What an app folder is and why you'd want one
An app folder on your iPhone is a container that holds multiple apps in a single icon on your home screen. Instead of having 30 individual app icons scattered across your home screen, you can group related apps — like all your social media apps, all your finance apps, or all your games — into one folder. When you tap the folder, it opens to show the apps inside.
The main reason to use folders is to reduce clutter. If you have a lot of apps, folders let you keep your home screen organized and easier to navigate. You can also hide apps you use less often by putting them in folders on later home screen pages, which keeps your most-used apps visible and accessible.
Key Takeaways
- Create a folder by dragging one app on top of another app on your home screen, and iOS will automatically generate a folder and suggest a category name.
- You can rename any folder to whatever you want — the suggested names are just starting points, not locked in.
- Add more apps to a folder by dragging them into it, and remove apps by dragging them back out to your home screen.
- Folders work on any iPhone home screen page, and you can create as many folders as you need to organize your apps the way that makes sense to you.
How to create a folder by dragging apps together
The simplest way to create a folder is to drag one app directly on top of another. Press and hold the first app icon until it starts to jiggle and a menu appears. Don't lift your finger — instead, drag that app on top of a second app you want to group with it. When you see the folder preview appear, release your finger. iOS will create a folder automatically and place both apps inside.
When the folder appears, iOS suggests a category name based on the type of apps you've grouped together. For example, if you drag two social media apps together, it might suggest "Social Media." If you drag two finance apps together, it might suggest "Finance." You don't have to accept this name — you can change it when ready or leave it as is.
How to rename a folder
To change a folder's name, tap the folder to open it. At the top of the folder window, you'll see the current name in a text field. Tap that text field, delete the existing name, and type a new one. You can name it anything you want — "Games," "Work Stuff," "Rarely Used," or any other label that makes sense to you.
When you're done typing the new name, tap outside the text field or press the return key on the keyboard. The folder closes and your new name is saved. If you change your mind later, you can always open the folder again and rename it.
How to add more apps to an existing folder
Once you've created a folder, adding more apps to it is straightforward. Press and hold an app you want to add, then drag it on top of the folder. You'll see the folder highlight or expand slightly to show it's ready to receive the app. Release your finger, and the app moves into the folder.
You can add as many apps as you want to a single folder. There's no hard limit, though folders with more than nine apps will create additional pages within the folder itself, which you can swipe through to see all the apps inside.
How to remove apps from a folder
To take an app out of a folder, tap the folder to open it. Press and hold the app you want to remove until the menu appears. Drag that app out of the folder window and onto your home screen. When you release your finger, the app is no longer in the folder — it's now a standalone icon on your home screen.
If you remove the last app from a folder, the folder disappears automatically. If you remove all but one app, you're left with just that single app on your home screen, and the folder is gone.
How to organize folders across multiple home screen pages
You can create folders on any home screen page, not just the first one. Many people keep their most-used apps and folders on the first page and move less-frequently-used folders to later pages. This keeps your primary home screen clean while still keeping everything organized.
To move a folder to a different page, press and hold it until it jiggles, then drag it to the right edge of the screen. Your iPhone will automatically move to the next home screen page, and you can release the folder there. You can also drag folders back to earlier pages the same way.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
One common mistake is creating too many single-app folders by accident. This happens when you drag an app and accidentally drop it on another app when you meant to place it elsewhere. If this happens, just open the folder and drag the app back out to your home screen.
Another mistake is forgetting where you put an app after putting it in a folder. If you can't find an app, use Spotlight Search: swipe down from the top of your home screen and type the app's name. Spotlight will find it regardless of which folder it's in, and you can tap the result to open it directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a folder inside another folder?
No. iOS doesn't support nested folders — you can't create a folder within a folder. You can only have folders on your home screen pages, and apps inside those folders. If you need more organization, create multiple folders with specific names instead.
What happens to a folder if I delete all the apps inside it?
The folder disappears automatically. iOS doesn't keep empty folders. If you remove the last app from a folder, the folder is gone, and you're left with just that single app on your home screen.
Can I see all my apps without opening folders?
Yes. Swipe to the rightmost home screen page, or open the App Library by swiping right past your last home screen page. The App Library shows all your apps organized by category, and you can search for any app by name at the top of the screen.
Do folders take up more storage space than loose apps?
No. Folders are just a way to organize icons on your screen — they don't change how much storage your apps use or how much space is available on your phone. The storage impact of an app is the same whether it's in a folder or sitting alone on your home screen.