Adding shortcuts to your favorite Facebook groups directly to your home screen can be a huge time-saver.
Instead of opening the Facebook app, navigating to Groups, and finding the group you want, you’ll have one-tap access to that group’s feed. Here’s how to do it on both iOS and Android.
Adding a Facebook Group Shortcut on iOS
Adding a Facebook group shortcut to your iOS home screen only takes a few taps. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Facebook app and navigate to the Groups tab.
- Locate the group you want to add and tap on it to open the group.
- With the group feed open, tap on the Share icon (the arrow coming out of a box) at the bottom of the screen.
- In the share sheet that pops up, scroll down and tap “Add to Home Screen.”
- You’ll be prompted to name the shortcut. The default is the group’s name but you can change it if you want. Tap “Add” when finished.
That’s it! The group shortcut will now appear on your home screen. Tapping it will take you directly to that group’s feed, bypassing the Facebook app entirely.
You can repeat these steps to add shortcuts for multiple Facebook groups. The shortcuts persist even if you leave the group later on. To remove a shortcut, long press on it and tap “Remove App.”
Adding a Facebook Group Shortcut on Android
The process is very similar on Android devices:
- Open the Facebook app and go to the Groups tab
- Tap on the group you want to shortcut
- Tap the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner
- Select “Add to Home screen”
- You can edit the name before tapping “Add”
The shortcut will now appear on your home screen like any other app icon. Tapping it will open that group feed.
To remove the shortcut later, long press on the icon and drag it to the “Remove” option at the top of the screen.
Customizing Your Shortcuts
By default, the Facebook group shortcut icons look like a bubbly chat bubble. But you can customize them with your own icons and colors to make them stand out.
iOS Custom Icons
On iOS, you’ll need an app like Widgetsmith or Shortcuts to customize your home screen icons. Open one of those apps and create a new shortcut or widget with the following action:
- Open App -> Facebook
Name it whatever you want, like “My Group” and select a custom image for the icon. Add that shortcut to your home screen and it will open the Facebook app to your selected group.
Android Custom Icons
The process is easier on Android. After adding your Facebook group shortcut:
- Long press the shortcut icon
- Tap the pencil icon to edit
- Tap the icon image and select a photo from your library
- Tap “OK” to set the new icon
Now your Facebook group shortcut will stand out with its own custom icon!
Why Add Facebook Group Shortcuts?
Here are some of the benefits of adding Facebook group shortcuts to your home screen:
- Quick access – Open the group with one tap instead of navigating the Facebook app
- Notifications – Get a badge icon for new posts without enabling notifications
- Prioritize groups – Put your favorites right on your home screen
- Customize – Make shortcuts recognizable with custom icons
- Time savings – Check groups faster throughout the day
The only downside is that any new posts won’t display on your shortcut icon. You’ll need to open the group to see new activity. But otherwise, home screen shortcuts are an easy way to improve your Facebook group experience!
Troubleshooting Facebook Group Shortcuts
While Facebook group shortcuts usually work seamlessly, here are some troubleshooting tips if you run into issues:
Shortcut Not Working
If tapping the shortcut does nothing, try:
- Make sure you have the latest Facebook app version installed
- Check that the Facebook app is not disabled in your phone’s Settings or App Manager
- Force close the Facebook app and try the shortcut again
- Re-add the shortcut to your home screen
Shortcut Opens Main Feed
If your group shortcut starts opening your main Facebook feed instead, try:
- Open the group in the Facebook app and re-add the shortcut to your home screen
- Make sure you don’t have another Facebook shortcut added
- Remove the shortcut and add it again
Can’t Add Shortcut
If you don’t see the option to add a shortcut, double check that:
- You have the latest Facebook app version
- Your device software is up-to-date
- You are tapping the correct share icon in the group
- You don’t already have a shortcut for that group added
Facebook group shortcuts are a handy feature on both iOS and Android. Follow the steps above to start enjoying quick access to your favorite communities right from your home screen!