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How to Unlock the Home Screen Layout on Samsung

Plus how to lock it

By Adam S. Doud Adam S. Doud Writer Adam has been writing about mobile technology since 2011. He is the former host of the Android Authority podcast, and his work has appeared in numerous publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on June 25, 2021 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Samsung Samsung Quick Tips

What to Know

From the home screen: Long press home screen > Settings > toggle on Lock Home screen.From the settings menu: Settings > Home Screen Settings > toggle on Lock Home screen.To unlock the home screen, repeat either process above and toggle off Lock Home screen. This article will show you the two ways to lock a home screen on Samsung smartphones.

How to Lock Home Screen Layout

Locking your home screen can prevent you from altering a perfect layout (or someone else altering a perfect layout). Long tap on an empty space on your home screen. Tap Settings. Tap the toggle Lock Home Screen Layout.

How to Lock Home Screen Layout Through Settings

The other way to lock the home screen layout is through Settings, usually located in your notification shade. Swipe down your notification shade. Tap Settings. Tap Home Screen. Tap the toggle Lock Home Screen Layout.

Why Would You Want Your Home Screen Layout Locked

Locking your home screen has been around since the days of Android Pie. This feature is not unique to Samsung. Some other launchers and OEM skins include this ability. It serves many purposes, including preventing you from moving icons on your screen, resizing widgets, and more. The main reason you want to lock your home screen layout is to avoid accidentally moving or removing icons. Sometimes widgets can be temperamental or easily resized, which can throw off the rest of your setup. Bottom line, it's annoying to go searching for an icon when you can't find it. Locking your home screen is an excellent way to prevent that. When the home screen layout is locked, it prevents changes on any home screen, not just the first or default home screen. You can still scroll between home screens; that does not lock. But no icons will be added to your home screen when you install new apps. Your home screen will look the same until it is unlocked. When your home screen is locked, you will not be able to make any changes to the layout. If you long tap on an icon, the options you would typically be able to tap are dimmed. If you try to make any changes, you will get a prompt to turn off the lock screen and offered a quick way to access the setting.

How to Unlock Your Home Screen

Unlocking your home screen is done the same way as unlocking it. Visit your home screen settings by long-pressing the home screen > Settings or by pulling down your notification shade and going to Settings > Home screen. Once there, tap the toggle called Lock Home screen layout to turn it off. Just like that, you can make changes as needed. It's easy to lock and unlock your home screen on a Samsung phone, and it may just bring you some peace of mind. At the very least, it may save you some frustration. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Use Lockdown Mode on Any Android Phone How to Unlock an Amazon Fire Tablet How to Unlock the Bootloader on Your Android Phone How to Use Live Wallpaper on Your iPhone How to Set Your iPad's Background Wallpaper How to Open the iPad's Settings How to Unlock a Tablet How to Make a Book Cover Your Kindle Screensaver How to Unlock a Phone From Any Carrier How to Use the iPad Calendar How to Unlock a Keyboard That's Locked How to Unlock a Samsung Galaxy Watch How to Use the iPhone Calculator How to Move Apps From the App Library to the Home Screen on Your iPhone How to Turn Off Siri on the iPad Lock Screen How to Lock Notes on iPhone Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies