The smartphone desktop quickly becomes filled with icons - especially if you often install new applications or games. Over time, this turns into chaos: some shortcuts are duplicated, others lead to remote apps, and others simply get in the way. Unlike iOS, where the interface is strictly standardized, Android allows you to flexibly customize your desktop but it is not always obvious how exactly to do this.

In this article we will look at all possible methods for removing icons from the screen: from basic (which work on 99% of devices) to advanced (for example, resetting the launcher or using ADB). We will pay special attention to nuances for different manufacturers — Samsung One UI, Xiaomi MIUI, Google Pixel and others. We will also find out why some applications cannot be removed using standard methods and how to bypass this limitation.

1. Basic method: dragging to the trash or the "Delete" menu

The simplest method that works on most smartphones. Suitable for removing shortcuts (not the applications themselves!) and widgets.

Action algorithm:

  • 📱 Touch the application icon and hold it for 1-2 seconds until a menu or vibration appears.
  • 🗑️ Drag the icon to the top of the screen - it should appear there inscription "Delete" (or trash can, if you have Samsung).
  • ✅ Release your finger to confirm the action.

⚠️ Attention: This method deletes only shortcut from the desktop, but not the application itself from the phone memory. To to uninstall the app completely, you need to go to Settings → Applications.

📊 What launcher are you using?
Standard (from manufacturer)
Nova Launcher
Microsoft Launcher
Other
I don’t know what it is

On some firmware (for example, ColorOS from Oppo/Realme) instead of the trash can, a menu with options may appear: "Delete", "Information" or "Settings". Select the first item.

2. POCO)

Firmware MIUI from Xiaomi has features in managing the desktop. Here you cannot simply drag the icon to the trash - instead, the context menu is used.

Instructions for MIUI 12/13/14:

  1. Press and hold application icon.
  2. In the menu that appears, select "Delete" (trash icon).
  3. Confirm the action if prompted.

If the shortcut is not deleted, check:

  • 🔒 Is the desktop locked (there is a function MIUI there is a function "Lock layout" in the theme settings).
  • 📌 Is the icon widget - their deletion occurs differently (see section 4).

Make sure it is not a widget|

Check if the screen layout is blocked|

Try to restart the launcher (see section 5)|

Update the firmware if the bug recurs-->

3. Hiding system applications (for Samsung One UI)

On smartphones Samsung Galaxy (firmware One UI) some system applications (for example, Samsung Health, Bixby) cannot be deleted using standard methods. However, you can hide from the menu and desktop.

How to do this:

  1. Open Settings → Applications.
  2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select "Hide applications".
  3. Tick the unnecessary apps and click "Done".

After this, the icons will disappear from the desktop and from the application menu to return them. back, repeat the steps and uncheck the boxes.

What to do if the hidden application is still displayed?

Sometimes after updating the firmware, hidden applications may appear again. In this case:

1. Restart the phone.

2. hiding.

3. If the problem persists, reset the launcher settings (section 5).

⚠️ Attention: Hiding system applications does not free up memory - apps continue to run in the background. For complete removal you will need root access or ADB (see section 7).

4. Removing widgets from the desktop

Widgets (for example, weather, clock, player) are deleted differently than regular icons. If you try to drag the widget to the trash, nothing happens. will happen.

Correct algorithm:

  • 📱 Press and hold the widget for 1-2 seconds.
  • 🗑️ Drag it to the top of the screen - the inscription should appear "Delete" (on Samsung) or recycle bin (on other firmware).
  • ⚙️ If the widget is not deleted, try going to its settings (gear icon when held) and turn off display.

On some launchers (for example, Nova Launcher) widgets are deleted by long pressing → "Delete widget".

Firmware/Launcher Widget removal method Notes
Samsung One UI Drag to trash at the top of the screen Works for all widgets except system ones (for example, Bixby)
MIUI (Xiaomi) Long press → "Delete" Some widgets require disabling in the theme settings
Nova Launcher Long press → "Delete widget" You can disable widget backup in the settings
Google Pixel Launcher Drag at "Delete" top Weather and Google search widgets cannot be deleted

5. Resetting the launcher to factory settings

If the icons are not deleted or the desktop buggy (for example, after updating the firmware), resetting the launcher will help. This will return the standard screen view, but will delete all your layout settings.

