This guide teaches you how to remove Home screen shortcuts to apps from your Android phone. On most Android devices, you can easily remove individual app shortcuts directly from the Home screen. Furthermore, you can disable the feature that automatically adds Home screen shortcuts to prevent unwanted icons from appearing in the future. Read on to learn how to delete icons from the Home screen on your Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi, or other Android devices.
Before you start: Ensure you have access to your Android device and any necessary settings.
How to remove app icons from the Home screen on Android
Follow these simple steps to remove app icons from your Home screen on various Android devices.
- Long-press the app icon you want to remove. If you want to remove an app icon from your Home screen on a Google Pixel, Motorola, Sonim, or other stock Android phone or tablet, you can do so easily.
- Drag the app icon to the “Remove” or “Delete” option. In some versions, you may need to tap Remove or Delete instead. This removes the app icon from your Home screen without deleting it from your phone or tablet.
- If you want to uninstall the app, drag the app icon to the Uninstall option instead.
- If you change your mind and want to add the app back to your Home screen, find the app icon in your app list, tap and hold the app, then drag it to the Home screen.
- On Samsung devices, long-press the app icon you want to remove until a pop-up menu appears.
- Tap Remove or Remove Shortcut. This removes the icon from your Home screen without deleting the app.
- If you want to delete the app, you can do so from the app list instead. Swipe up on the Home screen to bring up the app list, tap and hold the app you want to uninstall, then tap Uninstall.
- If you want to add an app back to the Home screen later, find the app in your app list, tap and hold its icon, and select Add to Home.
Unlocking home screen layout
- If you can’t delete an app from the Home screen using Samsung’s OneUI, the home screen layout is likely locked. Here’s how to unlock it:
- Tap and hold any empty area of the Home screen.
- Tap Settings on the menu.
- If Lock home screen layout is enabled, tap the switch to disable it.
- Once disabled, tap and hold an app icon, then select Remove to remove its icon from the Home screen.
Using Nova Launcher
- Long-press an app’s icon until a pop-up menu appears.
- Tap Remove. This deletes the app’s icon from your Home screen without uninstalling the app.
- In some versions of Nova Launcher, you’ll tap X instead of Remove.
- If you want to uninstall the app completely, select App Info instead, then tap Yes when asked if you want to uninstall the app.
- If you want to hide an app icon from the app drawer in Nova Launcher, you can do so in Nova Settings > App drawer > Hide apps.
- If there is no option to remove an app’s icon from the Home screen, the layout is likely locked. To unlock it:
- Long-press a blank area of the Home screen.
- Tap Nova Settings or Settings.
- Tap Home Screen.
- Scroll down and tap Advanced.
- Toggle off the Lock Layout option.
Changing Home screen style on Huawei devices
- Set your Home screen to the App Drawer style:
- Open your Android’s Settings app.
- Tap Home screen & wallpaper.
- Tap Home screen style.
- Select Drawer instead of Standard.
- Long-press an app icon and select Remove. Now that your Home screen is in the correct style, removing an icon from the Home screen is straightforward.
Pro tip: If you want to prevent app icons from automatically appearing on your Home screen, disable the Add app icons to home screen option in your Home screen settings.
Understanding how to manage app icons on your Home screen can enhance your Android user experience significantly. By following the steps outlined above, you can customize your Home screen to better suit your preferences and avoid clutter. This helps in keeping your most-used apps easily accessible while removing those you don’t frequently use.
Taking control of your Home screen not only streamlines your workflow but also maximizes your productivity. Whether you want to remove icons, disable automatic additions, or customize your layout, these simple steps equip you with the tools necessary to create an efficient and personalized Android experience.
