When you first get a new phone or download a new app, the icons tend to land on your screen in a default order. For many of us, they stay that way forever, creating a cluttered jumble of apps we rarely use next to ones we need every day. This can make finding what you’re looking for a frustrating chore, adding to the feeling that the phone is controlling you, rather than the other way around.

Think of your phone’s main screen as its “front porch” or its desktop. You wouldn’t let mail pile up randomly all over your desk, so why do it with your most-used device? Today, let’s learn the simple steps to tidy up your app icons and decorate your phone’s home screen with wonderful, live information “widgets” that make it more useful and personal to you.

Customizing Your Home Screen

Introduction: From Cluttered Desk to Tidy Dashboard

Your phone’s home screen doesn’t have to be a random jumble of icons. You have the power to arrange it exactly how you like, putting your most-used apps front and center. Even better, you can add helpful “widgets” that show you information (like the weather or your next appointment) without you even having to open an app.

Part 1: The Basics – Tidying Up Your Icons

The key to organizing your screen is a simple gesture: the long-press.

• On an iPhone: Press and hold your finger down on any app icon or an empty space on the screen. Keep holding until all the apps start to jiggle. This is called “jiggle mode.” Now, while they’re jiggling, you can drag your apps to new spots on the screen or to different pages. When you’re done, tap “Done” or the background.

  • Long-press does not mean that you have to press harder on the screen than you usually would (Mom, please note this!).

  • Dragging apps from screen to screen can be tricky for any one. It takes some patience and practice.

• On an Android: Press and hold your finger on any app icon. After a moment, you’ll feel a little vibration, and you can then lift your finger and drag the icon to a new location on the screen.

Part 2: Welcome to Widget Wonderland

So, what is a widget? An app icon is just a button that opens an app. A widget is like a mini-version of the app that lives right on your home screen, showing you live, updated information at a glance. Think of it as the difference between a closed door (an icon) and a window you can see through (a widget).

How to Add Widgets:

• On an iPhone: First, enter “jiggle mode” by long-pressing on the screen. Then, tap the plus sign (+) or “edit” button (then Add Widget) that appears in the top-left corner. This will open the widget gallery. You can scroll through the list of available widgets, choose the one you want, pick a size (small, medium, or large), and then drag it onto your home screen.

• On an Android: Long-press on an empty area of your home screen. A menu will pop up from the bottom of the screen. Tap on the “Widgets” option. This will open a list of all the widgets available on your phone. Find the one you want, and then press, hold, and drag it into an empty space on your screen.

Helpful Widgets to Check Out

• The Weather Widget: Get the current temperature and the forecast for the next few hours without having to open an app.

• The Photos Widget: This is a truly delightful one. It creates a small digital picture frame on your screen that cycles through your favorite recent photos, offering a wonderful memory every time you unlock your phone.

• The Clock Widget: Perfect for keeping track of the time in another city or country where your kids or grandkids live.

• The Battery Widget: Shows you the battery level of your phone and any connected devices, like your Bluetooth headphones or a smartwatch.

• The Calendar Widget: This is a useful widget if you have a busy calendar. It can show your next appointment or your entire day’s schedule at a glance.

Quick Tech Tip

A great way to reduce clutter is to create folders for your apps. While your apps are in “jiggle mode” (on an iPhone) or after you’ve started dragging one (on an Android), simply drag one app icon directly on top of another one. Your phone will automatically create a folder containing both apps, which you can then tap to rename to something useful, like “Games,” “Travel,” or “Shopping.”

Tech Term Demystified: ‘Home Screen’

The “Home Screen” is the main screen of your phone, the first thing you see after you unlock it. It’s the “desktop” of your device, where your app icons and widgets live. Most phones have multiple pages of the home screen that you can swipe through left and right. The very first page is like your digital “front porch,” so it’s a great place to put the apps and information you need most often.

Good News Byte

The world of widgets is getting smarter and more interactive. New “live” widgets can now be updated in real-time with dynamic information. For example, a sports widget can show the live score of a game as it’s happening, and a ride-sharing widget can show you a little map of your Uber driver’s progress as they approach your location, all without you having to open the app itself.

Did You Know?

The concept of a customizable home screen with “widgets” was first popularized on Android phones way back in 2008 with the very first version of the software! For many years, Apple’s iPhone had a very simple, locked-down grid of icons. Apple only introduced the kind of home screen widgets we’ve discussed today in 2020. It was one of the biggest and most requested changes in the iPhone’s history.

Your Turn to Tidy Up!

This week, try one simple thing. Find your single favorite, most-used app. Use the “long-press” gesture to move its icon to the prime real estate on your phone’s main home screen: the bottom row, where your thumb can easily reach it. Just making this one small change is a great first step to making your phone feel truly your own.

Wishing you a week of perfect organization,

Steve