Modern operating system-based smartphones Android have turned into universal tools where we spend most of our digital time. However, endless lists of browser bookmarks or deep application folders often make it difficult to access your most important resources. Creating a shortcut on the desktop is the easiest way to optimize navigation and reduce the time spent searching for the necessary information.
Many users mistakenly believe that adding a website icon can only be done through complex settings or third-party launchers. In fact, this function is built into most popular browsers and standard shells from manufacturers. Quick access to your favorite resources increases productivity and makes using the gadget more comfortable.
In this article we will examine in detail the various methods of creating shortcuts: from standard tools Google Chrome to specific ones shell functions Samsung One UI i Xiaomi MIUI. You will learn how to pin not only web pages, but also individual sections of applications, as well as how to manage created widgets.
Creating a website shortcut through Google Chrome
The browser Google Chrome remains the most popular tool for surfing the Internet on mobile devices. The developers have provided a convenient function for adding visited pages directly to the home screen. This allows you to open the site in one click, without having to enter the address in the search bar.
First, open your browser and go to the page you want to save. Make sure the site has fully loaded and is displaying correctly. Then click on the menu button located in the upper right corner of the screen - it looks like three vertical dots.
In the list of options that opens, find the item Add to home screen. In some versions of the software, this function may be called Install applicationif the site supports the technology PWA (Progressive Web App). After clicking, the system will prompt you to confirm the name of the shortcut or change it to a shorter and more understandable one.
If the site supports installation as an application, the shortcut will look like a full-fledged icon without the browser address bar, creating the effect of a native app.
Click the button Add in the dialog box. The system will automatically redirect you to the desktop, where a new icon will appear. Now this resource is available instantly, even if you have many other tabs open in your browser.
Instructions for users of Samsung and other shells
Owners of smartphones Samsung, Xiaomi or Huawei often face the fact that standard browsers have their own interfaces. The operating principle remains the same, but the layout of menu items may differ. In the shell One UI from Samsung, the process is simplified as much as possible for the convenience of the user.
Open a standard browser Samsung Internet and go to the required resource. Click on the menu button at the bottom of the screen (three horizontal bars). In the list of actions, select the option Add a page to the screen. The system will offer to rename the shortcut, after which it will appear on a free space on the desktop.
⚠️ Attention: On some custom firmware, the function of adding shortcuts may be blocked by the launcher security settings. If the icon does not appear, check the browser permissions in the system settings.
You can do the same in the browser from Yandex or Opera. The menu of these applications also contains an option to create a shortcut. The main difference is that some browsers allow you to choose whether to open the link in incognito mode or in a regular window when launched from the desktop.
If you are using a third-party launcher, for example Nova Launcher, the process may look different. In such cases, it is often necessary to create a special widget. Hold your finger on an empty area of the screen, select a section Widgets and find your browser in the list. Drag the widget Shortcut to the screen and select the desired link from your browsing history.
Adding shortcuts to specific application sections
Few people know that you can display not only entire applications, but also their individual functions. This is especially true for instant messengers, settings or banking apps. This feature is called App Shortcuts and is supported on devices with version Android 7.1 and higher.
To use this function, find the icon of the desired application on the desktop. Don't just press it, but hold your finger down for a second. A context menu will open with a list of available actions. For example, for Telegram this could be specific chats, and for Settings - the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth section.
- 📱 Find the application icon on the home screen.
- 🖐️ Do a long pressing (Long Press) on the icon.
- 📌 Drag the desired item from the pop-up menu to a free space on the table.
After dragging, a separate icon will appear on the screen, which leads directly to the selected section. This saves time by eliminating the need to go through multiple levels of menus each time. The function is extremely useful for frequently used settings, such as Airplane mode or Flashlight.
Using widgets for quick access
Widgets are a more advanced way to interact with the interface compared to static ones labels. They can display live information such as weather, exchange rates or breaking news right on the home screen. Adding a browser widget allows you to see the address bar or frequently visited sites without launching the application.
To add a widget, free up space on your desktop and pinch an empty area. In the lower menu, select section Widgets. Scroll the list to the application you want, for example Google Chrome or Yandex. You will see several options for sizes and display types.
| Widget type | Size | Functional |
|---|---|---|
| Search bar | 4x1 | Quick search and voice input |
| Bookmarks | 2x2 or 4x2 | Grid of 4-8 popular sites |
| History | 4x1 | List of recently visited pages |
| Read later | 2x2 | Access saved articles |
Select the appropriate size and drag it onto the screen. Some widgets allow you to customize content immediately after placement. For example, in the bookmarks widget, you can select a specific folder from the browser to display only work or entertainment resources.
☑️ Check before adding widget
Customizing and managing created shortcuts
After you have displayed links on the main screen, you may need to organize them. The chaotic arrangement of icons reduces the aesthetic appeal of the interface and makes searching difficult. The system Android provides flexible tools for grouping and sorting elements.
You can move shortcuts by holding them and dragging them to the desired area. To create a folder, simply drag one icon on top of another. The system will automatically create a container into which you can add up to several dozen links. This is an ideal way to group shortcuts for news sites or online stores.
To change the name of a website shortcut using standard tools, you often need to delete it and create it again with a new name. However, some launchers allow you to edit signatures directly. Hold the icon, select Edit in the menu that appears and enter new text. This is useful if the standard site name is too long.
⚠️ Attention: When you delete a website shortcut from the home screen, the bookmark itself in the browser is not deleted. You can safely clean your desktop without fear of losing saved addresses in your browser history.
Solving problems with icon display
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the created shortcut does not appear on the screen or is displayed incorrectly. Instead of a beautiful site icon, there may be a white sheet or a standard browser icon. This is often due to the way graphics are cached in the system.
First, try rebooting the device. This will update the desktop indexing and force the launcher to re-read the data about new shortcuts. If the problem persists, check to see if the power saving mode is enabled, which may limit background activity and interface updates.
Why is the icon white?
A white square instead of the site logo means that the browser was unable to load the favicon (small site icon) when creating the shortcut. This often happens when the Internet connection is poor. Try deleting the shortcut, refreshing the page in the browser and creating it again on stable Wi-Fi.
You should also make sure that there is enough free space on the main screen. The desktop grid has limitations, and if all the cells are occupied, the new icon simply cannot fit. Move other applications or widgets to make room for the new link.
If the shortcut does not work, the problem most often lies in the lack of access to the Internet or that the site has changed its address (redirect), and the shortcut leads to the old link.
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to change the icon created shortcut to your picture?
This cannot be done using standard system tools; the icon is taken automatically from the site. However, using third-party launchers (for example, Nova Launcher) or special applications for creating shortcuts, you can assign any image from the gallery as an icon for a link.
Why did the shortcuts stop working after updating the browser?
When the browser is updated globally, the internal paths to the functions for creating shortcuts may change. In rare cases, old shortcuts become inactive. It is recommended to delete broken icons and create them again through the updated browser menu.
Do site shortcuts take up a lot of memory on the phone?
No, the shortcuts themselves take up negligible space, since they are only text files with links and icon thumbnails. They do not duplicate the content of sites and do not affect the speed of the device or the amount of free memory.
How to remove advertising when opening a site shortcut?
The shortcut simply opens the site in the browser, so it displays the same ads as when you normally log in. To avoid this, use browsers with built-in ad blockers or install sites as PWA applications, which sometimes have a lightweight interface.