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Samsung

Samsung: Search the Home Screen and App Drawer with Finder

Scrolling through folders on the home screen or app drawer to find one app can take longer than just typing its name. When Finder search is not your default habit, you end up swiping through pages instead of getting instant results, including files stored in your phone's memory and not only installed apps.

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Step 1 of 3: Swipe **upwards**to open the App drawer

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Swipe upwardsto open the App drawer

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Android 11 · One UI 3
Find Apps and Files with Samsung Finder Search – One UI 3: step 1 – Swipe upwardsto open the App drawer
Swipe upwardsto open the App drawer
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Samsung

Find Apps and Files with Samsung Finder Search auf Samsung

The Samsung home screen and app drawer group icons into folders, but folder structures get crowded once you install dozens of apps. Finder solves this by searching app names and files stored in your phone's memory in one pass, instead of making you swipe through home screens or open every folder manually.

To search: Swipe upward to open the App drawerTap on SearchEnter a Keyword and tap Search. Results appear as you type, showing matching apps first, followed by documents, images and other files that share the keyword.

Finder relies on the app drawer search bar, so it only becomes available once the drawer is open. If you are looking for a widget or a settings item instead of an app or file, Finder may not surface it, since it focuses on installed apps and stored files rather than system menus.

Once a result appears, tap it to launch the app or open the file directly, skipping the need to locate its folder on the home screen or scroll through the app drawer.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, Finder scans every app installed on the device, whether it sits inside a home screen folder or in the app drawer, so the folder structure does not limit the search.

Compatible devices

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Android 11 · One UI 3

No compatible devices are listed for this version.