Smartphone owners Samsung Galaxy often face the need to quickly access the most important functions. The standard lock screen and application menu contain many tools, but it desktop remains the main space for navigation. In the shell One UI the process of creating shortcuts has its own unique features that differ from stock Android. Proper organization of space saves time and increases the usability of the device in everyday life.
There are several ways to personalize the interface: from simply moving icons to creating complex widgets links to specific web pages. Some users do not know that you can display not only an entire application on the home screen, but also a separate function or contact. In this article, we will analyze in detail all the available methods so that you can customize your Samsung to your personal needs as efficiently as possible.
Adding application icons to the home screen
The most common scenario is moving an already installed application from the general list to a prominent place. In modern versions One UI this process is intuitive, but requires knowledge of gestures. Open the all apps menu by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and find the app you want. A long press on the icon activates the editing mode, allowing you to drag an object to any free area.
If you want to create a shortcut to a system utility or hidden service, the standard menu may not show all the options at once. In this case, it is useful to use search the application menu at the top of the screen. Once you find the element you need, long-press it and drag it to your desktop. The system will automatically create a new page if the current ones are full, or place the icon in the existing grid.
⚠️ Attention: If, when dragging an icon, you see a red cross or the area is highlighted in red, this means that the element cannot be placed in this place due to a busy widget or grid restrictions.
To remove an unnecessary shortcut, just hold down the icon and drag it to the top of the screen, where the words “Delete” will appear. This action will only delete the shortcut from the desktop, but will not delete it itself application from the phone's memory. This operating logic protects the user from accidental data loss when clearing the interface.
Customizing and placing One UI widgets
Widgets are dynamic interface elements that display relevant information without the need to launch the application. To add them, long press on an empty area of the desktop or pinch your fingers together. A menu will appear in the bottom panel where you need to select Widgets. Here is a complete list of available modules for all installed apps.
Shell Samsung offers widgets of various sizes: from compact 1x1 squares to large 4x2 panels. When you select a size, the system will show a preview of how the item will look on screen. Some widgets, such as calendar or weather, allow you to customize background transparency and data display style right at the time of placement.
- 📅 Calendar widgets display upcoming events and allow you to quickly create a new appointment.
- 🌡️ Weather modules show temperature, humidity and precipitation forecast in real time.
- 🔋 Battery indicators are useful for monitoring the status of your smartphone and connected devices.
- 📷 The Widget Gallery allows you to create a slideshow of your favorite photos right on the home screen.
It is important to consider that active widgets consume more processor resources and can affect battery life. If you notice fast discharge, try replacing dynamic elements with static icons. It's also worth remembering that widgets take up more space in the grid than regular shortcuts, so plan the placement of elements in advance.
Use Smart Suggestions widgets (Samsung Daily) so that the system itself suggests relevant applications depending on the time of day and your location.
Creating shortcuts for websites through the browser
Often users need quick access to a specific site that they visit daily. Browser Samsung Internet and Google Chrome allow you to create full-fledged shortcuts that look like native applications. Open the desired site in your mobile browser, click on the menu (three dots or bars) and select the option Add to home screen.
After confirming the action, an icon with the site logo or its name will appear on the desktop. When you click on such a shortcut, the site will open in a separate window without an address bar or browser interface, creating the effect of a full-fledged application. This is especially convenient for web versions of social networks, email services or news portals.
| Browser | Path to menu | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Internet | Menu → Add page to | Integration with the system theme |
| Google Chrome | Three dots → Add to Ch. screen | Support for PWA applications |
| Firefox | Menu → Page → Add | Private access mode |
If the site supports technology PWA (Progressive Web App), then the created shortcut will work almost identically installed application, including the ability to work offline and send notifications. This is a great way to free up space in your phone's memory without installing heavy clients for popular services.
Direct shortcuts to contacts and functions
Shell One UI allows you to create widgets for direct calls to a specific person. This eliminates the need to open the phone book, search for a name, and press the call button. Press and hold an empty space on the screen, go to the Widgets section and find the application Contact. Select the "Direct Call" or "Direct Message" option.
After placing the widget, the system will ask you to select a person from your address book. An icon with a photo of the contact will appear on your desktop. One touch of this element immediately initiates a call. Similarly, you can configure the quick launch of a flashlight, voice recorder or power saving mode through standard system widgets.
