Android devices: managing "disabled" apps

Jenni_D

Boxes = folders of related apps. (Drag the shortcut for one app on top of another and it creates a folder which you can (re)name).

At least that's how I'm interpreting what was said.

k_man

Molehusband said:

molerat said:

You are looking in the Play Store ?

Look in the phone settings

I've now looked there and with some mixed results. Out of my 5 Android devices two are Samsung and the settings there are exactly as you described, so many thanks for that. Two other devices, while their "settings" certainly includes Apps, there's no option to view "disabled" ones.
The final device is a little confusing as it shows just one disabled App called CustCoreApp which seems specific to the device manufacturer (Oppo) and not part of Play Store at all. I have no idea what that App does. Let me know if you or anyone else can enlighten me on the mystery App CustCoreApp.

Thanks for your useful comments.

Samsung devices include a feature to automatically disable apps that haven't been used in a while, as a security measure (stops unnecessary apps running in the background).
This is why they also have the view that shows Disabled apps.

For most other Android mobiles, the Disabled option only appears for pre-installed apps, that can't be uninstalled and is a manual option.

I suspect that it is on the Samsung devices that apps are being automatically disabled, and there a very few, if any on the other devices.

Molehusband

Jenni_D said:

Boxes = folders of related apps. (Drag the shortcut for one app on top of another and it creates a folder which you can (re)name).

At least that's how I'm interpreting what was said.

That's exactly how I've created them. Is "folder" the official name?

Molehusband

bat999 said:

Molehusband said:

So for example I have one I name "Internet" which contains all related Apps, another called "Finance" containing all my finance related apps etc.
Are you saying that "disabled" Apps will disappear from those boxes as I find that quite worrying?

I'm using Android 8 with a Xiaomi phone.

When I have disabled apps their icons have vanished from the screen and Launcher.

I don't know about those boxes of yours.

When I drag several apps together they will collectively appear in what I refer to as a "box" (to which I can give a name). Jenni_D has suggested they maybe called "folders" - is that the official term? If so, my question is: if an app located in a folder is "disabled" will it disappear from view?
Conversely I'm not familiar with the term "Launcher". What is it and where can I find it on my device?

Jenni_D

A launcher is what forms what you see when you start the phone ... the size of the grid of folders/app icons, how the Home etc. buttons look, etc.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=android+launcher

flaneurs_lobster

What @Jenni_D said, different launchers are the reason why your Samsung home screen, menu layouts, colours etc look different to those on your Oppo.

Re your question about disappearing app icons, just checked my Samsung and I have apps marked as "Auto disabled" in the Apps list which are still present in folders.

Molehusband

flaneurs_lobster said:

What @Jenni_D said, different launchers are the reason why your Samsung home screen, menu layouts, colours etc look different to those on your Oppo.

Re your question about disappearing app icons, just checked my Samsung and I have apps marked as "Auto disabled" in the Apps list which are still present in folders.

When I open one of my devices, after going through security, it normally shows me the last thing I was viewing during my previous session. Normally this is either an app I was using at the time or the last screen I viewed screen showing a number of folders containing the apps I have grouped together. So is that screen my "launcher"? I normally then select the app I want to work with now.

The concern I have when starting up is the possibility of some of my apps possibly being "disabled" and therefore maybe not being able to find or use them. My related questions are:
1 What causes an app (which was previously working fine) to become "disabled"?
2 Will disabled apps disappear from view when I'm looking at my opening screen?
In particular, let's say I have a folder which I've called "browsers"  containing 10 different web browsers. I use different browsers for different purposes, so some I may use daily and others less frequently. Presumably it's those I use less frequently that are most likely to become "disabled". But, if so, what exactly is the criteria for an app to become disabled through lack of use - is it apps that haven't been used for a week, a month, 3 months, a year, 5 years etc. I have no idea of the time length of non-use which causes disability. Further, if an app is "disabled" will it disappear from the folder I placed it in. For example, if my browser folder contained 10 browsers will I subsequently only see 9 browsers listed in my folder when one of them becomes disabled?

Jenni_D

The answer to your questions is - it depends. Each phone's OS will work in subtly different ways ... Samsung vs Oppo vs Motorola vs etc.

Molehusband

Jenni_D said:

A launcher is what forms what you see when you start the phone ... the size of the grid of folders/app icons, how the Home etc. buttons look, etc.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=android+launcher

Thanks. The information there suggests to me that "launcher" appears on a device after you do a reboot of the device - is that correct? In my case when I finish using a device I just put it to sleep. Then, when I'm ready to use it again, I wake it up and, after security checks, it brings me back to the screen I had when put it to sleep. I normally think of the screen I return to after wake up which shows my folders from which I select my app as my "launch screen". From what you're saying maybe the "launcher" is only shown after full reboot?

Jenni_D

A launcher will be built-in to the phone OS ... there is a default Android launcher, but each manufacturer tends to implement their own version of the default launcher. Then you can also install 3rd party launchers (installed like apps) if you wish. A launcher does what the name implies - it "launches" the screen configuration when the phone boots/reboots; that's the only time it starts (unless you manually start a 3rd party launcher).

If the phone is put to "sleep" (i.e. you press the button to turn off the screen) then the phone is still running, so the launcher used when turning the phone on will still be in place.