Place a shortcut to the file on the Android desktop. Creating and deleting shortcuts on the Android desktop

Article from Anna Sebova, engaged in embroidery and programming. She combines both in her blog, simultaneously telling us about various interesting features.

I have a blog “Madame Storozhenko” about needlework. It is very young, and I often access it from my mobile, thinking about what to write about, how to improve it. However, store it in open tabs browser on a mobile phone is not very convenient, bookmarks in mobile browser They don't suit me either. Therefore, I decided to pin a link icon (shortcut) to the blog on my desktop mobile phone.

Making a website icon is simple: in the mobile settings you need to select “ Add to home screen “. But the created icon did not remind me of my site at all, but caused bewilderment. Only by clicking on the label or reading the signature did I understand what it was all about. You understand, this is inconvenient.

Then I found easy way make the icon (or label, whichever is more convenient for you) more recognizable. It's very simple, you just need to do a couple of steps.

Act one

Take the original site logo image (or favicon) and crop it to standard sizes for different devices. In my case, the logo and favicon are the same image.
I chose the following sizes convenient for mobile and tablets:

- For iOS two files: apple-touch-icon.png And apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png– size 57 by 57 pixels:

- For Windows Phone file windows-icon-70-70.png:

– Android picks up one of the pictures and does not require additional images and links.

Act two

Display a link to the site on the desktop of your mobile phone. To do this, open the desired site in your browser:

Then open the browser menu (click on the three vertical dots in the right top corner browser) and select the item highlighted in the screenshot:

The following window will appear:

Select item “ Add“.

Then minimize the browser window and... voila! A website with a beautiful and recognizable icon is located on the desktop, and is also accessible with one touch.

It couldn't be more convenient.

P.S. An article from Anna Sebova about how to cure.

Agree, sometimes it is convenient to have some files on hand. So as not to rummage through folders, but launch them directly from the desktop. For what?

Many of us often access certain documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. On a laptop or computer with almost any operating system On board, creating a shortcut or transferring a file to your desktop is very simple. How about doing the same on Android?

Let's try it.

I want to warn you right away that we will not be able to transfer the file itself to the desktop. But let's try the shortcut anyway.

As we know, in order to display an application shortcut on the desktop, you need to make a long tap on the screen. After this, a list of what can be pulled out on the screen appears. Unfortunately, we won't see our file there. But this is Android, which is very flexible and there is always a solution for any problem. IN in this case The best solution would be to use a file manager. I'm just sure that you already have it installed, and if not, then I advise you to do it right now. When I buy another Android device, among the applications that I install first are: file manager ES Explorer, which in my opinion is one of the best of its kind. This application free and allows you to perform many operations with files and folders on your device. Detailed review I plan to write a guide in the near future. But this is my personal choice, you can use what you like best. Using this program as an example, I will show you how to make a shortcut to a file and place it on the Android desktop.

Launch ES Explorer (or whatever you have installed there), find the file we need, select it. Next, go to the “More” menu (your name may be slightly different). Here, among others, we find the “Add to desktop” command. In the screenshot I attached, this command is at the top. (By the way, you can read about that in my last article.) Click this button and that’s it. A shortcut to the file we need has been created on the desktop.

Everything is very simple, as you can see. Also, do not forget that when deleting from the desktop, you are only deleting the shortcut. The file itself remains in its place on the disk.

Sincerely,

Icons on home screen Android gives you quick access to your documents, Internet pages or file folders. You can also install useful widgets, giving you instant access to your calendar or media players. When the number of icons on the screen starts to get in the way normal operation maybe it's time. How to do this - read on.

Managing shortcuts on your desktop Android desktop.

First, let's look at how to create a shortcut on the desktop. Let's start by installing the software from Play Market. In this case, you need to check your store settings. If the function of automatically displaying new icons is enabled, then there will be no problems - each one will automatically appear on the home screen. Otherwise, the function must be enabled. Go to Play Market and select account settings. Check the box next to “Add to desktop”.

