Rearrange apps and widgets on your Samsung home screen

You can move any app or widget on your Samsung home screen by pressing and holding it, then dragging it to a new spot. The screen will shift to make room as you drag. When you release your finger, the app or widget stays in its new position. This works on any of your home screen pages — swipe left or right to see all available pages.

If you want to move an app to a different home screen page entirely, press and hold it, then drag it to the edge of the screen. The page will scroll automatically. Keep holding until you reach the page where you want it, then release. You can also create a new blank page by dragging an app past the last existing page.

Key Takeaways

  • Press and hold any app or widget, then drag it to rearrange your home screen without opening settings.
  • Create folders by dragging one app directly onto another app — both will move into a new folder you can name.
  • Hide apps you don't use by moving them to the App Drawer, which keeps them installed but off your home screen.
  • Resize widgets by pressing and holding them until a blue border appears, then dragging the corners to make them larger or smaller.
  • Reset your entire home screen to Samsung's default layout through Settings > Home Screen > Reset Home Screen if you want to start over.

Create folders to group related apps

Folders let you bundle similar apps together and reduce clutter on your home screen. To create a folder, press and hold one app, then drag it directly onto another app without releasing. Both apps will automatically move into a new folder. The folder will appear with a default name based on the app category — for example, "Google" if you combined Google Maps and Google Drive.

Rename the folder by opening it and pressing the folder name at the top. Type a new name and tap outside the text box to save. You can add more apps to the folder by dragging them into it, and remove apps by opening the folder, pressing and holding an app inside, then dragging it back to the home screen. Delete a folder by opening it, pressing and holding the folder itself, and selecting the delete option — the apps inside will return to your home screen.

Hide apps you don't use regularly

The App Drawer is a separate space where all your installed apps live, hidden from your home screen. To move an app there, press and hold it on your home screen, then look for an option that says "Remove from Home Screen" or "Hide" — the exact wording depends on your Samsung model and Android version. The app stays installed on your phone and you can still open it from the App Drawer, but it no longer takes up space on your home screen.

To open the App Drawer, swipe up from the bottom of your home screen or tap the grid icon (usually in the bottom-right corner). You'll see all your apps listed there. To put an app back on your home screen, open the App Drawer, press and hold the app, and select "Add to Home Screen." You can also search for an app in the App Drawer by typing its name at the top.

Resize and customize widgets

Widgets display live information — weather, calendar events, news — without opening the full app. To add a widget, press and hold an empty space on your home screen until a menu appears, then select "Widgets." Scroll through the available widgets, press and hold one, and drag it to your home screen. Release to place it.

To resize a widget, press and hold it until a blue border appears around it. You'll see small squares or circles at the corners and edges — drag these to make the widget larger or smaller. Not all widgets can be resized; if the border doesn't appear, that widget has a fixed size. Remove a widget by pressing and holding it and selecting "Remove from Home Screen."

Manage multiple home screen pages

Samsung phones come with multiple home screen pages by default. Swipe left or right to move between them. To add a new blank page, drag an app to the right edge of your rightmost page and hold it there until a new page appears. To delete a page, press and hold it (usually by swiping up to see all pages at once), then select the delete option — apps on that page will move to nearby pages.

You can also reorder your pages by pressing and holding a page thumbnail and dragging it to a new position. This is useful if you want your most-used apps on the first page. Some Samsung models let you set a specific page as your default home screen — the page that appears when you press the home button. Check your Settings > Home Screen menu for this option.

Reset your home screen to default

If you've rearranged everything and want to start fresh, Samsung lets you reset your home screen to its original layout. Go to Settings > Home Screen > Reset Home Screen. A confirmation message will appear — tap "Reset" to proceed. Your apps will return to their default positions, folders will disappear, and any hidden apps will reappear on your home screen. This does not uninstall any apps or delete any data; it only changes their arrangement.

Before you reset, take a moment to think about what you actually want. If you just want to hide a few apps or create a couple of folders, those changes are faster to undo individually than resetting everything. If you've made dozens of changes and can't remember what you moved, a reset is the quickest way back to a clean slate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I lock apps in place so they don't move by accident?

Some Samsung models have a "Lock Home Screen Layout" option in Settings > Home Screen. When enabled, you cannot move, add, or remove apps without turning this setting off first. This prevents accidental rearrangement, especially useful if children use your phone.

Why can't I drag some apps on my home screen?

System apps that came pre-installed on your Samsung phone sometimes cannot be moved or removed from the home screen — you can only hide them. If an app won't budge when you press and hold it, try hiding it instead and accessing it from the App Drawer.

How do I add apps to my home screen from the App Drawer?

Open the App Drawer, press and hold the app you want, then select "Add to Home Screen." You can also drag the app directly from the App Drawer onto your home screen without releasing it.

Can I change the size of my home screen grid?

Yes, on most Samsung phones. Go to Settings > Home Screen > Home Screen Grid and select a different grid size — more columns and rows means smaller app icons and more apps per page. Changes take effect when ready.

What happens to my home screen layout if I restart my phone?

Your arrangement stays exactly as you left it. Restarting your phone does not reset your home screen. Only manually resetting through Settings will change your layout.