How To Add The Settings App Or A Shortcut On Android

You can place the Settings app — or a shortcut to any specific setting — directly on your Android home screen so it opens in a single tap. The exact method depends on your phone brand and Android version: stock Android and Pixel phones have a built-in Settings shortcut widget, Samsung Galaxy phones need Good Lock or a third-party app, and every Android phone can use the free Shortcut Maker app as a universal fallback.

Below you’ll find step-by-step instructions for each method, including brand-specific paths for Samsung One UI and Google Pixel devices as of 2026.

Add the Settings App Icon to Your Home Screen

This is the simplest approach and works on every Android phone. It puts the main Settings app on your home screen like any other app icon.

Swipe up from the bottom of your home screen to open the app drawer.
Find the Settings app (the gear icon).
Long-press the Settings icon and drag it upward until your home screen appears.
Drop it wherever you want on the home screen.

On some phones, long-pressing the Settings icon in the app drawer shows a popup menu instead. If that happens, tap Add to Home Screen from the menu.

Samsung One UI note: On Samsung Galaxy phones running One UI, you can also open the app drawer, long-press the Settings app, and select Add to Home from the popup.

Pixel note: On Pixel phones running Android 14 or later, long-pressing any app icon in the app drawer shows an Add to Home Screen button at the top of the popup.

Use the Built-In Settings Shortcut Widget (Pixel and Stock Android)

Stock Android includes a “Settings shortcut” widget that lets you place a shortcut to any individual setting — like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Battery, or Display — directly on your home screen. This is the fastest way to jump to a specific settings page in one tap.

Long-press an empty area on your home screen.
Tap Widgets.
Scroll down and find Settings shortcut (or type “Settings” in the widget search bar).
Tap the Settings shortcut widget.
A list of available settings appears — tap the one you want (for example, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Battery, Display, or Accessibility).
The shortcut appears on your home screen. Tap it anytime to jump directly to that settings page.

Important: This widget is available on Google Pixel phones and devices running stock Android (like Motorola and Nokia phones). Samsung Galaxy phones do not include this widget — see the Samsung-specific methods below.

Samsung Galaxy: Use Good Lock and RegiStar

Samsung removed the native Settings shortcut widget from One UI, but you can get similar functionality through Samsung’s free Good Lock app and its RegiStar module. This method works on Galaxy phones running One UI 5 and later.

Open the Galaxy Store and search for Good Lock. Install it.
Inside Good Lock, scroll down to the Life up section.
Find and install the RegiStar module.
Open RegiStar and explore its customization options.

RegiStar primarily lets you reorganize the Settings app menu and customize back-tap gestures and side-key actions. While it does not directly create home screen shortcuts to individual settings pages, it makes frequently used settings faster to reach within the Settings app itself.

For placing actual shortcuts to specific settings on a Samsung home screen, the Shortcut Maker method below is the most reliable option.

Use Shortcut Maker (Works on All Android Phones)

Shortcut Maker is a free app on Google Play that creates home screen shortcuts to virtually anything — including specific settings pages buried deep in your phone’s menus. This is the best universal method, especially for Samsung users who lack the built-in Settings shortcut widget.

Install Shortcut Maker from the Google Play Store.
Open the app and tap Settings.
Tap Settings Activities to see a full list of every settings page on your phone.
Browse or search for the setting you want (for example, Wi-Fi settings, Bluetooth, Battery, Developer options, or Accessibility).
Tap the setting you want.
On the confirmation screen, you can customize the shortcut label and icon.
Tap Create Shortcut, then tap Add when prompted.

The shortcut appears on your home screen. Tapping it opens that exact settings page — no navigating through menus.

Pro tip: Shortcut Maker also supports creating shortcuts to in-app activities, contacts, files, folders, and websites. It is free with optional paid features.

Customize Quick Settings for Faster Access

If you don’t need a home screen shortcut and just want faster access to common toggles like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Flashlight, or Airplane Mode, customizing your Quick Settings panel is often the better approach.

Stock Android / Pixel

Swipe down twice from the top of the screen to open the full Quick Settings panel.
Tap the pencil (edit) icon at the bottom.
Drag tiles from the “Available tiles” section up into your active tiles.
Rearrange tiles so your most-used settings are in the first row (visible with a single swipe down).
Tap Done.

Samsung One UI

Swipe down twice from the top of the screen.
Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner, then tap Edit buttons.
Drag tiles between the Available buttons and Active buttons sections.
Tap Done.

On Samsung phones, you can also long-press any Quick Settings tile to jump directly to that setting’s full page. For example, long-pressing the Wi-Fi tile opens Wi-Fi settings.

Use a Third-Party Launcher (Advanced)

Custom launchers like Nova Launcher offer built-in tools for creating shortcuts to specific Android activities, including settings pages. This method is best for users who already use a custom launcher.

Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
Long-press an empty area on your home screen and select Widgets.
Find Nova Launcher → Activities.
Drag the Activities widget to your home screen.
From the list that appears, expand Settings and tap the specific setting you want.

The shortcut is placed on your home screen. Nova Launcher also lets you customize the icon and label.

Note: Some users install Nova Launcher solely to create activity shortcuts, then switch back to their default launcher. The shortcuts created through Nova sometimes persist after uninstalling — but this behavior is not guaranteed across all devices.

Settings Shortcut Methods at a Glance

Method	Works On	Creates Shortcuts to Specific Settings	Free
Drag from app drawer	All Android	No (main Settings app only)	Yes
Settings shortcut widget	Pixel, stock Android	Yes	Yes
Good Lock + RegiStar	Samsung Galaxy (One UI 5+)	Limited (reorganizes Settings menu)	Yes
Shortcut Maker app	All Android	Yes	Yes (freemium)
Quick Settings customization	All Android	No (toggles only)	Yes
Nova Launcher Activities	All Android	Yes	Yes (freemium)

Troubleshooting

Settings shortcut widget not showing up

The built-in Settings shortcut widget is only available on stock Android and Pixel phones. Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and other manufacturers often remove it from their custom Android skins. Use Shortcut Maker as an alternative.

Shortcut opens the wrong settings page

Android updates occasionally change internal activity names, which can break shortcuts created through Shortcut Maker or Nova Launcher. Delete the broken shortcut and recreate it. If you recently updated your phone’s software, some activity paths may have changed.

Shortcut disappears after restarting

Some launchers and Android skins clear widget-created shortcuts after a reboot. If this happens consistently, try recreating the shortcut using Shortcut Maker instead of the widget method. Shortcut Maker shortcuts tend to be more persistent across reboots.

Cannot long-press to add apps on Samsung

If long-pressing the home screen does nothing, your home screen layout may be locked. Go to Settings → Home Screen → Lock Home Screen Layout and toggle it off.

Quick Settings tiles missing after update

After a major Android or One UI update, Quick Settings tiles sometimes reset. Re-add them by editing your Quick Settings panel using the steps above.