You can also display a shortcut on Android manually. First, select the screen you want to add the link to. Open your phone's main menu, long-press and wait for the drag-and-drop feature to turn on. You will understand this by neighboring objects - they will become smaller and more transparent. After this, the main screen will open. Pull out the program to any free space and release, after which it will lock there.

How to customize your home screen

Now let's look at how to organize your desktop icons. To free up valuable space and stay organized, you can also group programs into folders or groups. To do this, you just need to drag one on top of the other. A group containing two icons will be created and sorted instantly.

After creating a group, you can add more to it more programs by dragging any number of them into a folder from the main screen or menu. In a folder or group, the latest one is displayed in the foreground, while all others behind it are partially visible. You can also rename a folder - open it and click on the name, then enter a new name. If you want to delete a folder, drag it to top part screen and release the “Delete” button. Please note that this feature is not available on all smartphones or Android tablets. However, most devices with newer versions of Android support it.

Standard uninstall functions

Unlike the iPhone or iPad, where you cannot remove the icon, Android smartphones allow you to remove them without uninstalling the program. Some utilities are not used that often, but you cannot remove them from your Android devices, since they will still be used in the future. At the same time, you don’t want your device’s interface to have a lot of clutter. In this guide, we'll show you how to clean up your Android desktop by removing apps. How to remove a shortcut from the desktop? Keep your finger on the app. After a moment, all the pictures around will become smaller, and a menu will appear next to the selected one, where you will see an image of a basket. Just drag your finger over it. Removing icons from your Android device will not remove the apps themselves—only the shortcut will be removed, not the program or any of its data.

Using Third Party Applications

How to remove an icon from the Android desktop using third party programs? The first thing you need to do is check if your launcher allows you to change this setting. In most cases this feature is available. Otherwise, just visit the Play Market and select any of the available applications. Here are three of the most famous launchers for Android.

Perhaps one of the oldest and most popular replacements for standard Android shell. ADW Launcher is installed by default even in the popular custom version of the CyanogenMod system. Known for its high focus on customization, ADW Launcher allows you to change almost every aspect of your home screen:

1. Touch and hold the icon you want to change.
2. From the menu, select the "Edit" tab. A dialog box will appear with a picture, a button to select another program and a name entry field.
3. Click Edit.
4. The following functions are available here:
   • select an image;
   • select and crop an image;
   • select from the installed ADW Theme icon pack;
   • restore to default.

ADW Launcher comes with theme support that changes almost every element of the launcher. Themes are often offered with their own pictures for most standard and most popular programs Android, as well as with wallpapers, widgets, etc.

The second most polar launcher Android Launcher Pro is known for its extensive range of features and settings. The only downside to Launcher Pro is that it won't let you change the icon once it's added to your desktop. This must be done before adding an icon to the desktop:

1. Pinch an empty area on your desktop.
2. From the Add to Home Screen menu, select Shortcuts.
3. Click "Applications" and select the one you need from the list.
4. Once selected, you will see a dialog box with a default icon and an input field for the name. Click the icon to go to the gallery and select a new one.
5. Click "OK" to close settings.

While Launcher Pro doesn't support themes to customize the launcher's appearance, it does support icon themes, which are limited to changing the icons for all known apps.

Go Launcher Ex is a relatively new launcher, but it doesn't lag behind others in terms of power and flexibility. Changing existing icons is easier to do with Go Launcher Ex than with the previous examples. Here's how to do it:

1. Touch and hold the icon you want to change.
2. In the menu that appears, click "Replace".
3. Choose a default icon, one from the current Go Launcher Ex theme, or use your own icon.
4. If you selected Theme Icon, simply select one of the default options.
5. If you decide to use a custom icon, go to the folder where you saved your icons and select the appropriate one.

Like ADW Launcher, Go Launcher Ex also supports themes that customize appearance each of the launcher elements.

