Your Android phone may not show every installed app on the home screen. The full list usually lives in the app drawer, which Google calls All Apps, Samsung calls the Apps screen, and Motorola calls the app tray. Start with the standard swipe gesture, then use the brand-specific settings below when your phone uses a different layout.
Swipe up for All Apps
On current Android phones and tablets, open the app drawer from the Home screen by swiping up from the bottom of the screen toward the top. Google calls this area All Apps.
Once the drawer opens, tap the app you want. On some devices, an All Apps button appears instead; tap All Apps, then choose your app.
If swiping up does not show your apps, check the Samsung, Motorola, or Xiaomi settings below because those launchers can use a different home screen layout.
Open the app drawer on a Samsung Galaxy
Samsung calls the app drawer the Apps screen.
- 1.Go to the Home screen.
- 2.Swipe up or down to open the Apps screen.
- 3.Swipe left or right to move through all app pages.
- 4.Tap the app you want to open.
Fix Samsung when apps stay on the Home screen
The most common cause is that the phone is set to keep all apps on the Home screen instead of using the Apps screen.
Open Settings, then tap Home screen. Tap Home screen layout, choose Home screen only, then tap Apply if you want every app placed on the Home screen.
Return to the Home screen and swipe left or right to see all apps. In this layout, swiping up shows suggested apps and a search bar, not the full Apps screen.
Add the Samsung Apps button
This fixes the missing drawer icon when you prefer tapping a button instead of swiping.
Open Settings.
Tap Home screen.
Turn on Show Apps screen button on Home screen.
Return to the Home screen and tap the Apps button in the corner.
Turn on the Motorola app tray
Motorola phones use an app tray model. Swipe up from the bottom of the Home screen to open it.
If your Motorola shows all apps on the Home screen instead, touch and hold a blank space on the Home screen, then open Home settings. Tap Home screen style, choose App tray to use the drawer, or choose Open to keep all apps on the Home screen.
Enable the Xiaomi app drawer
On Xiaomi and Redmi phones, the drawer may need to be enabled first. Open Settings, go to Home screen, tap Home screen again, then choose With App drawer.
After it is enabled, swipe up on the Home screen to enter the APP drawer. Tap the settings icon in the upper-right corner when you want to adjust drawer settings.
If swiping still does not open the drawer, open the Home screen setting again and confirm With App drawer is selected.
Find an app that is hidden or private
The most common cause is that the app is not in the main visible drawer because it is hidden in Samsung settings or stored in Android Private space.
On Samsung, open the Apps screen and type the app's name in the search bar.
To make it appear again, touch and hold an empty spot on the Home screen, tap Settings, then open Hide apps on Home and Apps screens. Under Hidden apps, tap the red minus icon beside the app, then tap Done.
On Android 15 and newer devices with Private space, open the Home screen or All Apps, scroll down to Private space, then authenticate with your private space lock or device screen lock. When Private space is unlocked, its apps can appear in All Apps again.
Find work apps on managed phones
Work or school apps can live separately from personal apps. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open All Apps, then tap the Work tab to find apps from a work or school Google Account.
If the work apps are missing, make sure the work profile is enabled on the device. App availability is controlled by the organization, so only approved and installed work apps appear in the Work tab.
Use voice shortcuts instead of older Android steps
Gemini can open individual apps by voice. Say Hey Google, then ask it to open the app by name. Google is upgrading mobile devices from the classic Google Assistant to Gemini starting September 4, 2026, so Assistant still handles the same command on devices that have not been upgraded yet.
On supported Samsung Galaxy models, set the Side button to a digital assistant through Settings, Apps, Choose default apps, Digital assistant app, Digital assistant app, and Google. Then go to Settings, Advanced features, Side button, Long press, and tap the assistant app you want to launch. If a Settings gear icon appears next to it, tap the gear and pick the shortcut you want; some models list Google directly. By default, a long press opens Gemini, or Google Assistant in regions where Gemini is not available.
Older Android 9-era guides may mention Settings, System, Gestures, and Swipe up on Home button. That was an old navigation setting, not the current way to open the app drawer on modern Android phones.
If you only need one app and the drawer is awkward to reach, use voice to open that app directly; if you need the full app list, use the swipe-up drawer or the launcher settings above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the app drawer on Android?
It is the full list of installed apps. Google calls it All Apps, Samsung calls it the Apps screen, and Motorola calls it the app tray.
Why does swiping up not open all my apps?
Your launcher may be set to show all apps on the Home screen, or your phone maker may use a different setting. Samsung, Motorola, and Xiaomi all have home screen layout options that affect the drawer.
Can I open the app drawer with a voice command?
Gemini can open individual apps by name, and the classic Google Assistant does the same on devices Google has not yet upgraded to Gemini. The supported voice action is for opening an app, not for opening the whole app drawer.
Where are my work apps on Android?
Open All Apps by swiping up, then tap the Work tab. Work apps appear there when a work or school profile is enabled and the organization has made those apps available.