So, Thursday, my wife’s phone screen gave up the ghost and she bought a nice new one Friday. This being China, New Phone = New mystery. The phone is a Samsung Galaxy S23 FE.
So far, I’ve managed to get Google Play and our preferred VPN installed and even operating on the new critter. I even got KakaoTalk (an essential app for Koreans such as my significant other). I even got the damn settings menus to display in English. But, alas, two big issues have reared their ugly heads.
How the devil do you get the app icons on the home screen to display in alphabetical order? I tried searching for this and every answer includes “pull up to see the 3 dot menu”. Sounds good. But there’s no 3 dot menu!
Wife and I both know we must have the VPN running to actually use KakaoTalk (aka KT). The thing is that when you install it and want to use it on a new device, must log into the KT account and go through a verification routine which consists of the KT app giving a long string of letters and characters to send via SMS to a number in the UK (+44 7860 064888). The KT app then says verification is pending. That is, it says that until it goes back, about 12 hours later, to saying one must verify the account. I did go to the KT website and sent a customer service query. Let’s see, that was about an hour ago, so, the answer should be coming in…who the devil knows? So, the question is: How on Earth can Mrs. Monty get her KT account activated on her new phone while in China?
Seriously, my undying gratitude to anyone who can give the information to make these two things, especially the second one, happen!
There is no automatic way to do this on a Samsung phone that I know of. (I have an S21.) You just long-hold each icon until the pop-up appears, then move it where you want it.
On my S21, my children, probably my 8 year old daughter, somehow arranged all apps in alphabetical order. I am pretty sure she stumbled across a shortcut rather than doing it manually.
I can’t be bothered to put it back in the previous order, which I prefered. But it appears that setting the order automatically is very possible.
If you would like a Zoom meeting with this technological young genius, PM me for her freelance rates.
Also note that you can download various “launcher” apps that replace the default Android home screen. I haven’t used any of them very much, but I did play with Nova Launcher a little bit. It wasn’t to my taste, but it did sort the apps alphabetically.
I’ve relied on Nova Launcher for years now. I don’t have icons appear on my home screen(s) in alphabetical order, though, I put them where I want them as far as which ones I use most often and in groups of similar ones (games, news, etc). They of course appear in alphabetical order in my apps menu.
Well, #1 is now actually resolved. Had to go to the settings app a few times, change the display screen options back and forth between the two choices. I was really getting frustrated when, just out of the blue, the 3-dot menu appeared and also gave me the option to sort alphabetically! So, yes, Mrs. Monty is happy now (at least on that issue!).
We’re still waiting on a response from KakaoTalk’s customer service folks. I did get E-mail from thim confirming they received my query.