It is much more convenient for any user to immediately launch the application than to search for it in all folders. Therefore, many are interested in how to create a shortcut on Android. This information is especially relevant for those who frequently open or edit a file. Once you create a shortcut, you no longer have to browse through folders. At any time, you can launch the desired program with one click on the icon on the desktop of your tablet or smartphone.

First, determine which applications you want to add to the new folder. Then drag applications to new folder. Select the Folders option and then click the New Folder button. Click on the folder icon to open it and rename it. Touch and hold the folder name and enter the name in the text field.

Close the folder and drag all applications into the folder. You can also group your apps and shortcuts on your home screen, creating multiple directories to store your apps on your home screen. Rename the new folder. Tap the name that says "Folder" and press it with your finger. A pop-up window will appear on the screen. In the Folder Name section, enter a name for the new folder and click OK.

Anyone who uses Android devices knows that opening programs through the Applications menu is not very convenient. You have to do extra steps to go to this section and find required file. In addition, not all versions of Android have search string, more often you have to search for a program for a long time, looking through the entire list, structured alphabetically.

Enter your username and password in the appropriate fields and click “Login.” Enter keywords"organize apps" in the search field and tap the magnifying glass. Navigate through the list of organizers and tap the Install option to download an app such as App Organizer, Automatic App Organizer, and App Folder.

Follow the instructions to install the program. Use the app's features to organize your apps. For example, tap the app icon if you're using App Organizer. Select App Organizer and select a label. A shortcut appears on the home screen. Tap a shortcut to see the app added to the tag.

There are three ways to add a shortcut to the desktop of your Android smartphone:

1. Click on empty space on the desktop of your gadget and do not release until the menu appears. The desktop will be located at the top of the display, and applications and widgets will be located at the bottom. To move the file icon from the bottom to top screen hold the icon with your finger and drag it to an empty space.
2. Click on touch button in the form of a square at the bottom of the display. After this action it will open full list applications. Find the one you need, click on it, wait for it to vibrate, and then drag the icon anywhere on the display.
3. On Android, you can create an application icon using a third-party file manager, for example, ES Explorer, which is available on the Play Market. After downloading and installing the program, open ES Explorer, then select the desired file, click on it and hold until it is highlighted (vibration appears). A menu will appear at the bottom, from which select “Add”.

When using methods 1 and 2, the list of applications can be viewed by swiping horizontally.

Using the Home Screen Effectively

Below we will present you the most useful features. Typically, the main screen and dock offer only a few functions, often overwhelmed by too many applications. In extreme cases, you can enter up to 150 applications, folders and links on one screen.

Flexible screen adaptation

To stay oriented and always have a complete overview, we recommend grouping icons based on app type or function. To further optimize space, we also recommend hiding app names and setting the spacing between icons to your liking.

Placement of free icons

By providing a wide choice of motifs and colors, you can freely determine the design that suits your taste. Plus, the small size of the icons allows you to fill the dock as much as possible.

How to add a webpage and speed dial shortcut

Many people use devices based on the Android operating system every day, but they do not know anything about the hidden reserves of their own gadgets. For example, there is such an interesting feature as adding a shortcut telephone contact. To do this, click on an empty space on the screen and wait for the context menu. In the window that appears, you need to tap on “Widgets”, and then on “Select contact”. After this, the phone book will open. All you have to do is click on the desired name.

Widgets and applications on one screen

Support multiple main screens

In fact, this function becomes a redundant panorama that is opened using the menu button. Then from the menu you can select the item you want. From the app list, you can drag multiple apps to the home screen at once without saving anything other than a tap here and there.

In the same way, you can install several icons on your desktop with the contacts of the subscribers with whom you communicate most often.

In addition, you can make not only a program shortcut, but also an icon of your favorite site. To do this, launch a browser on your tablet or smartphone, for example Google Chrome, and then open the web page from which you need a shortcut. Then click on the 3 vertical dots in the right corner and select “Add to Home Screen” from the list that opens. The site icon will appear on your device's display.

