Hardcore Android customers love creating minimalist or themed residence display setups. I am not one among them — I worth perform over kind.
Nonetheless, over time, my residence display grew to become unnecessarily cluttered, making it troublesome to search out the apps I wanted shortly.
After being annoyed for the umpteenth time, I lastly determined to declutter my Android telephone‘s residence display for good. This is how I achieved this.
The top of my customized launcher period
Inventory launcher is the one possibility now
For the longest time, I used to be a hardcore Nova Launcher consumer.
I had personalized my residence display and arrange varied gestures that helped me maintain my residence display organized, whereas nonetheless protecting all the things inside simple attain.
Even higher, when switching units, I might create a backup in Nova Launcher after which restore it on one other system. This fashion, I had my residence display arrange precisely the best way I prefer it on new units inside seconds.
Nowadays, Android skins not play effectively with customized launchers. Due to this, I am caught utilizing the inventory launcher on no matter system I exploit.
Not solely do I miss out on gesture controls, however I can also’t restore my residence display backups throughout units.
As an alternative, I’ve to arrange my residence display from scratch each time I change units — particularly after they’re from totally different manufacturers.
Over time, this led to my residence display being cluttered and unorganized. My ceaselessly used apps have been unfold throughout a number of pages, and discovering them grew to become a chore.
With no hopes of Android skins correctly supporting customized launchers, I lastly determined to take issues into my very own palms and declutter my residence display.
My step-by-step residence display decluttering plan
Bringing order to chaos
As an alternative of overhauling my residence display setup , I selected to do it in batches.
As a part of the method, I recognized the apps I exploit a number of occasions a day or virtually day by day, serving to me slim down which of them deserve a spot on the first residence display.
The very first thing I did to begin the decluttering course of was to show off the choice that mechanically provides shortcuts for newly put in apps.
I ceaselessly come throughout helpful apps on the Play Retailer and set up them for later use. That does not imply I would like their shortcut on my residence display.
Relying in your telephone, you will discover this selection within the residence display settings.
Second, I made a decision to restrict my residence display setup to 2 pages and divide it into focus zones.
And since I sometimes use telephones with 6.7-inch or larger shows, I optimized the format for one-handed use, placing my mostly used apps in the direction of the suitable of the display, making certain I can attain them with my thumb.
Two pages, two widgets
Zero litter
Since I desire dense residence display layouts, I jumped into the house display settings of the Xiaomi 15 Extremely’s inventory launcher and chosen the 5×9 grid measurement possibility.
I began by customizing the dock, inserting Chrome on the far proper, adopted by WhatsApp, Slack, X, and Telephone. These are my most-used apps, and protecting them on the dock offers fast entry.
I additionally determined to restrict myself to 2 widgets. Whereas there are many helpful widgets for Android, I spotted I solely use one or two frequently.
Provided that I rely closely on Google Calendar to maintain observe of upcoming occasions, I added its widget to the highest of my main residence display.
This fashion, I can shortly verify on upcoming occasions and schedule for the following few days.
To maintain issues clear, I left the row under the calendar widget empty and positioned the Google Search widget under it.
Whereas Google Uncover is ready because the -1 web page on my telephone, I nonetheless desire utilizing the search widget for fast entry. Plus, it offers fast entry to Lens and lets me provoke a voice search with a faucet.
To keep away from cluttering the house display with too many app shortcuts, I left a number of rows empty. This additionally lets the beautiful wallpapers I exploit peek by.
So, I saved one row above and under the Google Search widget freed from app shortcuts.
Proper under, I’ve two rows of apps I exploit a number of occasions a day.
Within the first row, the primary three icons are Telegram shortcuts to contacts I chat with ceaselessly. I might have simply positioned a shortcut to the Telegram app, however that will have meant additional faucets to get to the conversations.
Subsequent to them is the shortcut for Pixel Search. It brings Pixel Launcher-like system-wide search to different Android units.
Whereas the app is not in lively improvement, it nonetheless works and will get the job executed. And due to it, I not often have to open the app drawer or place undesirable app shortcuts on the house display. I can straight seek for and open the app I would like.
The final shortcut within the second row, on the acute proper, is GPay, which I exploit a number of occasions day by day to scan QR codes and make funds.
The primary row from the underside has shortcuts for Gmail, Notion, Reddit, Asana, and YT Music — apps that I exploit not less than as soon as a day.
I observe a themed row idea to maintain issues organized and keep away from litter on the second web page of my residence display. Every row is devoted to particular classes of apps.
On the high, a Todoist widget lets me immediately see my pending and pressing duties.
After a few empty rows, I’ve a row of shortcuts for apps associated to residence automation and finance.
Under that, there’s an AI-themed row that includes all of the AI apps I exploit frequently, together with ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and Canva.
The underside two rows home shortcuts to a number of note-taking apps, media-related apps like Digital camera, Gallery, and Instagram, an RSS reader, Google Maps, Messages, and some different ceaselessly used instruments.
Whereas I might take away most of those shortcuts and depend on Pixel Search to open them, that will imply additional faucets.
As an alternative, I persist with my themed row strategy, grouping comparable apps to maintain all the things organized and straightforward to search out.
I can put many of those apps collectively inside a folder for a cleaner look, however I desire direct entry to those shortcuts.
All perform, little aptitude
Whereas my decluttered residence display would possibly look plain, it is purposeful — and that is what in the end issues.
It is also an enormous enchancment over my older setup, which was simply rows of unorganized shortcuts unfold throughout a number of pages.
Sure, there’s room for enchancment, and the house display setup will not possible please minimalist customers.
Nonetheless, this works for me and ensures I can sustain with my upcoming conferences and occasions whereas additionally attending to apps shortly that I open a number of occasions every single day.