Organize Apps

With a few more apps installed, soon the question pops up: How to keep a clear overview? The list in the app drawer can grow quite long, and does not necessarily stay lucid. Scrolling up and down multiple times to find the app in question is no fun: How easily you push to strong, and the list flies by with ludicrous speed. Or you don't push enough, and the app below your finger gets started instead. Plastering your home screen with icons is no solution either. So what to do?

On this page you should find some tools to help you out on this topic. The list is far from being complete – but hopefully gives you at least an idea. Or maybe the ideal candidate for you is even contained on it?

App Organizer

2020-09-19

How to organize apps in a way to always easily find the one looking for?

JINA: App Drawer, Sidebar & Folder Organizer (4.6@6,079) Ǥ 22 4 / JINA Apps Organizer (4.5@254) 5 LastUpdate: 2015-04-01 Video Intro 8/2016
IntelliFolder (4.6@61) 10 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-07-07
CircleLauncher light (4.3@15,441) Ǥ 7 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2018-10-12 / CircleLauncher (4.5@4,611; ~EUR 1.00) 6 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2018-10-12
Application Folder (4.3@7,351) 7 LastUpdate: 2013-02-11
Draweroid (4.3@1,896) 8 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ / Draweroid donation key (4.6@81; ~EUR 1.50) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2016-01-27
Organized Drawer (4.3@620) 3 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2019-01-29
AppFinder - Alternative Drawer (4.3@187) Ǥ 6 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-12-01
Speed Dial Folder (4.2@324) 3 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-08-10
Assistive Drawer (4.2@274) Ǥ 14 5 LastUpdate: 2018-02-28
Glextor Manager & Organizer Free (4.1@2,884) Ǥ 17 4 / Glextor Manager & Organizer (4.5@831; ~EUR 5.00) Ǥ 13 3 Review 2/2014
My Drawer - Smart & Organized Place for Your Apps (4.1@2,319) Ǥ 10 3 LastUpdate: 2018-11-03
Apps Organizer (4.1@11) 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2013-11-10
Categories - App Organizer (3.9@155) Ǥ 10 2
Suite Folder Organizer (3.9@27; ~EUR 0.75) 13 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2015-05-27
Smart Drawer - Apps Organizer (3.8@2,172) Ǥ 22 1 LastUpdate: 2019-01-22 Review 6/2017
Drawers (3.8@744) 2 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-11-14
Smart Shortcuts (3.7@4,544) 7 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2013-12-26
App Launcher Free (3.6@504) 4 3 / App Launcher Plus (4.2@123; ~EUR 2.50) 4 2
Auto App Category (3.6@234) Ǥ 7 1 LastUpdate: 2018-12-31
Contextual App Folder (C.A.F.) (3.6@226) Ǥ 15 1 LastUpdate: 2017-02-14 Review 6/2017; „intelligent folder“ showing apps fitting your situation
CatApplus - Smart Automatic Apps Folder Organizer (3.5@102) Ǥ 8 5 LastUpdate: 2019-03-10
Auto App Organizer free (3.4@3,731) 10 2 LastUpdate: 2018-08-29 / AutoAppOrganizer Full (ticket) (4.6@90; ~EUR 2.50) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2010-09-08
Apps Organizer-Create Folders (3.3@46) 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-01-11
Folder Organizer lite (3.1@9,078) Ǥ 13 6 / Folder Organizer (4@8,426; ~EUR 1.00) Ǥ 12 2
Smart Folder - App Organizer (3.1@1,644) Ǥ 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2014-12-07

Manage Default Apps

2020-09-18

Starting an action, Android sometimes asks you to chose the App to use – and you can tell it to remember your choice. But how to change that at a later time, in an easy and convenient way? The following Apps come to help you out:

Home Manager (4.4@2,073) Ǥ 8 2 LastUpdate: 2016-11-25
Home Control (4.3@291) Ǥ 6 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2014-09-05
Target Home Launcher (4.2@173) 5 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2013-03-10
Default App Manager (4@124; ~EUR 2.00) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$
Better Open With (3.9@4,296) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2018-06-07
Set Defaults (3.8@38) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2016-05-30
Launch by default (3.4@183) 2 2 LastUpdate: 2015-01-06
Launch By Default App Reset (3.4@112) 2 1 LastUpdate: 2014-09-05
Clear Defaults (3.4@110) 2 1 LastUpdate: 2015-10-07
Default App Manager (2.3@59) Ǥ 4 3 LastUpdate: 2017-03-25
Alternate App Picker (KK) (0@0) LastUpdate: 2014-12-19 1-tap „complete-with“ action with checkbox (as it was in ICS)
AlternateAppPicker: ICS-style default app chooser for JB (0@0) Github; 1-tap „complete-with“ action with checkbox (as it was in ICS)
Doubletap in AppPicker (0@0) double-tap to „use once“ (as introduced with JB 4.2) for JB 4.1

Additional candidates can be found in the section Manage Default Apps.

