Creating a folder is the fastest way to group apps on your home screen
To create a folder on your iPhone, press and hold any app icon until a menu appears, then tap Add to Home Screen and select Folder. Name the folder, choose which apps go inside, and tap Add. The folder appears on your home screen immediately and holds up to nine apps per page — you can add more pages by swiping inside the folder.
This method works on any iPhone running iOS 13 or later. If you have an older iPhone, you can still create folders by dragging one app onto another app icon, which automatically creates a folder with both apps inside.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold an app icon, tap Add to Home Screen, then select Folder to create a new folder from scratch.
- You can drag apps into an existing folder by pressing and holding the app, then dragging it over the folder icon.
- Folders can hold multiple pages of apps — swipe inside the folder to see and add more apps to additional pages.
- Renaming a folder is as simple as pressing and holding the folder icon and tapping the name field to edit it.
- Removing an app from a folder takes one step: press and hold the app inside the folder, then tap Remove from Folder.
Step-by-step: Creating a new folder from the home screen
Start by finding an empty space on your home screen where you want the folder to appear. Press and hold any empty area until the home screen enters edit mode — you'll see a plus sign in the top left corner and all app icons will have a small minus sign in their top left.
Tap the plus sign in the top left corner. A menu will open showing your apps. Scroll down and tap Folder at the bottom of the list. A dialog box appears asking you to name the folder — type a name like "Games," "Social," or "Utilities," then tap Add. The folder now appears on your home screen as a single icon with your chosen name.
To add apps to the folder you just created, press and hold any app icon on your home screen, then drag it over the folder icon. The folder will highlight when you're hovering over it. Release your finger to drop the app inside. Repeat this for each app you want to add to the folder.
Adding and removing apps from existing folders
To add an app to a folder that already exists, press and hold the app icon until a menu appears. Drag the app over the folder icon you want to add it to — the folder will highlight to show it's ready to receive the app. Release your finger to drop the app inside.
If you want to remove an app from a folder, tap the folder to open it, then press and hold the app you want to remove. A menu will appear with the option Remove from Folder — tap it. The app returns to your home screen or app library, depending on your iPhone settings.
You can also move apps between folders using the same drag-and-drop method. Press and hold an app inside a folder, drag it over a different folder icon, and release. The app moves to the new folder instantly.
Managing multiple pages within a single folder
A single folder can hold up to nine apps on its first page. Once you add a tenth app, a second page automatically appears inside the folder. You can see how many pages your folder has by looking at the dots at the bottom of the folder when you open it — each dot represents one page.
To navigate between pages inside a folder, swipe left or right with your finger. The folder will scroll to show the next page of apps. You can continue adding apps until you reach the limit — most users find that three to four pages per folder is the practical maximum before the folder becomes hard to navigate.
If a folder becomes too crowded, consider splitting it into two smaller folders with more specific names. For example, instead of one "Games" folder with 20 apps, create "Games — Action" and "Games — Puzzle" folders with 10 apps each.
Renaming and deleting folders
To rename a folder, press and hold the folder icon until a menu appears, then tap the name field at the top. The current name will be highlighted — delete it and type a new name. Tap outside the text field or press the return key to save the new name.
To delete a folder, first remove all the apps inside it by pressing and holding each app and selecting Remove from Folder. Once the folder is empty, press and hold the folder icon and tap Remove from Home Screen. The empty folder disappears, and any apps that were inside it move to your app library.
Organizing folders by category
The most useful folder names match how you actually use your apps. Common categories include "Social" for messaging and social media apps, "Productivity" for notes and calendar apps, "Games" for entertainment, and "Utilities" for tools like flashlight and calculator.
Think about which apps you use together or in similar situations. If you use banking, investment, and budgeting apps at the same time, group them in a "Finance" folder. If you have multiple photo editing apps, create a "Photos" folder. The goal is to reduce the number of taps it takes to find what you need.
You can also use folders to hide apps you don't use often but want to keep. Put rarely-used apps in a folder on your last home screen page, and they'll stay out of your way while remaining accessible when you need them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a folder inside another folder?
No, iPhone does not support nested folders — you cannot put a folder inside another folder. If you need to organize a large number of apps, create multiple folders with specific names instead. For example, create separate "Games — Action," "Games — Puzzle," and "Games — Strategy" folders rather than trying to nest them.
What happens to a folder if I delete all the apps inside it?
The empty folder remains on your home screen until you manually remove it. Press and hold the empty folder icon and tap Remove from Home Screen to delete it. If you want to keep the folder but temporarily empty it, you can do that — just add apps back whenever you need them.
Can I move a folder to a different home screen page?
Yes, press and hold the folder icon and drag it to the left or right edge of your screen to move it to an adjacent page. You can also drag it to the dock at the bottom of your screen if you want quick access to it from any home screen page.
How many folders can I create on my iPhone?
There is no hard limit on the number of folders you can create. However, most users find that five to ten folders is the practical maximum before the home screen becomes cluttered. If you have more than ten folders, consider consolidating them into broader categories.
Do folders take up more storage space than loose apps?
No, creating folders does not change how much storage space your apps use. Folders are just a way to organize app icons on your home screen — they do not affect the actual app files stored on your iPhone.