the terminology is different. Open the website, click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen. Select "Add to Home Screen" from the drop-down menu. You can also change the shortcut name here. After confirmation, the icon will be created. It is important to understand that such shortcuts are essentially links that open the browser in web application mode.
| Browser | Menu location | Item name | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Internet | Bottom of the screen | Add page to | Integration with system theme |
| Google Chrome | Upper right corner | Add to home screen | Versatility |
| Mozilla Firefox | Bottom or top (configurable) | Install | PWA support |
| Opera | Bottom panel | Add to chapter. screen | Built-in blocker |
Some modern websites support technology PWA (Progressive Web Apps). When you create a shortcut for such a site, it will behave almost like a native application: it will open in a separate window without a browser address bar and have its own high-quality icon. This is a great way to save space in your phone memory without installing full-fledged applications.
Adding widgets and customizing them
Widgets are not just shortcuts, but interactive elements that display information in real time. On smartphones Samsung the library of widgets is extremely rich. To add a widget, long press on an empty area of your desktop. A “Widgets” button will appear in the bottom panel. By clicking on it, you will open a complete list of available modules from all installed applications.
The list of widgets is usually sorted alphabetically or by frequency of use. Find the app you want, such as Weather or Calendar, and expand the list of available sizes. Widgets can be small (1x1), medium (2x2, 4x2) or occupy half the screen. Select the appropriate size and drag it onto your desktop. Once placed, many widgets allow you to swipe over them to change the information displayed without going into settings.
To fine-tune the widget, long-press on the widget, then select “Customize” or click on the gear icon if it’s immediately available. Here you can change the city for the weather, select an account for the calendar, or customize the clock display style. The flexibility of the system Android allows you to place widgets even on top of other elements, as long as they support a transparent background.
⚠️ Attention: Active widgets, such as news feeds or email clients, consume more battery power as they constantly update data via the network. If you notice rapid drainage, try reducing the refresh rate or removing heavy widgets.
There is also a “Widget Stacks” function that allows you to place several widgets in one cell. They will be switched by swiping up or down. This is an ideal way to save space if you want to see the weather, notes, and exchange rates in one area of the screen. To create a stack, simply drag one widget on top of another.
How to remove a widget without deleting the application?
To remove a widget from the screen, touch and hold it, then drag it to the top of the screen in the “Delete” area. This action will only remove the widget from the desktop; the application itself will remain installed on the system and available in the menu.
Creating shortcuts to contacts and system settings
In addition to applications and sites, you can place direct links to specific people or system functions on the desktop. This significantly speeds up interaction with your smartphone. To create a contact shortcut, use the standard Contacts application or the phone book. Find the desired subscriber, open his card and click on the three dots in the corner of the screen. In the menu, select “Add to home screen.”
After confirmation, an icon with a contact photo will appear on the desktop. When you click on it, a call to that person will immediately begin. This is especially useful for older people or for housing emergency numbers. If the contact does not have a photo, the system will prompt you to select an avatar or use a standard placeholder with initials.
With system settings, the situation is a little more complicated, since not all items in the standard menu have direct labels. However, you can add a Settings widget or use an application Activity Launcher (third-party software) to create shortcuts to hidden menus. For example, you can display a shortcut to a specific Wi-Fi or Bluetooth section, bypassing long menu chains.
In the latest updates One UI it became possible to add quick settings switches directly to the desktop in the form of 1x1 widgets. Go to the widgets menu, find the Settings section and select the desired switch, for example, Flashlight or Airplane Mode. This turns the shortcut into a functional button.
Shortcuts to contacts and system switches allow you to reduce the number of clicks to perform routine actions to one touch, which is critical in emergency situations.
Space organization: folders and deletion
When the number of shortcuts grows, the desktop turns into chaos. Use folders to keep things organized. To create a folder, simply drag one application icon onto another. The system will automatically create a container and place both elements there. You can give the folder a name by clicking on the field above the icons, or leave the name suggested by the system based on the application category.
You can add an unlimited number of shortcuts to the folder. When you click on a folder, it will expand, showing all the contents. This allows you to store dozens of applications on one screen, while taking up the space of just one icon. Folders can also be moved, changed their size and even changed the cover color in some versions of the firmware through themes.
If the shortcut is no longer needed, it is easy to delete it. Touch and hold the icon, then drag it to the top of the screen, where “Delete” or a trash can icon will appear. Release your finger when the deletion area lights up in red. It is important to distinguish between deleting a shortcut and deleting the application itself. When you delete a shortcut from the application menu (if the corresponding setting is enabled), the app is completely removed, and only the icon is removed from the desktop.
- 📁 Grouping: Sort applications by purpose (Work, Games, Social Networks) for quick search.
- 🗑️ Cleaning: Regularly delete application shortcuts that you do not need used for more than a month.
- 🎨 Style: Use folders with a transparent background to create the effect of “floating” icons.
Don't forget that you can change the order of pages. In edit mode (long press on an empty space) you will see thumbnails of all screens at the bottom. You can drag them around to rearrange them, or delete entire pages if they are empty. The home page (first on the left) is usually fixed and cannot be deleted, but its content is fully editable.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why can't I move an icon to a specific location?
Most likely, another element, widget, or grid constraint is already located in that location do not allow placing an object of this size. Try changing the grid size in the home screen settings or freeing adjacent cells.
Is it possible to change the size of an application icon on the desktop?
With standard means One UI you cannot change the size of a specific icon, you can only change the overall density of the grid. However, by installing a third-party launcher or using the theme change mode, you can visually enlarge or shrink the icons.
What to do if the site shortcut does not update the icon?
Web shortcut icons are cached by the browser. If the site has changed its logo, try deleting the old label and creating a new one. Also clear the browser cache in the phone settings to download fresh data.
How to return the standard desktop view after experiments?
Go to Settings → Applications, find the “Home Screen” application (or One UI Home), go to “Storage” and click “Reset settings”. This will return the icon layout to the factory state, but will delete your folders and widgets.
Why did some shortcuts disappear after the firmware update?
During major system updates, the desktop structure may become confused, especially if the version has changed Android. Check the "Missing Items" folder or application menu; often icons are simply moved there rather than permanently deleted.