Why are my app icons suddenly being grouped together into small boxes of four according to type?

[AC Question]

why are my app icons suddenly being grouped together into small boxes of four according to type?

have a samsung galaxy note 3, and i am a basic ignorant old-lady user. suddenly my app icons are rearranging into related groups of four each (media, play, news, etc.). Tap and they expand, along with intrusive messages about what apps nearby users are using. Perhaps an update of a previously installed app like Clean Master? i don't know but I don't like it. Please help. thanks.

 

[srkmagnus]

Re: why are my app icons suddenly being grouped together into small boxes of four according to type?

have a samsung galaxy note 3, and i am a basic ignorant old-lady user. suddenly my app icons are rearranging into related groups of four each (media, play, news, etc.). Tap and they expand, along with intrusive messages about what apps nearby users are using. Perhaps an update of a previously installed app like Clean Master? i don't know but I don't like it. Please help. thanks.

I'm inclined to agree that it may be an update to a previously or recently installed application. Can you take a screen shot of the message so that we can see if it can be identified?

 

[anon8380037]

Re: why are my app icons suddenly being grouped together into small boxes of four according to type?

Hello.
You don't need Clean Master, it pushes other products, but I don't think it's causing this.

I have a UK Note 3.

On Edit: Do they look like these icon folders, or different? -

It almost sounds like someone installed another Launcher for you.
Some can be very good, like Nova Launcher, and some can have problems and allow ads and malware.

Can you go to Settings - General - Defaults Manager - and see if Touchwiz Home is the default app launcher.
Launchers are just apps that help with themes and homescreen layouts. You can also change the look of icons, widgets, wallpaper etc. I only use Nova to allow more icons on the homescreen and dock.

If you don't mind you can also reset your app preferences in the Settings, so your messaging, browser, launcher etc go back to the original factory choices.

General - Applications Manager - menu button - reset app preferences.

You can see it that helps. You can then change your preference back each time you are asked by the "Change Default Setting?" pop up.

It may be a rogue app you installed unintentionally.
You can look at Data Usage and the Battery Usage screens.
Scroll down on each and see if there is anything using a very high amount of Battery and Data.

Someone else may have more ideas.

 

[mutz59]

Re: why are my app icons suddenly being grouped together into small boxes of four according to type?

Hi, Here are 3 screen shots, first is usual display of apps, second is after rearrangement, 3rd is after I tap on one of the newly-created box icons. No new launcher, just Touchwiz Home. Looked at data usage... heavy usage by Scout app. But I just noticed on 3rd screen shot that there;s a Clean Master icon next to message at bottom. Also seems to happen after CM Speed Boost. Could it be CM group of apps? They have an awful lot of abilities.

 

[anon8380037]

Re: why are my app icons suddenly being grouped together into small boxes of four according to type?

I see what you mean.

I don't know if that's Clean Master or an app downloaded with it, without my trying it.

I have been on the Android Central Note 3 forum a little over a year. Most have tried Clean Master on several occasions. There are other similar apps. Most decided against it, and for the purist it's not needed and adds baggage.

(Maybe I shouldn't knock a product on these forums )

You may know that ram in Android works differently to Windows, and Android is more free from viral attacks.

Let us know if removing Clean Master and related apps you weren't aware of removes that page. I vaguely remember seeing it.

For anti virus you have 3 running I think. Norton, Lookout via Sprint and Malwarebytes. I would use one. I let Malwarebytes do a weekly scan.

Instead of clean master, doing a regular cache wipe in Recovery Mode is worth doing, it cures a lot of ills.

(Volume up - Power - Home button together with phone off - scroll to wipe cache partiition with Volume - select with Power, reboot when indicated with Power)

Welcome to Android Central. Join in the Note 3 forums. There are a few good people there who could know more about this.

 

[anon8380037]

Re: why are my app icons suddenly being grouped together into small boxes of four according to type?

I'm inclined to agree that it may be an update to a previously or recently installed application. Can you take a screen shot of the message so that we can see if it can be identified?

Didn't see you there.
Slow writers will rule the world!

 

[mutz59]

Re: why are my app icons suddenly being grouped together into small boxes of four according to type?

Thanks, everyone! I've learned a lot from all of your replies. Will do as suggested!

 

[srkmagnus]

Re: why are my app icons suddenly being grouped together into small boxes of four according to type?

Thanks, everyone! I've learned a lot from all of your replies. Will do as suggested!

I think it may be related to Clean Master. If you notice, the "people nearby are using" is preceded by the Clean Master icon. I'm not sure why it would be doing that, or if it's common. I don't use that app, so I can't say for sure.

I'd suggest going through the settings of Clean Master and see if that option can be disabled. Or, consider a replacement that does not display this type of information. If there is an option to purchase the paid option to disable those advertisements, then maybe it's worth looking at that.

I'd also like to welcome you to Android Central! Follow Madd54 into the Note 3 forums for further Note related discussion.

 

[Javier P]

Re: why are my app icons suddenly being grouped together into small boxes of four according to type?

The name of the folders and the "people nearby" feature reminds me a lot of the Apus launcher.

 

[azuziel]

Re: why are my app icons suddenly being grouped together into small boxes of four according to type?

Clean Master does it. The one touch boost specifically. Uninstall it and your icons will revert. Hth.

 

[Wayne Sanders]

Re: why are my app icons suddenly being grouped together into small boxes of four according to type?

The icons being grouped together in the app drawer came with 4.4.4 for me. But it's only in the app drawer. I'm on Verizon note3 4.4.4. I don't have clean master BTW.

 

[vanillafantasy]

It is in the clean master. Just go to clean master app open and go to settings . Turn off automatically sort apps. Its about 3/4 the way down the options list. Removed all for me