Remove apps

2020-09-20

How to get rid of them again? Apart from on-board methods, there are some nice helpers available:

App Master(Uninstall Master) (4.5@30,064) Ǥ 17 LastUpdate: 2015-07-28 with recycle-bin to re-install from
Uninstaller (4.5@867) 2 LastUpdate: 2016-10-25
Uninstaller - Uninstall App (4.3@17,616) Ǥ 6 4
APK Manager (4.3@2,321) 8 2 install & uninstall
Multi Uninstaller (4.3@792) 2 1 LastUpdate: 2014-06-28
Easy Uninstaller App Uninstall (4.2@174,635) Ǥ 13 12 Review 7/2015
Uninstall Perfect Uninstaller (4@31,231) 5 5 Test 1/2017
AppRemover (4@5,997) Ǥ 5 3 LastUpdate: 2019-01-24
Revo Uninstaller Mobile (4@4,212) Ǥ 11 2
Easy Uninstaller (4@3,603) Ǥ 8 4
Uninstaller Multiple (Batch) (4@283) Ǥ 5 2 LastUpdate: 2014-05-15
Uninstaller (3.8@69,802) Ǥ 5 3 / Uninstaller Pro (4.4@251; ~EUR 1.00) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$
Apps Uninstaller - Delete Multiple Applications (3.8@712) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$
UnApp — Batch Uninstall Multiple Apps, Uninstaller (3.6@668) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Video Intro 1/2019
Batch Uninstaller (3.5@23) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github

Remove pre-installed Apps

2020-09-09

Starting with Android 4.0, the user finally can de-activate most unwanted apps (Settings → Apps → All, tap the unwanted app's entry, select "uninstall updates" (if available), select "deactivate") – but to really get rid of them, it still requires root (except you uninstall them per user):

ROM Toolbox Lite (4.6@36) Ǥ 26 5 / ROM Toolbox Pro (3.5@25,596; ~EUR 6.00) Ǥ 25 5
Root Uninstaller (4.4@4,462) Ǥ 5 1 LastUpdate: 2018-08-20
SystemCleanup (4.3@3,694) 6 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-06-14
Titanium Backup ★ root needed (4.2@372,136) 22 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ / Titanium Backup PRO Key ★ root needed (4.3@72,022; ~EUR 6.50) Ǥ 2 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Testbericht 1/2014 | 5/2016; Howto EN 11/2013 | DE 11/2014; Vorstellung 1/2014 | 3/2014; Video Tutorial 1/2014 (DE) | 9/2018 (EN)
System App Freezer & Remover (4.2@57; ~EUR 1.50) 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2012-02-15
App Freezer (4.1@29,483) 5 1
Multi APK Manager (4.1@46) Ǥ 8 2 LastUpdate: 2018-10-25
[Root] App Disabler (4@431) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2016-11-15
2 Hide Apps (hide system apps) (3.6@2,662) Ǥ 6 3 LastUpdate: 2015-07-25
System application manager (3.6@1,312) 8 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2016-05-12
Service Disabler (3.6@1,286) Ǥ 5 3 LastUpdate: 2018-08-19
Root Uninstaller (3.5@38,832) 7 2 LastUpdate: 2018-12-17 / Root Uninstaller Pro (3.4@1,638; ~EUR 2.50) 9 2 LastUpdate: 2018-12-12 Video Review 10/2013
Uninstall Expert (3.4@3,201) 6 4 LastUpdate: 2018-10-12
Root Uninstaller (3.4@2,355) Ǥ 8 4
Bloatware Remover FREE [Root] (3.4@1,588) Ǥ 15 6 LastUpdate: 2018-10-18 / Bloatware Remover VIP [Clean bloat] - 50% OFF (3.7@24; ~EUR 12.00) 13 2 LastUpdate: 2018-09-18
NoBloat Free (3.2@3,681) 2 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2015-12-26 / NoBloat (3.8@525; ~EUR 1.50) 3 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2015-12-26
Disable Bloatware - Hide Apps (2.3@1,421) 4 1 LastUpdate: 2014-08-07
FreezeYou! (0@0) 14 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; (un)freeze apps automatically, e.g. on display on/off, lauch/end, etc.
Disabler (0@0) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github
App Mount (0@0) 3 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-02-26 Github; (temporarily) disable (aka "unmount") apps you don't like on Android, without root
Universal Android Debloater: Debloats via ADB

Move apps to your SD card (and back)

