Finding an app shouldn't mean swiping through pages of scattered icons. Start by alphabetizing your Samsung Galaxy's Apps screen, then put everyday shortcuts and folders where you want them. These steps use Samsung's One UI Home launcher; replacement launchers have their own organization controls.
Put your apps in alphabetical order
Alphabetical sorting puts the Apps screen in order by app name.
Swipe up from the Home screen to open the Apps screen.
Tap More options, the three-dot menu.
Choose Sort.
Select Alphabetical order.
Samsung's current layout uses a vertically scrolling alphabetical list; scrolling behavior differs on older software. This setting sorts the Apps screen, not Home screen icons or apps inside folders.
Give everyday apps a place on your Home screen
With separate Home and Apps screens, keep your everyday shortcuts on Home. To add one, touch and hold an app in the Apps screen and tap Add to Home.
To reposition a Home screen icon, touch and hold it, drag it to an empty spot, and release.
To move it to another page, hold the icon at the screen edge until the page changes, then release it in its new position.
To clear an unnecessary shortcut, touch and hold it and tap Remove. The app stays installed and accessible from the Apps screen.
If icons won't move, unlock the layout
A locked Home screen layout prevents you from rearranging icons.
Touch and hold an empty area of the Home screen.
Open Settings.
Turn off Lock Home screen layout.
On One UI 7, hold the phone in portrait orientation. Home screen layout editing is limited to portrait on that version.
Try dragging the icon again.
Arrange the Apps screen your own way
Want apps in positions you choose? Custom ordering gives you manually arranged, horizontally navigated Apps-screen pages.
Open the Apps screen's More options menu.
Tap Sort.
Choose Custom order.
Touch and hold an app, then drag it to your preferred position.
To close gaps on builds with Clean up pages, open More options.
Select Clean up pages.
Tap OK. This command tidies Apps-screen pages only.
If Clean up pages is absent or leaves gaps, drag icons into the empty spaces manually.
If the custom arrangement still isn't working for you, switch back through More options > Sort > Alphabetical order.
Group related apps into folders
Use folders on the Home screen or Apps screen to keep related apps together.
Touch and hold an app, then drag it onto another app to create a folder.
Open the folder, tap Folder name, and enter a name such as Travel or Shopping.
Tap the color circle inside the folder to change its color.
Tap Add apps to folder (+), select apps, and tap Done.
To take an app out later, open the folder, touch and hold the app, and drag it outside. The app stays installed.
Touch and hold a folder, then drag it to reposition it.
To place an Apps-screen folder on Home, touch and hold it and choose Add to Home.
To dissolve a folder, touch and hold it and tap Delete folder. Its apps remain installed. Delete Home and Apps-screen copies separately.
On supported One UI 7-and-later Home screens, touch and hold a folder and select Enlarge. Leave space for its 2×2 footprint.
Tap a visible app to launch it directly.
To restore the smaller folder, touch and hold the folder and select Shrink.
Set up your favorites row and extra pages
Drag an unwanted app out of the favorites row at the bottom of the Home screen to make room.
Drag a preferred app into the vacant position. Samsung's standard layout has five positions, or four app positions when the Apps button occupies one.
To group favorites, drag one app in that row onto another to create a folder.
For more Home screen space, touch and hold an empty area of the Home screen.
Swipe to the blank page.
Tap Add (+) to create a page.
To change the page order in the Home screen editor, touch and hold a page and drag it to its new position.
Tap a page's Home icon to make it the default.
To remove an unwanted page in the editor, tap its Delete trash icon.
Keep everyday apps in the favorites row and use extra pages for groups you open less often.
Keep your layout organized
To hide apps without uninstalling them, touch and hold empty Home screen space and open Settings > Hide apps on Home and Apps screens. Hiding an icon does not put a security lock on the app.
Select the apps to hide and tap Done. To bring one back, remove it from Hidden apps using its minus icon, then tap Done.
On supported One UI Home builds, including supported Galaxy foldables, turn off Add new apps to Home screen under Settings > Home screen. New installations will stop adding shortcuts automatically.
Once everything is in place, turn on Lock Home screen layout under Settings > Home screen. Turn it off whenever you want to rearrange things.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put every app on the Home screen instead of using an app drawer?
Yes. Open Settings > Home screen > Home screen layout. Select Home screen only, then tap Apply. To return to a separate app drawer, select Home and Apps screens and tap Apply.
How do I fit more app icons on a Home screen page?
On Samsung's standard One UI 7 layout, touch and hold empty Home screen space. Open Settings > Home screen grid. Choose 5x6 and tap Done. Available grid choices differ across models and software versions.
How can I find an app without browsing all my pages?
Open the Apps screen. Tap the Search bar at the top or bottom. Type all or part of the app's name, then tap the result.
Can I transfer my folders and icon positions to a new Galaxy phone?
Yes. For compatible Galaxy-to-Galaxy transfers, open Smart Switch on both phones through Settings > Accounts and backup > Smart Switch. Set the new phone as the receiver. Connect the phones wirelessly or by cable. Include Home layout in the transferable content to carry over icon positions and folders. Transfer choices vary by device and software.