Samsung Galaxy S8: How to Hide Apps in Android 7.0 Nougat

Hide apps is a feature in Samsung Galaxy S8 that you can use to hide apps, either pre-loaded or third-party apps, so that they won't be displayed in the apps screen. You can use this feature to clean up your apps screen for easier access by hiding unused/unwanted apps that cannot be uninstalled or to avoid those who use your phone know apps that you'd rather keep just for yourself. However, hiding an app will not disable its function so that other related apps can continue using this app.


How to hide apps?
As the example, we'll hide the Calendar app by using three different methods: from a home screen, from an apps screen, and from the settings menu.

Method #1: From a home screen

1. On a home screen, pinch the screen using two fingers or long tap on an empty area to go to the screen where you can customise your home screen.
2. Tap Home screen settings.
   
   
3. Tap Hide apps.
   
   
4. Select the Calendar app and then tap Apply button to apply your selection.
   
   
5. The selected app will be hidden and not be displayed in the Apps screen.

Method #2: From an apps screen

1. On a home screen, swipe up the bottom of the screen to go to the apps screen.
2. Tap at the top right and then select Settings.
   
   
3. Tap Hide apps.
   
   
4. Select the Calendar app and then tap Apply button to apply your selection.
   
   
5. The selected app will be hidden and not be displayed in the Apps screen.

Method #3: From the settings menu

1. On any screen, swipe down the top of the screen to open up the notification panel and then tap to go to the settings menu.
   
   
2. Tap Display.
   
   
3. Tap Home screen.
   
   
4. Tap Hide apps.
   
   
5. Select the Calendar app and then tap Apply button to apply your selection.
   
   
6. The selected app will be hidden and not be displayed in the Apps screen.

Samsung Galaxy S8: How to Adjust Apps Screen Grid Size in Android 7.0 Nougat

Apps screen is a part on your Samsung Galaxy S8 where you can use to access all your apps, either pre-loaded or third-party apps. Since your phone supports multiple apps screens, your apps will be displayed in multiple pages if you have many apps and they don't fit in a single page. However, the grid size of your apps screen can be adjusted so you can display more or less items within a page in your apps screen.


How to adjust the grid size of an apps screen?
As the example, we'll do so by using three different methods: from a home screen, from an apps screen, and from the settings menu.

Method #1: From a home screen

1. On a home screen, pinch the screen using two fingers or long tap on an empty area to go to the screen where you can customise your home screen.
2. Tap Home screen settings.
   
   
3. Tap Apps screen grid.
   
   
   As a note, this option won't be available if you set the home screen layout to Home screen only because the apps screen will be disabled and all your apps will be displayed on the home screen.
4. Select the required grid size you want to use. There are two grid sizes available:
   
   • 4x6: select this option to divide an apps screen becomes 4 rows and 6 columns so you can display up to 24 items within a page in your apps screen.
   • 5x6: select this option to divide a home screen becomes 5 rows and 6 columns so you can display up to 30 items within a page in your apps screen.
   
   Tap Apply button to apply your selection.
5. The selected grid size will be applied to your apps screen.

Method #2: From an apps screen

1. On a home screen, swipe up the bottom of the screen to go to the apps screen.
2. Tap at the top right and then select Settings.
   
   
3. Tap Apps screen grid.
   
   
4. Select the required grid size you want to use. There are two grid sizes available:
   
   • 4x6: select this option to divide an apps screen becomes 4 rows and 6 columns so you can display up to 24 items within a page in your apps screen.
   • 5x6: select this option to divide a home screen becomes 5 rows and 6 columns so you can display up to 30 items within a page in your apps screen.
   
   Tap Apply button to apply your selection.
5. The selected grid size will be applied to your apps screen.

Method #3: From the settings menu

1. On any screen, swipe down the top of the screen to open up the notification panel and then tap to go to the settings menu.
   
   
2. Tap Display.
   
   
3. Tap Home screen.
   
   
4. Tap Apps screen grid.
   
   
5. Select the required grid size you want to use. There are two grid sizes available:
   
   • 4x6: select this option to divide an apps screen becomes 4 rows and 6 columns so you can display up to 24 items within a page in your apps screen.
   • 5x6: select this option to divide a home screen becomes 5 rows and 6 columns so you can display up to 30 items within a page in your apps screen.
   
   Tap Apply button to apply your selection.
6. The selected grid size will be applied to your apps screen.

Samsung Galaxy S8: How to Automatically Show All Apps in Home Screen in Android 7.0 Nougat

By default, the home screen layout in Samsung Galaxy S8 is set to Home and Apps screens which makes your phone has a separate Apps screen contains with all your apps that you can access simply by swiping up the bottom of the home screen. While using this layout, you can add shortcuts to your favourite apps on your home screen for faster access. However, if you don't have many apps in your phone and want to be able to access all your apps directly from your home screen, you can set the layout to Home screen only to have your phone disables the Apps screen and shows all your apps in your home screen automatically.


