How to lock the home screen layout on a Samsung Galaxy (One UI 9)

Device

Android

Shown on

Samsung Galaxy A57 (SM-A576B), One UI 9, Android 17 (build A576BXXU6BZIE)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Home screen › Lock Home screen layout

Real screenshots

5 of 5 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

2 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open Home screen

   Open Settings and tap Home screen, between Themes and Lock screen and AOD.

   Done

2. 

   Switch on Lock Home screen layout

   Scroll down and turn on Lock Home screen layout. Tapping the name flips it too. Add new apps to Home screen, below, goes grey while it is on.

   Done

3. 

   Touch and hold an icon

   On the home screen, touch and hold an app. The Netflix menu still opens, but Select, Remove and Uninstall are greyed out.

   Done

4. 

   Try to move it

   Dragging an icon shows: Home screen layout is locked. You can unlock it in Settings. The Settings button in the message takes you there.

   Done

5. 

   Switch it off again

   To unlock, turn off Lock Home screen layout in Settings, Home screen. Ours is off again here.

   Done

If you do not see this option

• No Lock Home screen layout switch? On ours it is on the Home screen settings page, below Show Apps screen button on Home screen. Samsung says to go to the home screen settings. Source: How to add apps and widgets on your Galaxy phone's Home screen
• Add new apps to Home screen greyed out? It went grey on ours while the layout was locked, and came back when we unlocked it.

If this does not work

• Can't remove an icon? With the layout locked, Remove and Uninstall are greyed out in the menu. Unlock it first.
• Can't make a folder? Folders are made by dragging, which the lock stops: make an app folder.
• Widgets moving? Samsung says the lock covers widgets too. Source: How to add apps and widgets on your Galaxy phone's Home screen

About this guide

Samsung says Lock Home screen layout prevents app icons and widgets on the home screen being removed or moved by accident. Handy if a child or a pocket keeps rearranging your apps.

The screenshots are from our Samsung Galaxy A57 with One UI 9 and Android 17 (build A576BXXU6BZIE), in Dark mode. We turned it on, tried to move an icon and turned it off again.

Good to know

Move or take apps off the home screen once it is unlocked: move or remove an app from the home screen. Add widgets: add and resize widgets.

On a Xiaomi phone: lock the home screen layout on a Xiaomi phone.

In short: Settings, Home screen, Lock Home screen layout on. Off again to move or remove icons.