Instructions:

  1. Open Settings → Applications.
  2. Find the launcher (called differently):
    • Samsung: "One UI Home"
    • Xiaomi: "MIUI Launcher" or "POCO Launcher"
    • Google Pixel: "Pixel Launcher"
    • Third-party: "Nova Launcher", "Microsoft Launcher" etc.
  • Click "Storage" → "Clear data".
  • Confirm the action and restart the phone.

    • After the reset, all icons will disappear from the desktop, but will remain in the application menu.

    💡

    Before resetting. launcher, take screenshots of the current screen layout - this will help you quickly restore the arrangement of icons.

    6. Disabling the automatic addition of icons for new applications

    By default, many firmwares (especially MIUI and ColorOS) automatically add icons of new applications to the desktop. This quickly fills the screen with unnecessary shortcuts. Let's disable this feature.

    How to do it:

    • 📱 On Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO:
      1. Open Settings → Desktop.
      2. Disable option "Add icons for new applications".
    • 📱 On Samsung:
      1. Long press on the desktop → "Desktop settings".
      2. Turn off "Add application icons".
  • 📱 On Google Pixel:
    1. Long press on the desktop → "Settings".
    2. Select "Home" → "Add application icons" and disable.

    • On third-party launchers (for example, Nova Launcher) this setting is in the section "Launcher settings → Desktop → Application icons".

    💡

    Disabling automatic adding of icons does not delete existing shortcuts - they must be removed manually (see section 1).

    7. Advanced methods: ADB and root access

    If standard methods do not help (for example, the system application is not removed or the shortcut returns after a reboot), you will have to use developer tools.

    Method 1: Disabling via ADB (without root)

    This method allows hide system applications without uninstallation. You will need a computer with drivers installed ADB.

    1. Enable USB debugging on your phone (Settings → About phone → Build number (press 7 times) → Developer settings → USB debugging).
    2. Connect the phone to the PC and run the command: 
      adb shell pm hide com.example.app

      (replace com.example.app with package name of the application, for example com.sec.android.app.launcher for Samsung Launcher).

    3. Reboot the phone.

    Method 2: Uninstall with root access

    ⚠️ Attention: This method may disrupt the system. Use only if you understand the risks!

    • Install a file manager that supports root (for example, Root Explorer).
    • Go to /system/app or /system/priv-app.
    • Find the folder with the name of the application and delete it.
    • Reboot the phone.

    You can find out the package name of the application using the app App Inspector (available in Google Play).

    How to return a deleted system application?

    If, after uninstalling via root, the phone becomes unstable, restore the application:

    1. Find the original firmware for your model.

    2. Extract the file .apk of the desired application from it (for example, using 7-Zip).

    3. Transfer the file back to /system/app via Root Explorer.

    4. Set the correct access rights (rw-r--r--).

    5. Restart the phone.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about deleting icons on Android

    Is it possible to delete an icon without deleting it application?

    Yes, all the methods in this article (except for section 7) only remove shortcut from the desktop. The application itself will remain in the menu and will work. To uninstall the app completely, go to Settings → Applications → [application name] → Delete.

    Why did the icons return to the desktop after updating the firmware?

    This happens due to resetting the launcher settings. To fix:

    1. Delete unnecessary icons manually (section 1).
    2. Disable the automatic addition of new icons (section 6).
    3. If the problem persists, reset the launcher (section 5).

    On some firmware (for example, MIUI), disabling the function "Desktop optimization" in the settings helps topics.

    How to remove a game icon if it is not dragged to the trash?

    Possible reasons and solutions:

    • The game is installed as widget — remove it as a widget (section 4).
    • The icon is blocked by the launcher - try another launcher (for example, Nova Launcher).
    • This is a system application (for example, Google Play Games) - use ADB (section 7).

    Is it possible to return a deleted icon back?

    Yes. If you deleted only the shortcut (and not the application itself), simply:

    1. Open the applications menu (swipe up) from the bottom of the screen).
    2. Find the application you need and hold its icon.
    3. Drag it to the desktop.

    If the application was uninstalled, install it again from Google Play.

    Why there is empty space on the desktop after uninstallation icons?

    This is a feature of the desktop grid. To remove empty cells:

    • On Samsung: long press on the desktop → "Desktop Settings" → "Grid" → select a different size.
    • On Xiaomi: Settings → Desktop → Grid Size.
    • On Nova Launcher: Settings → Desktop → Grid size.

    You can also manually drag the remaining icons to fill the gaps.