Quick access to special settings and settings

You can perform a number of actions using the button to place it on your home screen. Specifically, we're pointing to the buttons shown in the image below to hide the infobar and dock in the center image, as well as search for keywords in the image on the right. The article has been translated into German.

Create a desktop shortcut

It will be useful for those who spend most of their time on the desktop, but do not even feel sharp touches. Attach them to the main panel as well as others. Fragmentation is not healthy. Who would want to fly between the subway and the table, all the time? Welcome to the original icon set, but you can choose your own.

Agree, sometimes it is convenient to have some files on hand. So as not to rummage through folders, but launch them directly from the desktop. For what?

Many of us often access certain documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. On a laptop or computer with almost any operating system on board, creating a shortcut or transferring a file to the desktop is very simple. How about doing the same on Android?

If you have colorful icons for shortcuts, click No. Otherwise, choose without much thought. However, for supported items there is nothing to do, click "Create Shortcut" to create shortcuts directly on the desktop. You can grab icons and drag them to the taskbar if you don't like that area. Links to applications do more than just launch them. In case already running programs switch to them. You don't have to think about shortcut keys, not to mention finding an application somewhere in a difficult sentence.

Let's try it.

I want to warn you right away that we will not be able to transfer the file itself to the desktop. But let's try the shortcut anyway.

As we know, in order to display an application shortcut on the desktop, you need to make a long tap on the screen. After this, a list of what can be pulled out on the screen appears. Unfortunately, we won't see our file there. But this is Android, which is very flexible and there is always a solution for any problem. In this case, the best solution would be to use a file manager. I'm just sure that you already have it installed, and if not, then I advise you to do it right now. When I buy another Android device, one of the first applications I install is the ES File Explorer file manager, which, in my opinion, is one of the best of its kind. This application is free and allows you to perform many operations with files and folders on your device. I plan to write a detailed review of the explorer in the near future. But this is my personal choice, you can use what you like best. Using this program as an example, I will show you how to make a shortcut to a file and place it on the Android desktop.

Merging Shortcut Shortcuts

By the way, he is hiding in the upper left corner of the screen. Keyboard enthusiasts will be pleased to be able to use key combinations to their advantage. Launching apps, now even from the metro, can be simplified with an old trick. Bring up the shortcut properties and enter the desired combination into the key quick access.

Special cases and autosaving

Just be careful not to interfere with another shortcut that is already present on your system. It is very easy to use and fast. You can use it to set up shortcuts on your desktop for almost anything: apps, pictures, music, movies, web bookmarks, email addresses, phone numbers. For example, to the so-called. applications.

Launch ES Explorer (or whatever you have installed there), find the file we need, select it. Next, go to the “More” menu (your name may be slightly different). Here, among others, we find the “Add to desktop” command. In the screenshot I attached, this command is at the top. (By the way, you can read about that in my last article.) Click this button and that’s it. A shortcut to the file we need has been created on the desktop.

This allows the use of more complex tools. In the case of an application, the tool will display a list of programs installed on our system, which, if necessary, will be searched by typing a phrase. When you choose specific program, you can change its display properties: icons and names.

As a result, the app shortcut may look different than usual. Of course, it's more useful to create a shortcut for a specific file. In the case of an image, we will be redirected to an external graphics browser, and this is how we will select the file for quick access. Then in the tool interface we will indicate the name under the icon and enter the hexadecimal notation - or simply select the icon with the selector. The icon for this type of shortcut is always the same. When you click on the shortcut, the image will be displayed in the default graphics viewer.

Everything is very simple, as you can see. Also, do not forget that when deleting from the desktop, you are only deleting the shortcut. The file itself remains in its place on the disk.

When it comes to letters and phone numbers, we move to the address book, and when it comes to shortcuts to any files, we will do this using an external explorer. There is a trash bin icon in the action bar. If in the future we delete a shortcut from the desktop, even if by mistake, when you click on that icon, we will be redirected to the saved list and can easily restore it using a button. To my surprise, it is very easy to get used to it and start using it in all possible situations.

