How to Lock Icons on Android (with Pictures)

2025 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-23 12:04

This wikiHow teaches you how to make the arrangement of icons on your Android device's home screen difficult to accidentally change. You can install a free launcher like Apex which can add a home screen lock feature, or use the device's built-in options to increase the delay for touch and hold gestures.

Step

Method 1 of 2: Using Apex Launcher

Step 1. Open Play Store

Apex is a free launcher that lets you format the icons on your home screen however you like. You can also use it to lock icons on the home screen, unlike the default launcher of Android devices.

Step 2. Type Apex Launcher in the search field

Step 3. Touch Apex Launcher

Step 4. Touch INSTALL

Step 5. Read the agreement and touch ACCEPT

The Android device will download the app. When the download is complete, the “ACCEPT” button will become “OPEN”.

Step 6. Tap the Home button on the Android device

The button is in the bottom center of the device. A pop-up menu will appear, asking you to select an application.

Step 7. Select Apex Launcher

Step 8. Touch Always

Android will replace the default launcher on your tablet or phone with Apex Launcher. Now your device home page will be changed to Apex's default layout.

The home screen of the device will be different than usual. You will have to reset the page from scratch

Step 9. Touch the circle icon with 6 dots in it

It's at the bottom of the screen. The app drawer that contains all the apps on the device will be opened.

Step 10. Drag the desired app to the home screen

Just like when you do it in your device's default launcher, you can drag icons from the app drawer and drop them where you want them on the home screen.

Step 11. Arrange all the icons present on the home screen so that they are locked as desired

Touch and hold the icon you want to move, then drag it to where you want it. Once the home screen is set up the way you want, you can move on to the next step.

Step 12. Touch the white Apex Menu icon with three lines in it

Step 13. Touch Lock Desktop

This will bring up a confirmation message letting you know that you can no longer touch and hold the icon, and move it. Don't worry, you can still unlock it any time.

Step 14. Touch YES

Now all the icons present on the home screen will be locked in place.

If you want to unlock the icon, go back to Apex Menu and touch Unlock Desktop.
You can delete Apex if you don't want it anymore. Visit this application page at Play Store, then touch UNINSTALL.

Method 2 of 2: Increasing Touch and Hold Delay

Step 1. Open Settings

on Android devices.

The Settings menu is usually located on the home screen or notification bar.

This method describes how to prolong the response of an Android device to touch and hold gestures on the screen so that the icons on the home screen do not change their arrangement easily.
With this change, you'll have to touch and hold an item for a longer time in any app, not just the home screen.

Step 2. Scroll down the screen and tap Accessibility

Step 3. Touch Touch & hold delay

This will bring up a list of options.

Step 4. Tap Long

Choose the longest delay. Now you have to wait a few seconds before the Android device recognizes that you are using a touch and hold gesture.

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