The simplest way to add a folder on your iPad
To create a folder on your iPad, press and hold any app icon on your home screen until a menu appears, then tap Add to Home Screen and select Folder. Name the folder, tap Add, and the folder appears on your home screen ready to receive apps. This is the fastest method if you want to organize apps you use regularly.
If you want to create a folder inside the Files app instead — for organizing documents, photos, or downloads — open Files, navigate to the location where you want the folder, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select New Folder. Type a name and tap Save. This method works for any file type, not just apps.
Both methods take about 30 seconds. The choice between them depends on what you are organizing: use home screen folders for apps you open frequently, and use Files app folders for documents and downloads you need to store and find later.
Key Takeaways
- Home screen folders hold apps and appear on your iPad's main screen, created by pressing and holding an app icon and selecting Folder.
- Files app folders hold documents, photos, and downloads, created by opening Files, navigating to your desired location, and tapping New Folder.
- You can move apps into an existing home screen folder by dragging them onto the folder icon.
- Folders inside the Files app can be nested — you can create folders within folders to organize by project, date, or category.
- Renaming a folder works the same way on both: press and hold the folder, tap Rename, type the new name, and confirm.
Creating a home screen folder for your most-used apps
Home screen folders are the easiest way to declutter your iPad's main screen. Press and hold any app icon until the menu appears — do not tap, just hold your finger on it for about one second. You will see options including Add to Home Screen, Remove from Home Screen, and others depending on the app.
Tap Add to Home Screen. A new screen appears asking what you want to add. Scroll down and tap Folder. Type a name for the folder — something like "Productivity" or "Games" — then tap Add. The folder now appears on your home screen. You can move it by pressing and holding it and dragging it to a new location.
To put apps into the folder, press and hold an app icon, tap Move, and drag it onto the folder. The folder opens and the app drops inside. You can add as many apps as you want; the folder will show a grid of the first nine app icons and a number if there are more.
Creating folders in the Files app for documents and downloads
The Files app is where your iPad stores documents, PDFs, photos you have downloaded, and files from cloud services like iCloud Drive or Google Drive. To create a folder here, open the Files app and navigate to the location where you want the new folder — for example, inside iCloud Drive or in your Downloads folder.
Tap the three dots (the menu button) in the top right corner of the screen. A menu appears with options including New Folder. Tap it. A text box appears asking for a folder name. Type the name you want — for example, "Tax Documents 2024" or "Project Photos" — and tap Save. The folder is created when ready and appears in the list.
You can now drag files into this folder by pressing and holding a file, tapping Move, navigating to the folder, and tapping Move Again. You can also create folders inside folders: navigate into a folder you just created, tap the three dots again, and select New Folder to make a subfolder.
Moving apps between folders and renaming them
Once you have created a home screen folder, you can add or remove apps from it without creating a new folder. Press and hold an app on your home screen, tap Move, and drag it onto the folder icon. The folder opens and you can see the apps inside. Drop the app where you want it and it stays there.
To remove an app from a folder, open the folder by tapping it, press and hold the app you want to move, tap Move, and drag it out of the folder to your home screen. The app leaves the folder and appears on the main screen.
To rename a folder you have already created, press and hold the folder icon, tap Rename, delete the old name, type the new one, and tap Done. This works the same way for both home screen folders and Files app folders.
Organizing files by type inside the Files app
The Files app works best when you create a folder structure that matches how you think about your files. If you read a lot of PDFs, create a "PDFs" folder at the top level. If you work on multiple projects, create a "Projects" folder and then make subfolders for each project inside it.
To see what is inside a folder, tap it once. To go back to the parent folder, tap the back arrow or the folder name at the top. You can also use the search function at the top of the Files app to find a file by name if you forget which folder it is in — type the filename and Files shows you every match.
If you use iCloud Drive, Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox, you can create folders in those services directly from the Files app. The folders sync across all your devices, so a folder you create on your iPad appears on your Mac or iPhone too.
Deleting folders you no longer need
To delete a home screen folder, press and hold it, tap Remove from Home Screen, and confirm. The folder disappears, but the apps inside it remain on your iPad — they move back to your app library or stay on other home screens.
To delete a folder in the Files app, press and hold the folder, tap Delete, and confirm. If the folder contains files, you will see a warning asking whether you want to delete the folder and everything inside it. Tap Delete again to confirm. There is no undo, so make sure you do not need the files before you delete the folder.
If you want to keep the files but delete the folder, move the files out first. Open the folder, select the files you want to keep (tap and hold one, then tap others to select multiple), tap Move, navigate to a different location, and tap Move Again. Then delete the now-empty folder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a folder inside a home screen folder?
No. Home screen folders can only hold apps, not other folders. If you need nested organization, use the Files app instead, which supports folders within folders.
What happens to apps when I delete a home screen folder?
The apps do not delete. They move to your App Library (the last screen when you swipe right through all your home screens) or remain on other home screens. You can find them and move them back to a home screen anytime.
Can I create a folder in iCloud Drive from my iPad?
Yes. Open Files, tap iCloud Drive, navigate to where you want the folder, tap the three dots, select New Folder, name it, and tap Save. The folder syncs to all your devices that use the same iCloud account.
How many apps can fit in one home screen folder?
There is no hard limit. The folder displays a grid of the first nine app icons and shows a number badge if there are more. You can keep adding apps and scroll through them inside the folder.
Can I move a Files app folder to a different location?
Yes. Press and hold the folder, tap Move, navigate to the new location, and tap Move Again. You can move folders between iCloud Drive, On My iPad, and other cloud services the same way.