Samsung J3 with Android 7.1.1

Depending on how often I use various apps, they move around from screen to screen. For instance, 90+ % of what I do with the phone is either texting or photos (which are then texted to someone) and they stay on the first screen I see when I unlock the phone.

Making a phone call turns into a hassle because I have to sort through 4-5 screens to find the phone app. I'd like to "pin" (if that's the right term) the phone app and a couple of others to the opening screen but I don't have a clue how to do that.

I looked up "pinning" on the innerwebz and it seems like that's designed to lock a single app that will open every time you unlock the phone which is NOT what I'm after.

There's a good chance (in fact it's almost certain...) that I'm confused.

So:

1. Is it possible to do what I want, and
2. Can someone walk me through it?

Thanks

Rearrange your apps?

Find your phone app in the app list, press and hold until you've picked up the icon, then drag it to a spot on the home screen you like.

You are seeking the favorites tray.
https://www.theverge.com/2019/...-android-home-screen

When you are capturing the app if you want to pull it to a different page you have to hold on to it drag it to the edge of your phone screen and the pages will switch. There is a section down at the bottom of your page under the small page circles that allow the app to be displayed no matter what page you are on.

Ah. Okay. That sorta works, but the bottom row is the only one that stays the same. I did notice that the "apps" icon goes to a screen with the stuff I use most so that's close enough.

I did get the "phone" icon locked onto the bottom row which was my main goal.

Thanks!

The bottom row allows only so many apps you have to pull the ones out you don’t want on the bottom to allow room for those you do want.

I don't recall if this works in Android 7, but I think you can stack icons ontop of each other to form groups. You might be able to form a group on the bottom tray that stays the same. I have all of my phone apps stacked onto the same group in my tray.

You should also be able to long-press on any app and then drag it to your home screen. You can put several apps on your home screen, even if they are not in that bottom row.

quote:

Originally posted by Ozarkwoods:
The bottom row allows only so many apps you have to pull the ones out you don’t want on the bottom to allow room for those you do want.

True, but you can also make "files" on the bottom row too. So you can put all of your messaging apps in one group taking up only one spot on the bottom row.