2020-09-09

DS Super App2SD Lite (4.3@22) 11 3 LastUpdate: 2014-07-05
AppMgr III (App 2 SD, Hide and Freeze apps) (4.1@489,208) Ǥ 18 4 Test 3/2014
APP2SD Easy - Clean & Optimize (4@65,548) 6 11 LastUpdate: 2017-01-15
Link2SD (3.9@345,153) Ǥ 11 1 LastUpdate: 2018-06-21 / Link2SD Plus (New) (3.4@14,450; ~EUR 2.00) Ǥ 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2015-01-02 Tutorial 1/2014 (EN) | 7/2017 (EN); Howto 8/2014; Vorstellung 10/2014; Video Howto 4/2015
App2SD Pro: All in One Tool [ROOT] (3.9@28,912) Ǥ 17 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2018-09-12 Link apps, Dalvik & more 2 SD
App2SD &App Manager-Save Space (3.8@35,815) Ǥ 10 9
Auto App2SD : App Manager (3.7@4,717) 8 1 LastUpdate: 2017-03-02
Move app to SD card (3.6@350,334) Ǥ 12 4
App Manager -Move 2 SD (3.5@3,374) 6 3 LastUpdate: 2014-08-10 / App Manager (Pro) (4.2@95; ~EUR 1.75) 6 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2014-03-10

Other app helpers

2020-09-23

AppsMonitor - Monitor app time and traffic usage (4.8@6) 4 1 Github
StayFree - Screen Time Tracker & Limit App Usage (4.6@50,025) Ǥ 10 7 app stats: how much time did you spend in which app?
应用管理 (4.5@150) Ǥ 16 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; X-APM app manager (needs Xposed framework)
ActionDash: Digital Wellbeing & Screen Time helper (4.4@8,940) Ǥ 18 7 Video Intro 1/2019; granular app stats
ML Manager: APK Extractor (4.3@2,167) Ǥ 4 2 Intro 5/2015; Github
TimesApp - App timer for better productivity (4.3@75) Ǥ 11 2 Github
AppList (4.3@40) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2014-11-19 Kurzvorstellung 6/2015; Github
Skit (4.2@899) Ǥ 9 2 / Skit Premium (4.7@164; ~EUR 2.50) Ǥ 8 1 Video Review 6/2020; app manager
AppMgr III (App 2 SD, Hide and Freeze apps) (4.1@489,208) Ǥ 18 4 Test 3/2014
App Usage Logger (4.1@20) 2 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2014-08-25 what apps you use, when, and how much time you spend using them
QualityTime - My Digital Diet (4@19,159) Ǥ 23 15 Vorstellung 1/2015 | 1/2015; Video Promo 1/2015; Intro 1/2015 | 5/2015; Review 2/2015
Phone Analyzer (4@256) Ǥ 19 20 LastUpdate: 2018-10-15 App manager, app statistics
Aplin (4@113) Ǥ 4 5 Github; app manager
Manage Applications-Share Apps (4@82) Ǥ 5 4 LastUpdate: 2017-03-04
/system/app mover ★ ROOT ★ (3.9@8,776) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-12-09 Github
ManageApps (App Manager) (3.8@7,933) 9 3 LastUpdate: 2016-11-13 / ManageApps Pro (App Manager) (4.2@178; ~EUR 2.00) Ǥ 10 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2015-07-26
App Usage Tracker (3.8@1,076) 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$
FolderMount [ROOT] (3.5@34,737) Ǥ 9 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2018-05-23 Video Tutorial 8/2014; Tutorial 5/2014
[ROOT] Directory Bind© (3.3@1,132) 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-07-20 Video Tutorial 05/2013 (EN)
OFFTIME – Digital disconnection (2.8@17,467) Ǥ 29 2 Vorstellung 10/2014; Intro 10/2014; Study 10/2014; Test 11/2014
OpenAPK (0@0) 3 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-12-15 Github
Downgrader (0@0) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; uses root powers to downgrade apps
Watt (0@0) $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; disable or enable components
xSuite (0@0) LastUpdate: 2014-05-17 change names & icons of your apps
usageDirect (0@0) 2 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ / System usage stats (0@0) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Codeberg; app usage stats, with graphs and more. See what you did when / Codeberg

Postscriptum: Some Launchers have some of those functionalities integrated already . Or you might even be content with the app folders on the home screen itself, which were introduced with Android 4.0 aka Ice Cream Sandwich?

Further Readings:

App Organizer
- Five best Android app organizers recommended for you (11/2013 - 7/2015)
App Remover
- How to delete preinstalled apps on Android (6/2019)
- How to remove unwanted apps from your Android phone (2/2017)
- Windows/OS X: Debloater Blocks, Disables, or Removes Bloatware on Android
  So könnt Ihr vorinstallierte Apps löschen und deinstallieren (10/2015)
- How to completely uninstall an app on Android Lollipop? (12/2014)
- How to Remove Bloatware or Unwanted Apps from Your Android Smartphone (2/2014)
- 13 Best Android Uninstaller to Remove Sticky Apps (10/2013)
Miscellaneous
- How to Remove, Change, and Set Default Apps in Android (3/2020)
- Bloatware: Vorinstallierte Apps ersetzen (10/2016 - 7/2019)
- Welche Apps die Hersteller ungefragt auf Smartphones installieren (8/2014)