Visit the home screen page on which you want to stick the app icon, or launcher. The screen must
have room for the app icon. Touch the Apps icon to display the apps drawer. Long-press (press and hold) the app icon you want to add to the home screen. Drag the app to the home screen page, lifting your finger to place the app. A copy of the app’s icon is now placed on the Home screen. Not every app needs a launcher icon on the home screen. I recommend placing only those apps you use most frequently. The best icons to place on the home screen are those that show updates, such as new messages, similar to the icon shown. These icons are also ideal to place in the favorites tray.
The app hasn’t moved: What you see is a copy or, officially, a launcher. You can still find the app in the apps drawer (see below for more
on this), but now the app is also available — more conveniently — on the home screen.
You can add apps to the home screen also by choosing the Apps command from the home screen menu. Often this command merely skips over Steps 1 and 2 in this section; you still have to long-press the icon and drag it to a Home screen page.
Finding apps in the apps drawer
The place where you find all apps installed on your Android phone is the Apps drawer. Even though you can find launcher icons (app shortcuts) on the home screen, the Apps drawer is where you need to go to find everything.To view the Apps drawer, tap the Apps icon on the home screen. This icon has a different look to it, depending on your Android phone. Here are some variations on the Apps icon, though more varieties may exist.
Apps icon varieties
After you tap the Apps icon, you see the Apps drawer. Swipe through the pages left and right or up and down across the touchscreen.To run an app, tap its icon. The app starts, taking over the screen and doing whatever magical thing the app does.
As you add new apps to your phone, they appear in the Apps drawer.
Some phones allow you to create folders in the Apps drawer. These folders contain multiple apps, which helps keep things organized. To access apps in the folder, tap the Folder icon.
The Apps drawer displays apps alphabetically. On some phones, you can switch to a non-alphabetical viewing grid. With that feature active, it’s possible to rearrange the apps in any order you like.
For apps that you use all the time, consider creating launcher icons on the Home screen.
About This Article
This article is from the book:
- Android For Dummies ,
About the book author:
Dan Gookin wrote the very first For Dummies book in 1991. With more than 11 million copies in print, his books have been translated into 32 languages. PCs For Dummies, now in its 12th edition, is the bestselling beginning PC book in the world. Dan offers tips, games, and fun at www.wambooli.com.
This article can be found in the category:
- Androids ,
Note: We’ve changed the name of the Your Phone app to Microsoft Phone Link. In addition, the Your Phone Companion app for Android is now called Link to Windows. For more information, see Introducing Microsoft Phone Link and Link to Windows. With the Phone Link app, you can
instantly access the Android apps installed on your mobile device right on your PC. Using a Wi-Fi connection, Apps allows you to browse, play, order, chat, and more — all while using your PC’s larger screen and keyboard. You can add your Android apps as favorites on your PC, pin them to your Start menu and taskbar, and open them in separate windows to use side-by-side with apps on your PC.
Learn more about how to use Apps
What do I need to use Apps?
To use Apps, you will need:
A PC running the Windows 10 May 2019 Update or later. Learn how to check your PC's version of Windows
Your PC also needs to be using a graphics card (GPU) that supports DirectX11. Learn how to check your version of DirectX
An Android device running Android 9.0 or greater, with Link to Windows (pre-installed). Learn more
Your Android device and PC connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Apps works in the Phone Link appversion 1.20082.141.0 or later. Older versions of the Phone Link app will show the previous phone screen experience.
Recent Apps works in the Phone Link app version 1.21092.145.0 or later. Older versions of the Phone Link app will not show Recent Apps.
What do I need to run multiple apps on my PC at a time?
A PC running the Windows 10 May 2020 Update or later. For best performance, we recommend having at least 8GB of RAM.
An Android device running Android 11.0.
On your Android device, you need Link to Windows (pre-installed) version 2.1.05.6 or later, or Link to Windows (pre-installed) version 1.20104.15.0 or later.
Multiple apps works in the Phone Link app version 1.20104.20.0 or later.
How do I set up Apps?
On your PC, open the Phone Link app and select Apps. Follow the setup instructions. If you encounter issues, here are some troubleshooting tips.
What devices are supported?
Apps is available on select Samsung devices that have Link to Windows (pre-installed). A few recent devices are listed below.
Notes:
If your device is running Android 11 or higher, you may be eligible for the multiple apps experience. Compatible devices are marked below with an asterisk (*).
Android 11 availability depends on your mobile device, your mobile provider, and market availability.
Samsung Galaxy Fold*
Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G*
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G*
Samsung Galaxy S22*
Samsung Galaxy S22+*
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra*
Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip*
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G*
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G*
The full list of supported devices can be found here.