It's very easy to see how much this depends on third party developers. Where it is available it works great. To view a list of shortcuts, simply hold your finger longer on an icon. The context menu appears very quickly and the phone confirms our vibrations.

Often, when downloading applications on Android, shortcuts to the downloaded programs are automatically saved on the desktop. Subsequently, deleting this or that program as unnecessary, some, out of ignorance, or maybe simply because “they don’t get around to it,” leave icons, cluttering the desktop so that sometimes it becomes difficult to find the desired application.

Today we will tell you, speaking about devices with Android OS, how to remove a shortcut from the desktop. I must say that this procedure is not particularly difficult, therefore, anyone can cope with it, even not very advanced user. However, for some gadget models you will need special utilities, however, first things first.

We will now consider all the ways to solve the problem for different models devices. But, you need to understand that by deleting a shortcut, we will not delete the application itself.

Using system tools

On most models of Androbd devices, the procedure is extremely simple, and it is as follows: On the desktop, press your finger on the icon that you want to delete and hold it until “Delete” appears at the top of the display. Without releasing your finger, just drag it there:

On other devices, after clicking on the shortcut, a trash can will appear at the bottom of the screen, into which you can also drag and drop unnecessary icon applications:

The situation is somewhat different with Lenovo smartphones. And if on models of later versions, for example Lenovo s660, the procedure is similar to those described above, i.e. click on the icon, on the display at the top we see the trash can and the inscription “Delete” and, without releasing your finger, drag the shortcut:

But on some devices more earlier versions- up to 4.0.x (Ice Cream Sandwich), for example, the same Lenovo A319, everything is not so simple. Here you will need to install third-party software. Read more about this method.

Using special software

There are actually more than enough applications that solve this problem. We want to offer the simplest and most convenient option– download the Apex Launcher program (or an extended version).

The fast, convenient and multifunctional Apex launcher, in addition to a fairly wide list of features that can be read about at the links provided, does an excellent job of editing shortcuts.

So, after the launcher is installed, open the desktop, select the application icon that we will delete, click on it and hold until the context menu appears. Select “Delete” and after this manipulation the unwanted shortcut will no longer be an eyesore:

How to remove autosave shortcut

We have already said that when installing programs, icons, as a rule, are automatically saved on the desktop. Is it possible to make sure that application shortcuts are not saved, but simply add the necessary icons yourself when necessary?

Yes, you can. What you need to do for this:

Go to the Play Store on your smartphone and open Settings. Find the item “Add icons” and uncheck the box:

Moving an icon to the main screen (same as deleting) on different devices may be a little different. Sometimes, it is enough to open the main application menu, where all the icons are located. Select the one you need, press it with your finger, and hold it for one to two seconds, after which the icon will appear on the main screen:

Now you can press your finger on the icon, wait for it to highlight and, without releasing your finger, move it to the desired location (if necessary).

On some devices our actions will look slightly different. For example, on the same Lenovo s660, opening the main application menu, long pressing on the desired icon will open the main screen. Continuing to hold the icon, drag it to the desired location, now you can release your finger, and we will see the shortcut of the selected application at the specified location:

How to create a folder with shortcuts on the desktop

To optimize space on the main desktop, it is advisable to create folders in which you can enclose several icons. This is especially true if you often use different applications, which are convenient to keep at hand.

Actions we must perform:

Move the desired application icons to the main screen as described above. Then, by clicking on one icon, we move it directly to the one with which we want to combine it. We will immediately be able to see the appearance of a folder with two labels. In the same way, you can add any number of icons to this folder. Now, by clicking on the created folder, hold your finger until the keyboard appears. Enter the name of the folder (for example, “Games”, “Mail”, etc.):

Well, for dessert, for aesthetes who want to create their own labels and inscriptions for them, we suggest watching the video. I say goodbye until the next meeting on the pages of our “Knowledge Base” section. Good luck!