How to set the home screen layout to Home screen only?
As the example, we'll do so by using two different methods: from a home screen and from the settings menu.

Method #1: From a home screen

1. On a home screen, pinch the screen using two fingers or long tap on an empty area to go to the screen where you can customise your home screen.
2. Tap Home screen settings.
   
   
3. Tap Home screen layout.
   
   
4. Select Home screen only and then tap Apply button.
   
   
5. A pop-up window appears to inform you that changing the layout will discard any customisations you have made to the home screen. Tap Apply button to continue applying your selection.
   
   
6. Now, your phone will show all your apps on the home screen for easier access.
   
   

Method #2: From the settings menu

1. On any screen, swipe down the top of the screen to open up the notification panel and then tap to go to the settings menu.
   
   
2. Tap Display.
   
   
3. Tap Home screen.
   
   
4. Tap Home screen layout.
   
   
5. Select Home screen only and then tap Apply button.
   
   
6. A pop-up window appears to inform you that changing the layout will discard any customisations you have made to the home screen. Tap Apply button to continue applying your selection.
   
   


7. Now, your phone will show all your apps on the home screen for easier access.
   
   

Samsung Galaxy S8: How to Add or Remove App Shortcuts on Home Screen in Android 7.0 Nougat

If you have installed many apps in your Samsung Galaxy S8 and it makes you have difficulty when you want to access your favourite apps, you can create shortcuts to those apps on your home screen for easier access.


How to add an app shortcut to a home screen?
As the example, we'll add a shortcut to the Gallery app on a home screen by using the following steps:

1. On a home screen, swipe up the bottom of the screen to access the Apps screen where you can find all your apps. However, if you don't like this way, you can show the Apps icon on the home screen so you can use it to access the Apps screen.
2. Swipe the screen to the left or right to find the Gallery app.
3. To add a shortcut to the Gallery app on a home screen, long tap the Gallery app icon and then select Add shortcut to Home. Alternatively, you can do so by tapping and holding the Gallery app icon and then drag it to an empty area on a home screen.
   
4. A shortcut to the Gallery app has been added on your home screen.
   
   

How to remove an app shortcut from a home screen?
When needed, you can easily remove unused or unwanted app shortcuts from the home screen. As the example, we'll remove the Gallery app shortcut from the home screen by using the following steps:

1. Go to the home screen where the Gallery app shortcut is placed in.
2. Long tap the Gallery app shortcut and then select Remove shortcut.
   
   
3. The Gallery app shortcut has been removed from the home screen.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: How to Enable Icon Backgrounds Feature in Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow

By default, icons on the home screen and apps screen in Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge are displayed icons only or without background. If needed, you can set your phone to display those icons with shaded background to make them become more stand out by enabling the icon backgrounds feature.


How to enable the icon backgrounds feature?
You can turn this feature on by using the following steps:

1. On any screen, swipe down the top of the screen to open up the notification panel and then tap to go to the settings menu.
   
   
2. Scroll down the screen to find Display and then tap it.
   
   
3. Tap Icon backgrounds.
   
   
4. Select Icons with backgrounds to have your phone displays icons with shaded background to make them stand out on the home screen and apps screen and then tap Done button to save the changes.
   
   
5. Go to your home screen or apps screen to see the changes.
   
   

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: How to Manage Shortcuts Area on Home Screen in Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow

By default, the shortcuts area at the bottom of the home screen in your Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge displays 5 shortcuts of the most favourite apps, they are likely: Phone app, Internet app, Messages app, Contacts app, and Apps. These shortcuts will always be displayed even when you're in other home screen panels. Thus, it'd better if use this area to place your most favourite apps for easier and faster access.


How to manage the shortcuts area on the home screen?
When needed, you can remove, add, or rearrange apps shortcuts at the bottom of the home screen by using the following steps:

1. To remove an app shortcut from the shortcuts area on the home screen, tap and hold an app shortcut and then drag it to the Trash can icon at the top of the screen. You can repeat this step if you'd like to remove more apps shortcuts.
   
   
2. Adding an app shortcut to the shortcuts area.
   As the example, we'll add a shortcut to the settings menu to the shortcuts area in the home screen by using these steps:
• On the Home screen, tap Apps at the bottom right corner to go to the apps screen.
  
  
• When needed, swipe the screen to the left or right to find the Settings.
• Tap and hold the Settings and then drag it to the empty area at the bottom of the home screen to add it to the shortcuts area. If there's no more empty area, drag the app shortcut over another app shortcut then release it when a folder frame appears around the selected apps shortcuts to create a folder to place the selected apps shortcuts at the same place. It can be an alternative way if you'd like to display more than 5 shortcuts in the shortcuts area on the home screen.
  
  
• A shortcut to the settings menu has been added to the shortcuts area on the home screen.
  
  
3. To change the order of the apps shortcuts in the shortcuts area, drag and drop an app shortcut to the required location.