The basic way to add an app to your home screen

On most phones and tablets, you add an app to your home screen by finding it in your app library or app drawer, then holding your finger on it until a menu appears. The menu will show an option like "Add to Home Screen" or "Add to Home Screen" — tap that option, and the app icon moves to your home screen where you can see and open it without digging through menus.

The exact steps depend on whether you use an iPhone, an Android phone, or a tablet. The principle is the same across all of them: find the app, hold it, choose the add option from the menu that pops up.

Key Takeaways

  • On iPhones, hold the app icon in the App Library until a menu appears, then tap "Add to Home Screen."
  • On Android phones, hold the app icon in the app drawer, then tap "Add to Home Screen" or drag it directly to your home screen.
  • You can organize apps into folders on your home screen by dragging one app onto another.
  • If an app is already on your home screen, you can move it by holding and dragging it to a new spot.

How to add apps on an iPhone

On an iPhone, swipe to the last home screen page or tap the App Library icon (usually in the bottom right corner). The App Library shows all your apps organized by category. Find the app you want to add, then hold your finger on the icon until a menu appears.

Tap "Add to Home Screen" from the menu. A preview of the icon will appear — you can leave it as is or tap the icon to choose a different size or style if your iPhone offers that option. Tap "Add" in the top right corner, and the app icon will appear on your home screen.

How to add apps on an Android phone

On Android, open your app drawer by swiping up from the bottom of the screen or tapping the app drawer icon (usually at the bottom center). Find the app you want, then hold your finger on it until a menu appears or the icon becomes highlighted.

Look for an option that says "Add to Home Screen" or "Add to Home" — tap it. The app icon will move to your home screen. On some Android phones, you can also drag the app directly from the app drawer to your home screen without using a menu.

Organizing apps into folders

Once apps are on your home screen, you can group them into folders to keep things tidy. Hold one app icon, then drag it on top of another app icon. Both phones and tablets will automatically create a folder and put both apps inside it.

You can rename the folder by tapping it to open it, then tapping the folder name at the top. Type a new name — for example, "Games" or "Social Media" — and tap done. You can add more apps to the folder by dragging them into it the same way.

Moving and removing apps from your home screen

To move an app to a different spot on your home screen, hold the icon and drag it to where you want it. You can move it left or right on the same page, or drag it to the edge of the screen to move it to another page.

To remove an app from your home screen without deleting it from your phone, hold the icon and look for an option like "Remove from Home Screen" or "Remove." The app stays on your phone in the app library or app drawer — it just no longer appears on your home screen. If you want to delete the app entirely from your phone, look for a "Delete" or "Uninstall" option instead, but that removes it completely.

What to do if you cannot find an app

If you installed an app but cannot find it in your app library or app drawer, the app may be hidden or disabled. On iPhones, check the App Library by swiping to the rightmost home screen page — apps are organized by category there. On Android, open the app drawer and look for a search icon at the top; type the app name to find it.

If the app still does not appear, it may have been uninstalled accidentally or may not be compatible with your device. You can reinstall it from the App Store on iPhone or Google Play on Android by searching for the app name and tapping the install button.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add the same app to my home screen more than once?

On iPhones, you can add multiple shortcuts to the same app, but not duplicate app icons. On Android, most phones allow you to add the same app icon multiple times to your home screen. Check your phone's settings or try dragging the app to your home screen twice to see if your device supports this.

What if the "Add to Home Screen" option does not appear?

Hold the app icon for a full second or two — sometimes the menu takes a moment to appear. If nothing happens, try a longer hold. On some Android phones, you may need to drag the app directly to your home screen instead of using a menu option.

Can I add web pages or websites to my home screen?

Yes. On iPhones, open Safari, visit the website, tap the share icon, then tap "Add to Home Screen." On Android, open Chrome, visit the website, tap the menu (three dots), then tap "Add to Home Screen." This creates a shortcut that opens the website when you tap it.

How do I undo adding an app to my home screen?

Hold the app icon on your home screen and tap "Remove from Home Screen." The app stays on your phone but disappears from your home screen. You can add it back anytime by going to your app library or app drawer and repeating the add process.