Creating a folder on iPhone takes three taps
A folder on your iPhone is a container that holds app icons, letting you organize your home screen instead of scrolling through pages of apps. To create one, press and hold any app icon until a menu appears, then tap "Add to Home Screen" and choose "Create Stack" — or straightforward drag one app directly onto another app, and iOS will automatically create a folder containing both.
The folder appears with a default name based on the app category (like "Productivity" or "Games"), but you can rename it when ready by tapping the name field and typing whatever you want. Once created, you can drag more apps into the folder by holding and dragging them over the folder icon.
Key Takeaways
- Drag one app onto another app to create a folder when ready, or press and hold an app and select "Create Stack" from the menu.
- iOS suggests a category name automatically, but you can rename the folder to anything you choose right after creating it.
- Add more apps to a folder by dragging them onto the folder icon from your home screen.
- Open a folder by tapping it once; close it by tapping outside the folder or pressing the home button.
- Delete a folder by pressing and holding it, tapping "Remove," and choosing whether to keep or remove the apps inside.
The drag-and-drop method (fastest way)
The quickest way to create a folder is to use your fingers directly. Find two apps you want to group together, then press and hold the first app until it lifts slightly off the screen. While still holding, drag it directly onto the second app. Your iPhone will automatically create a folder containing both apps.
The folder will appear with a suggested name based on what iOS thinks the apps have in common. If you see "Productivity" but you want to call it "Work Apps," tap the name field at the top of the folder and type your custom name. The folder saves automatically when you tap outside it or press the home button.
Using the menu method (if drag-and-drop feels awkward)
If dragging feels difficult on your device, you can create a folder through the app menu instead. Press and hold any app icon until a menu pops up with several options. Look for "Add to Home Screen" and tap it. A preview of your home screen appears, and you'll see an option to "Create Stack" — tap that, and iOS creates a new folder you can name and place wherever you want.
This method takes slightly longer but gives you more control over where the folder lands on your screen. You can then drag apps into it afterward, one at a time, using the same press-and-hold-then-drag motion.
Adding more apps to an existing folder
Once your folder exists, adding apps to it works the same way as creating it. Press and hold any app on your home screen, then drag it onto the folder icon. The folder will open briefly to show you the apps inside, and the new app will join them. Release your finger, and the app is now part of the folder.
You can add as many apps as you want to a single folder. iOS will arrange them in a grid, and if you add more than nine apps, additional pages appear inside the folder that you can swipe through. There is no hard limit, though folders with dozens of apps become harder to navigate.
Renaming a folder after creation
To change a folder's name, tap the folder once to open it. Look at the top of the folder window — you'll see the current name in a text field. Tap that field, delete the existing text, and type your new name. When you're done, tap outside the folder or press the home button, and the new name saves automatically.
You can rename a folder as many times as you want. Some people use names like "Games," "Social," or "Rarely Used" to describe what's inside. Others use emoji or custom labels. The name is purely for your own organization and doesn't affect how the apps work.
Moving and deleting folders
To move a folder to a different spot on your home screen, press and hold the folder icon and drag it to the new location. You can move it between pages or to a different position on the same page. Release your finger, and it stays in the new spot.
To delete a folder, press and hold it until the menu appears, then tap "Remove." Your iPhone will ask whether you want to "Remove Stack" (which deletes the folder but keeps the apps on your home screen) or "Remove Stack and Apps" (which removes both the folder and all the apps inside it). Choose whichever matches what you want to do, and the action completes when ready.
Organizing your home screen with folders
Folders let you fit more apps on your home screen without scrolling. A common strategy is to group apps by how you use them: one folder for social media apps, another for productivity tools, another for games. This keeps your home screen clean and makes it faster to find what you need.
Another approach is to create a folder called "Rarely Used" or "Backup" and move apps there that you want to keep but don't use often. This frees up prime real estate on your first home screen for the apps you open every day. You can also create folders on different home screen pages, so you might have "Work" on page one and "Entertainment" on page two.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a folder inside a folder?
No. iOS does not support nested folders — you cannot put a folder inside another folder. You can only create folders on your home screen, and each folder contains individual apps. If you need deeper organization, consider using the App Library instead, which automatically sorts all your apps by category.
What happens to my apps if I delete a folder?
When you delete a folder, your iPhone asks whether you want to remove just the folder or the folder and its apps together. If you choose "Remove Stack," the apps stay on your home screen but the folder disappears. If you choose "Remove Stack and Apps," both the folder and every app inside it are deleted from your phone.
How many apps can I put in one folder?
There is no hard limit. iOS will create additional pages inside the folder if you add more than nine apps, and you can swipe between those pages. However, folders with many apps become harder to navigate, so most people keep folders to 5 to 15 apps for practical use.
Can I see how many apps are in a folder without opening it?
Not directly from the home screen. You have to tap the folder to open it and see all the apps inside. However, the folder icon shows a preview of the first few app icons, which can give you a rough idea of what's in there.
Do folders take up more storage space?
No. Folders are just a way of organizing app icons on your home screen — they do not create copies of the apps or use any additional storage. The apps themselves take up the same amount of space whether they are in a folder or scattered across your home screen.