App shortcuts don't get created on home screen when there is space

[ovin08]

So this started happening a few months ago. When I get a new app, a new page is created and the app shortcut icon gets moved to the new page even though there are two(2) empty spots for the icon on the home page. This didn't happen when I first got the phone. And it's super annoying because I keep having to move the shortcut to a complete different page.

 

[B. Diddy]

Are you certain those spots are empty? If there's a widget nearby, make sure it's not taking up those spots as well (even if the spots look blank).

 

[ovin08]

yep, they are empty, i have all widgets turned off at all times, and i can even drag icons around to those spots without other things repositioning(this shows they really are empty)

 

[B. Diddy]

Which phone is it? If you clear out one spot at the very lower right, does the app shortcut get added there automatically?

 

[ovin08]

Sorry, i should have included some info in my first post. i have a galaxy s7 running android 6.0
good suggestion! i just ran a few tests and you're right. i usually have my camera icon in the lower right so i removed that icon completely and installed a small app to test and the icon appeared in the bottom right where the camera icon was.
so i did some other tests. i moved icons into the 2 open spots and then got some other test apps and they appeared in the bottom right (which was empty since i uninstalled he previous app)
so it's almost if there is some invisible icons just sitting there.

i also just tried to move some of my existing apps into those blank spots and they moved there just fine, then i removed those icons and installed a test app again but it still moved to a new page.

 

[ovin08]

I even just tried changing the screen grid size and moving things back and the new app still moved to the next page

 

[B. Diddy]

I wonder if the launcher will always attempt to add a new icon at the first available spot in the lower right of the screen -- and if that space is filled, it defaults to the next screen. Try this -- get rid of all icons on the screen except one at the lower right, and see if the automatically added new icon still goes to the next screen.

 

[ovin08]

still gets put on a new page.
i thought it was because i disabled briefing or some other apps to get rid of the default thing where you swipe left of assistance but that didn't work. i even tried adding a page and moving all of my icons to that page and leaving an icon in the bottom right of page 1, and when i install a new app it gets moved to page 2(or 3 if page 2 is full)
i guess i'll just have to keep the bottom right open