⚠️ Attention: When you delete a direct call widget, the contact is not deleted from the phone book. However, if you change the phone number of this contact in the database, the shortcut on the desktop may stop working correctly until it is updated.
For advanced users, it is possible to create shortcuts to specific system settings. Although this is hidden in the standard menu, using special launcher applications or third-party utilities allows you to display Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or brightness switches on the screen in any convenient place, and not just in the notification shade.
☑️ Check before adding a widget
Managing folders and grouping icons
When the number of shortcuts becomes too large, the desktop turns into chaos. To maintain order in Samsung a folder creation function is provided. Simply drag one application icon on top of another. The system will automatically create a container in which you can place up to several dozen apps.
Folders can be renamed by clicking on the name above the grid of icons. This helps to logically divide apps into categories: “Work”, “Games”, “Social networks”. Inside the folder, the icons are arranged in a grid, and when you click on the folder, it opens to full screen or a pop-up window, depending on the interface settings.
The color of the folder usually adjusts to the average color of the icons inside, but in some themes you can change this manually. Deleting a folder occurs automatically when you remove all applications from it. If at least one icon remains in the folder, the container is saved.
- 📁 Folders save space, allowing you to store up to 15-20 applications in one grid cell.
- 🎨 Color coding of folders helps visually navigate the types of apps.
- 🚀 Quick launch: some launchers allow you to launch applications from a folder with a long tap on the folder icon.
The use of folders also affects the performance of interface rendering. Fewer objects on the screen reduces the load on the graphics accelerator when scrolling through pages. This is especially true for models of previous years, where every resource is important for the smooth operation of the system.
Resetting desktop settings and solving problems
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where shortcuts are not added, widgets disappear, or the grid of icons gets lost. Most often this is due to an error in the launcher One UI Home. To correct the situation, you can clear the cache of this system component without losing personal data. Go to Settings → Applications, find One UI Home and select “Storage”.
Press the button Clear cache. If the problem is not resolved, you can try resetting the launcher completely by selecting “Clear data”. In this case, the desktop will return to its factory appearance: all created folders and widgets will disappear, but installed applications will remain in place. You will have to rearrange the icons.
⚠️ Attention: Resetting the launcher data will delete all custom home screen settings, including icon layout, wallpaper and widgets. Make sure you remember which applications were important to quickly restore the structure.
Also, problems with displaying shortcuts may occur after a system update. In such cases, it is recommended to restart the device. If the shortcut for a specific application is not displayed correctly (a gray icon or the standard Android icon), try deleting it and adding it again from the application menu.
Why may widgets not work?
Widgets may stop updating due to the power saving mode being turned on. The system limits background activity of applications to save battery, which blocks the receipt of new data for weather widgets, news or mail. Disable battery optimization for desired applications in the settings.
Regularly clearing the launcher cache helps maintain smooth animations and prevents visual artifacts from appearing on the desktop after long periods of use.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How to change the size of the application icon on the desktop?
In the standard shell One UI the size of all application icons is the same and you cannot change it for a separate shortcut. However, you can change the overall size of the grid and icons in Settings: Long-press an empty space, select Settings, and change the Screen Grid or App Icon Size setting.
Why can't I remove a preinstalled app shortcut?
Some system apps Samsung are protected from removal. You can only remove their shortcut from your desktop, but not the application itself. To completely remove such software, you need superuser rights (root) or the use of special utilities through a computer (ADB), which is not recommended for ordinary users.
Is it possible to add a shortcut to a second desktop?
Yes, you can create an unlimited number of desktop pages. Simply drag the icon or widget to the right side of the screen until a new blank page appears and drop the element there. Switching between tables is done by swiping left or right.
How to return the standard desktop view after experiments?
If you are confused about the settings, go to Settings → Apps → One UI Home → Storage → Clear data. This will return the factory layout. You can also hold down an empty space, select Settings, and reset specific settings for grid or hiding apps.
What to do if the website shortcut does not open?
Check Internet connection. If the site has changed its address or the page structure has been updated, the old shortcut may lead to a non-existent page (404 error). In this case, delete the old shortcut, open the site again in the browser and create a new shortcut through the menu.