10 Unique Ways to Organize Your Android Apps - MUO - MakeUseOf

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If you like installing and trying out new apps on your Android smartphone, it can get quite overwhelming at times. Whether you have a ton of apps or only a few, everyone can use some help keeping their Android apps organized.

From managing apps to renaming folders, here are ten interesting and unique ways you can try out to keep your app drawer clean, sorted, and beautiful.

1. List Your Apps by What They Do

Don't waste any time scrolling through your phone's default app names to find the one you're looking for.

List and rename your folders instead with verb-based labels that focus on what you use them for, such as "watch", "play", "learn", and so on. When you need to jump back into an app, it'll only take a moment to find.

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You can do this on your home screen or in your app drawer if your phone allows it. Just make sure to label individual apps using the right verb.

For instance, "Copy" is a good choice for a folder containing clipboard manager apps. "Walks" is a better title for pedometer or workout apps that map your daily walk routine. You can group several apps into a folder on your Android device and title it accordingly.

Thankfully, Android offers a ton of useful ways to get the most out of your phone. You can place frequently-used apps as shortcuts or widgets on the edge of your home screen for quick access when switching between apps.

A lot depends on how you hold and use your device. For example, you can place an email app on the left side of your screen, while a phone app could be placed to the right, or howsoever you wish. From there, it only takes one tap to open the app you need.

Samsung's devices make this a lot easier through an innovative edge panel system that makes it easy to swipe through your apps in one swift motion.

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3. Go Alphabetical

Categorizing your apps in alphabetical order makes for a simple, systematic, and efficient folder structure. There are two ways of sorting your apps in this manner. On some devices, including those from Samsung, you can use the default app sort option on your device as listed below:

Open the Apps screen and tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
Tap Display layout > Alphabetical order. For some devices, you can also tap the Menu > Sort > Alphabetical order or Arrange by A to Z, or similar.
Your apps should now be sorted alphabetically.

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Alternatively, you may also create an "A" Folder, "B" Folder, and categorize all the apps whose names start with A, B, and so on within their respective folders.

4. Add Extra Home Screens

Tired of staring at a screen full of apps?

Try adding extra home screen pages in order of how often you use your apps. Begin with pinning your most frequently-used apps, such as your browser, email, or phone app on the main screen of your Android device.

Adding a new home screen page is simple. While the steps might differ from device to device, here's a rough guide to how it works on most phones:

To add a page to your Home screen, start by long-pressing an app.
Drag it towards the right edge of your Android home screen and tap on the plus icon.
Release to place the icon or widget anywhere on the new home screen.

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As you add more apps to your phone, you can organize and put them on the second and third pages of your screen, and so on. You can use the second and third screens for apps that don't need to be checked as frequently, like weather or navigation apps, or gaming apps.

You should also choose the screen distribution of apps in an optimal grid size such as "4 x 5" or other so that it's easier for you to view and manage your apps.

5. Use Emojis for Folder Names

Bland titles for folders like "Games" and "Music" can become a tad boring. Spice up your folders' looks by adding an emoji label to each one, or even a mix of text and emojis. For example, you can use the music icon to denote a folder containing apps like SoundCloud and Spotify.

When you're looking for a specific app, giving it a descriptive emoji name makes it easier than ever to find. Here's how to do this.

Group your selected apps into a new folder.
Tap the default emoji keyboard, and input your favorite emoji(s) in the Folder name field. You can even add text inputs in combination with emojis.
Once done, just tap anywhere on the screen, and a new folder will be created.

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6. List Your Apps by Function or Purpose

Organizing your apps by context can help you quickly access them. Create separate folders according to different functions, such as calendar management, social media, note-taking, and place the relevant apps within them.

You might like to group apps by usage categories. For instance, if you want to keep all of your work-related apps together in one place, create a folder labeled "Work." Similarly, for personal messaging, health and fitness, and gaming apps, you can group them as "Personal".

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7. Use a Color-Coded Folder Structure

Using a unique blend of color and visuals, this is a more intuitive and easier way to organize your smartphone apps. Simply sort your apps into folders based on the colors of their icons.

It could actually make your whole smartphone experience a bit more fun, and perhaps give your app screen that rainbow-themed vibrancy. It might not work well for everyone though, especially if you're a fan of categorizing apps by functionality.

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8. Keep Rarely-Used Apps in a Separate Folder

Apps can be great, but let's be honest—you never use half the ones you have.

Use this nifty little hack to save on storage space. You can move apps that you rarely use to a folder labeled "Old" for reference later. This will reduce clutter on your home screen.

If you're a Samsung user, you should take advantage of unique customization options to organize and manage apps, such as the "Zipped apps" feature that lets you disable and store away less-used apps in a separate folder.

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9. Move Apps to a microSD Card

Installing too many apps can cause problems if your device doesn't come with higher storage capabilities, or if you're trying to save some space on the phone. Thankfully, you can always transfer resource-hungry apps to a microSD card in a few simple steps:

On your device, navigate to Settings > Apps.
Select the app you wish to transfer to the microSD card.
Tap Storage > Change (if present) > Move.

Some devices do not support this feature. If the Change option is not present, the apps cannot be moved.

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10. Use App Launchers

Launchers are used to increase the functionality of smartphones, because they allow you to access all your Android's features, including managing apps in new ways, changing default user interface themes, and creating icons and widgets for simplicity and personalization.

You can use app launchers to organize your app drawer and personalize your home screen in different ways.

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Supercharge Your Android Experience

Organizing your app drawer can make a huge difference. It may take a while to set up everything, but once done, you will never have to waste time hunting for that specific app.

Speed up your mobile device by organizing your apps. Ensure you never have to waste valuable minutes going through a cluttered app drawer, thus maximizing your phone's performance, experience, and usability.

How to Move Apps to an SD Card on Your Android Device

Move apps to your SD card easily on any version of Android to free up some vital storage space. Here's how to do it.

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About The Author

Cheryl Vaughn (21 Articles Published)

Cheryl is a Content creator and strategist with a focus in lifestyle, mobile applications, and digital media. She has reviewed tech products and applications for content, usability and accessibility. She works closely with individuals and businesses to design campaigns that connect brands with customers using the appropriate mix of words and visuals.