Adding apps to your Kindle Fire home screen is easy and allows you to quickly access your favorite apps. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through the steps to add apps to the home screen on your Kindle Fire.
Finding Apps to Add
The first step is finding apps to add to your home screen. There are a few places you can get apps for your Kindle Fire:
- Amazon Appstore – The main place to get apps is the Amazon Appstore. This is where you can browse and download free and paid apps optimized for Kindle Fire.
- Sideloading – You can install Android apps not available in the Amazon Appstore by enabling sideloading and downloading the APK files. However, not all apps will be compatible.
- Pre-installed Apps – Your Kindle Fire comes pre-installed with apps like Silk Browser, Email, Calendar, Contacts, etc. You can add these to the home screen.
Take some time to explore the Appstore and find apps you want quick access to on the home screen. Some popular apps include Netflix, Facebook, Instagram, Kindle, Amazon Music, Spotify, and more.
Adding Apps from the Appstore
If you download an app from the Amazon Appstore, it will not automatically add to the home screen. Here are the steps to add these apps:
- Open the Appstore app on your Kindle Fire.
- Tap on the “Apps & Games” section at the top.
- Find the app you want to add and tap on it.
- On the app page, tap the “Add to Home” button.
- This will add the app icon to the home screen.
Using these steps, you can browse the Appstore and quickly add any apps you download to the home screen for easy access.
Sideloaded Apps
For apps you sideloaded outside the Appstore, you will need to take a couple extra steps:
- Open the Apps menu on your Kindle Fire.
- Press and hold on the app icon until the home screen appears.
- Without lifting your finger, drag the app icon to your preferred home screen location.
- Lift your finger to drop the icon in place.
This will manually add any sideloaded apps to your home screen.
Removing Apps from Home Screen
If you want to remove an app icon from your home screen, follow these steps:
- Press and hold on the app icon you want to remove.
- Drag the icon up to the “Remove” button at the top of the screen.
- When the icon turns red, lift your finger to remove it.
This will remove the shortcut while keeping the app installed on your Kindle Fire. The app will still be accessible in the Apps Menu.
Organizing Home Screen Apps
To keep your home screen organized, you can arrange apps however you prefer. Try these tips:
- Group apps in folders – Press and hold on an app icon, then drag it on top of another icon to create a folder containing both apps. Name the folder something descriptive.
- Alphabetize apps – For easy scanning, alphabetize apps by tapping and dragging them into A-Z order.
- Frequently used first – Put your most frequently used apps on the first home screen page for quick access.
- By category – Group apps into folders based on categories like Entertainment, Social Media, Games, etc.
Take some time to organize your home screen apps in a way that makes sense for how you use your Kindle Fire. This will allow you to quickly find the apps you need.
Maximizing Home Screen Space
To fit more apps on your home screen, make use of the available space:
- Use additional home screens – Swipe left/right to add apps to multiple home screen pages.
- Fill empty spots – Watch for unused space between app icons that you can fill.
- Consolidate widgets – Remove unused widgets taking up space or consolidate multiple widgets into one.
- Smaller grid size – In Settings, change the Grid Size from Medium to Small to fit more icons.
With a little optimization, you can fit many more apps on your Kindle Fire’s home screen and front page.
Troubleshooting Issues Adding Apps
If you are having trouble adding apps to your home screen, here are some troubleshooting tips:
App Not Showing on Home Screen
- Close and reopen the home screen – Sometimes lag will prevent icons from appearing. A quick refresh will fix.
- Remove and re-add – Deleting the app shortcut and re-adding from the Appstore usually resolves.
- Check for updates – Make sure your Kindle Fire software is up-to-date in Settings.
Can’t Remove App from Home Screen
- Reset your Kindle Fire – Hold the Power button for 20+ seconds then restart.
- Clear app cache – Open Apps, hold-press on the stuck app, tap Clear Data.
- Contact Amazon customer support if issue persists.
Home Screen Wont Scroll
- Make sure home screen editing mode is off – Tap the Home icon to exit editing.
- Check if you have unused home screens – Swipe left/right to see if extra screens exist.
- Restart your device – Press Power for 20+ seconds then restart your Kindle Fire.
In most cases, home screen issues can be easily fixed by restarting or resetting your settings. Contact Amazon if problems continue.
Tips for Managing Home Screen Apps
Here are some additional tips for managing your Kindle Fire home screen apps:
- Update apps frequently – Check for updates often to keep all apps working properly.
- Remove unused apps – Delete old apps you no longer need to declutter your home screen.
- Use app folders – Group related apps into labeled folders to save space.
- Restrict access – Use Parental Controls to restrict access to certain apps if needed.
- Back up favorites – Note down your most-used apps so you can easily reinstall them if needed.
Third-Party Launchers
For greater customization over your Kindle Fire’s home screen, consider installing a third-party launcher app like Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, or Evie Launcher. These replace the default launcher and allow features like icon packs, gestures, hiding apps, and more.
| Launcher | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Nova Launcher | Custom grid size, infinite scroll, hide apps, icon swipe gestures |
| Apex Launcher | Hide apps, lock desktop, customize app drawer, icon packs |
| Evie Launcher | Minimalist design, smooth animations, customizable search bar |
Launcher apps provide great control for power users but do come with a learning curve. Evaluate your needs before choosing one.
Conclusion
Adding and organizing apps on your Kindle Fire home screen helps provide quick access to your favorite apps. Take advantage of the Amazon Appstore to find new apps to try out. Arrange your apps in a logical way and utilize multiple home screens, folders, and launchers to optimize your experience. With these tips, you can create a home screen layout tailored to your unique needs.