Organizing apps on your phone is a matter of preference. Some like to have their home screen clean and minimalist, while others have no problem having all their apps visible.
Android device users have access to the app drawer. This exclusive Android feature allows you to customize your home screen.
But what exactly is an app drawer and why do you need one? Keep reading to find out.
The Android application drawer… What is it?
An app drawer is a pre-installed feature that allows you to have a complete overview of all the apps on your phone. Its main goal is to help you organize your apps and keep your home screen tidy. The app drawer displays all the apps on your phone as icons. Some app drawers also display apps in a detailed list.
The app drawer is also known as the “app launcher” and “app tray.” It allows you to launch applications directly by just touching them.
App drawer in front of home screen
The app drawer is similar to the home screen in terms of displaying app icons. However, the main difference between the two is that the app drawer is not customizable. While you can organize the apps and widgets on your home screen however you want, the app drawer is a sort of “permanent record” of your installed apps. The app drawer also does not include widgets.
Many users who switch from iPhone to Android are confused when they encounter the app drawer. You are used to swiping through screen pages to find the desired app if you are a former iPhone user. On Android devices, things are a little different.
Therein lies the main difference between the Android home screen and the iPhone, since the iPhone makes all applications immediately accessible. This can result in a cluttered home screen. The Android app drawer helps solve this problem, which is why Android is an easier system to use. If you hypothetically removed the app drawer from an Android device, it would look a lot like the iOS interface.
When arranging apps on Android, you can choose which ones you want on your home screen. The rest of the apps are safe in the app drawer. You can search for them there whenever you need them, resulting in a cleaner, more organized screen.
How to access the app drawer
You can access the app drawer by swiping from bottom to top, starting from the home screen. That way you’ll open the drawer and immediately have an overview of all the apps on the device.
You can also access the drawer by tapping the app drawer icon. You can usually find it in the dock (at the bottom of the screen, where the main apps like messaging, calls, and cameras are located).
If your app drawer icon is missing from your home screen or you accidentally deleted it, follow these steps to get it back:
- Open the home screen.
- Tap and hold somewhere on the home screen space until the menu appears.|
- Go to “Settings” and go to the “Applications” tab (the name of the settings tab varies depending on the Android version).
- Enable the “Show Apps button”.
You can also find the app drawer options by following the steps below:
- Go to settings.”
- Go to “Display”.
- Enter the “Navigation Bar”.
- Set your preferences.
Please note that these are general steps to configure the app drawer interface. The settings and app drawer depend on the version of Android you are using.
How to use the app drawer
Every new app you install on your phone is placed in the app drawer first. Some phones allow you to simultaneously place the latest apps in the app drawer and on the home screen as soon as you download them.
Below we explain how you can enable and disable this option as you prefer:
- Open the app drawer.
- Find “Settings” at the top right of the panel.
- Enable or disable “Add apps to the home screen.”
Your Android phone will automatically place the app icon on the home screen as soon as you download it if you enable this option. If this feature is disabled, you need to drag and drop the newly downloaded app from the app drawer to the home screen.
Do the following if you want to place a drawer app to be accessible on your home screen:
- Swipe up and open the app drawer.
- Find the app you want to send to the home screen.
- Press and hold the icon until you can drag it.
- Find where you want to place it on the home screen and release it.
Sort apps in the app drawer
By default, app icons in this feature are sorted alphabetically, and some Android phones offer custom sorting modes.
You can sort the apps in your Android app drawer based on the following criteria:
- Alphabetical order
- Last installation
- Frequently used
Depending on the phone or Android system version, the app drawer may be a series of screens. You can navigate through them by swiping from left to right or search for apps by scrolling up and down in a vertical layout. Users suggest the latter as it provides quick access to applications. If you choose the horizontal layout, you will have to scroll through the pages with the applications listed.
Some versions of Android allow you to set up a custom search for your app drawer. This feature allows you to quickly find apps based on your preferences. Enabling this feature in settings allows your phone to suggest apps and app features in the top section of the app drawer.
To set sorting in your app drawer, follow the steps:
- Open your app drawer by swiping up from the home screen.
- Open “Settings” in the upper right corner of the drawer screen.
- Choose “Home Screen Settings.”
Once in Settings, you can configure an app drawer view based on your preferences.
All your apps in one place
Android app drawer is an effective tool to manage your apps. It is one of the flagship features of Android and allows you to keep your home screen clean and organized. You can access all your apps with a single swipe with an app drawer. Instead of scrolling through a few pages to find the app you’re looking for, using a search bar is a time-saving feature.
Do you prefer to use the app drawer or have all your apps on the home screen? Tell us in the comments section below.
