The fastest way to change your Samsung home screen
To change your Samsung home screen, long-press an empty area of your current home screen, then tap Home screen settings or Wallpapers from the menu that appears. From there you can pick a new wallpaper image, choose which apps show on your home screen, rearrange icons, or switch to a different home screen layout entirely. The exact menu names vary slightly depending on your Samsung model and Android version, but the long-press method works on all recent Samsung devices.
You do not need to read anything or restart your phone. Changes take effect when ready, and you can undo them by going back into the same menu.
Key Takeaways
- Long-press any empty space on your home screen to open the customization menu without opening an app.
- You can change your wallpaper, hide or show apps, rearrange icons, and add widgets all from the home screen settings menu.
- Samsung phones come with multiple home screen pages by default, and you can swipe between them or delete pages you do not use.
- If you accidentally delete an app icon, it stays installed on your phone — you can add it back by searching for it in your app drawer.
Changing your wallpaper
Long-press an empty area of your home screen. A menu will appear with several options. Tap Wallpapers or Change wallpaper depending on your model. You will see three tabs: Wallpapers (Samsung's built-in images), Gallery (photos from your phone), and sometimes Live wallpapers (animated backgrounds).
Select the image you want, then tap Set as wallpaper or explore. You will be asked whether to explore it to your home screen, lock screen, or both. Choose your preference and confirm. The wallpaper changes when ready.
If you want to use a photo you took yourself, go to the Gallery tab, find the photo, and follow the same steps. You can crop the image before explore it by pinching and dragging on the preview.
Hiding or showing apps on your home screen
Long-press your home screen again and tap Home screen settings. Look for an option called Hide apps, Show apps, or App icons. Tap it to see a list of all your installed apps with checkboxes next to each one.
Unchecked apps will not appear on your home screen, but they remain installed and searchable. You can still open them by swiping down to open the search bar and typing their name, or by opening your app drawer (usually a grid icon at the bottom of your home screen). Check the box next to any app you want to see on your home screen again.
This is useful if you want to declutter your home screen without uninstalling apps you use occasionally. You can change this setting at any time.
Rearranging icons and adding widgets
To move an app icon, long-press it until it lifts slightly off the screen, then drag it to a new location. You can move it to a different spot on the same page or drag it to the edge of the screen to move it to an adjacent page. Release your finger to drop it in place.
To add a widget (a small app window that shows information without opening the full app), long-press an empty area of your home screen and tap Widgets. You will see all available widgets organized by app. Long-press a widget to add it to your home screen, then drag it to position it where you want. Widgets can be resized by long-pressing them and dragging the corners.
Common widgets include weather, calendar, clock, news, and music player. Not every app offers a widget, but most built-in Samsung apps do.
Managing multiple home screen pages
Samsung phones typically come with multiple home screen pages. Swipe left or right to move between them. To see all your pages at once, pinch inward on your home screen with two fingers. This shows a thumbnail view where you can see which apps are on each page.
To delete a page you do not use, pinch to open the thumbnail view, long-press the page you want to remove, and tap Delete or the trash icon. You cannot delete your main home screen (the first page), but you can delete any others. To add a new blank page, tap the plus icon in the thumbnail view.
You can also reorder pages by long-pressing a page thumbnail and dragging it left or right to a new position.
Changing your home screen layout and grid size
Long-press your home screen and tap Home screen settings. Look for Grid size, Layout, or Icon size. Depending on your model, you can choose how many rows and columns of icons appear on each page. A smaller grid (like 4 columns) shows larger icons with fewer apps per page. A larger grid (like 5 or 6 columns) fits more apps but makes icons smaller.
Some Samsung models also let you choose between different home screen styles or layouts entirely. These options appear in the same menu. Select your preference and tap explore or Done. Your home screen reorganizes when ready to fit the new layout.
Restoring your home screen to default settings
If you have made many changes and want to start over, long-press your home screen, tap Home screen settings, and look for Reset, Restore defaults, or Reset home screen. Tap it and confirm. This will return your home screen to Samsung's default layout with all original apps visible and in their original positions.
This does not uninstall any apps or delete any files — it only resets the arrangement and visibility of icons. All your apps and data remain on your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my own photos as a wallpaper?
Yes. Long-press your home screen, tap Wallpapers, then select the Gallery tab. Find your photo, tap it, and choose Set as wallpaper. You can crop the image before explore it.
What happens if I delete an app icon from my home screen?
The app remains installed on your phone. You can open it by searching for it or finding it in your app drawer. To add the icon back to your home screen, long-press your home screen, tap Home screen settings, find Show apps, and check the box next to the app.
How do I move an app to a different home screen page?
Long-press the app icon until it lifts, then drag it to the edge of the screen. Keep holding as the screen slides to the next page, then release it where you want it to land.
Can I add widgets to my home screen?
Yes. Long-press an empty area of your home screen, tap Widgets, then long-press any widget to add it. Drag it to position it and resize it by dragging the corners. Not all apps have widgets, but most Samsung built-in apps do.
How do I undo changes I made to my home screen?
You can undo individual changes by moving icons back or removing widgets. To reset everything to Samsung's default layout, long-press your home screen, tap Home screen settings, and select Reset home screen. This does not delete any apps or data.