# How do i get an app to appear on my android screen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 26, 2025, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847 "2025-02-26T22:47:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/1 "2025-02-26T22:47:04Z")
I installed an app for my new Doorbell camera. It installs well, but doesnt appear on my user screen. So i goto setting and find it there in my apps, but there is no way to put it on my screen from there. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/2 "2025-02-26T23:00:13Z")
On my Pixel 7 Pro, you open the app drawer (where all the apps have their icons) and the press, hold, and drag the icon for the app off to a side, at which point the app drawer will close and the “user screen” (launcher pages) will appear in a format that will allow you to drop the icon you’re still dragging onto the launcher. ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/3 "2025-02-26T23:02:13Z")
Doest work on my Samsung, too bad, thanks anyway ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/4 "2025-02-26T23:02:43Z")
Yeah, Samsung is weird; they do things their own way. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/5 "2025-02-26T23:34:10Z")
Not on any of the screens that are to the left or right of your main screen? May be in an icon folder on another screen too. ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/6 "2025-02-27T00:33:09Z")
No, not at all ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/7 "2025-02-27T00:52:39Z")
On my Samsung (which may or may not work the same as yours), I go to the home screen and swipe up from the bottom, and it shows me the “hidden” apps. I can long-press one and get the option to add it to the home screen. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/8 "2025-02-27T01:34:45Z")
I’ve almost always used the Apex shell for Android devices so don’t remember how the default (or Samsung) shell act. Can you long-press the home screen and choose to add apps/widgets from a pop-up menu? ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/9 "2025-02-27T02:14:15Z")
No no, that is why i asked, i tried the tradiotonals. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/10 "2025-02-27T02:36:00Z")
What Samsung model is it? What happens when you swipe up from the bottom of the screen? Do all the apps show? If the apps show, what happens when you press down for a few seconds on an app? I’ve never had this problem, but looking online I see that if you have Power Saving mode set, there is an option called “Limit apps and Home screen” that limits what apps appear and what you can do with your apps. You might go into the Battery settings and check? ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/11 "2025-02-27T02:45:33Z")
yes all apps appear up-swipe. Its Samsung 20 or 21. I was just wondering if there is a way to force an App from the App-list in settings, to appear on my user screen. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/12 "2025-02-27T03:11:18Z")
I had an older Samsung, and now a Pixel, and they work similar. Can you long-press on a blank part of the background and see if there’s some setting that locks the desktop? You have no third-party UI overhaul app such as Nova Launcher either? ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/13 "2025-02-27T03:42:10Z")
[This](https://www.verizon.com/support/knowledge-base-231606) and [this](https://www.verizon.com/support/knowledge-base-236094/) indicate that the Samsung S20 and S21 work the same way as every other Android phone I’ve used, and the same way that several others have indicated in this thread. I’ll be very explicit because I don’t see that OP has specifically said they tried this technique: 1. Open the app list and scroll until you can see the icon of the app that you want to move. 2. PRESS on the app icon and HOLD your finger there without moving it. Something should change – either the icon starts wiggling, or a small 3-item menu appears. 3. Slide your finger, still pressing down on the app icon. As soon as your finger moves, the home screen should reappear. 4. Move the icon to where you want it and lift your finger. If this doesn’t work for you, please describe explicitly which step doesn’t work and what you see instead of the expected behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/14 "2025-02-27T03:46:11Z")
Is it actually meant to have an icon? ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/15 "2025-02-27T04:08:46Z")
On my samsung in settings , display, home screen, there is Add Apps to home screen toggle. It chooses to automatically add apps to the home screen. Toggle that on and reinstall the app? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/16 "2025-02-27T04:37:50Z")
My Samsung has a search feature in the App drawer. I usually find the App after typing three or four letters. Press and hold on the icon. A menu pops up. Theres an add to home option. Or you _could_ press the icon and drag it onto the home screen. Android broke that feature a couple versions ago. I just tried again and the icon wouldn’t drag out of the App drawer. Last resort is to go into the Play Store. Find the App. It will say Installed. Use the Open button. ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/17 "2025-02-27T06:00:28Z")
I find that the app IS installed before, even if this is a new camera, new name/brand, and new icon. I should be able to find it by up-swipe? But no The doorbell is Tapo (TP-Link) btw, if it matters ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/18 "2025-02-27T12:03:32Z")
Try looking in the Camera App. Mine has a More button. Under that I can select different camera profiles like Bixby vision and AR Zone. There might be more if I had installed a new camera. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/19 "2025-02-27T13:21:02Z")
You have to find the app in your app drawer – if it pops up with a search, the long-press thing doesn’t always work. You can search for it and then choose locate app, then long press the app that it has located and “Add to home screen” should be an option. It’s possible that you’ve accidentally locked your home screen as has been mentioned. Long press on an empty spot on your home screen, choose Settings on the lower right, scroll down a bit and you’ll see “Lock Home screen layout” – make sure that’s turned off. I just went through all these steps on my Samsung. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-an-app-to-appear-on-my-android-screen/1014847/20 "2025-02-27T15:52:48Z")
> [@Loggins](#): > > yes all apps appear up-swipe. Its Samsung 20 or 21. > … Good; now we’re getting somewhere. There is a setting under the Settings → Home Screen called “lock home screen layout”. If that’s on, you can’t add, move or remove an app from any of the pages of the “desktop” or home screen. The idea is to prevent inadvertant changes. But on my S21 if that setting is locked and I try to add an app from the app list, a pop-up comes up and says “hey dummy, you’ve locked your home screen. fix that in settings and try again.” I’d poke around on that Settings → Home Screen page looking for any weirdness you might have set.