How do I get back all my shortcuts to home screen?

[Android Central Question]

Hi, I had pages of shortcuts I saved from web pages on home screen, and it seemed like I after I messed with Chrome and Google apps by disabled them, everything off my home screen disappeared, along with my Google search bar. I enabled them again but none of my shortcuts are on main screen, just lots of empty pages where they were before. Does it have
something to do with logging in Chrome/google or my att on my phone? Thanks!

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Can you specify what you did when you "messed with Chrome and Google apps"? If you cleared the data from your launcher app, then you'll have to set up your homescreens again.

Some 3rd party launcher apps give you the option to back up your homescreen setup (like Nova), but the stock launcher typically doesn't have that option.

Please register on this forum, which will allow you to engage in discussion more easily, as well as post images. https://forums.androidcentral.com/ask-question/409154-join-android-central-community.html

 

[Gocorina22]

I just hit disabled on the Chrome and Google apps and then enabled them again. All of sudden all icons and folders of shortcuts disappeared yet I still show blank pages on home screen.
I didnt delete anything I dont think.
Thank you.

 

[B. Diddy]

Was it only website shortcuts that disappeared? What about app shortcuts for other apps, like Google Maps, Google Drive, etc.?

 

[Gocorina22]

The Google search bar, Chrome, and Google icons were gone. I'm so bummed. Do you have any idea what I could do? Thanks for trying to help B. Diddy!

 

[B. Diddy]

Which phone do you have? You should be able to add the Google search bar widget back by long-pressing any empty part of the homescreen, selecting Google, and then dragging the Google search bar widget back to the homescreen. You can do the same to create new Chrome and Google shortcuts by opening your App Drawer and dragging those apps back to the homescreen.

 

[mustang7757]

Hi, welcome to AC!
Which device did this happen on and andriod version ?

 

[Gocorina22]

Samsung Galaxy S10E. Yea I know how to get icons back to home screen, just wondering how to get all my web pages shortcuts I had before as I saved them for a reason to use and don't remember all I added before. There has to be a reason why they all just disappeared. I didn't delete anything. Thanks!

 

[Javier P]

Samsung Galaxy S10E. Yea I know how to get icons back to home screen, just wondering how to get all my web pages shortcuts I had before as I saved them for a reason to use and don't remember all I added before. There has to be a reason why they all just disappeared. I didn't delete anything. Thanks!

Welcome to the forums. All those web pages shortcuts belong to the app/browser that created them. If you disable or uninstall that app the launcher can't find it and remove the shortcuts. Unfortunately there's no way to recover them. Sorry.

 

[Javier P]

Also, the Google app is not just the search page that you see, it includes lots of features under the hood and disabling it also comes with a price.

 

[Gocorina22]

So so bummed. thank you for letting me know that Javier! Not even sure why I disabled them in first place. Think was trying to see if it'd make my emails open in Chrome. Everytime I open something through my emails it opens in another browser that isn't Chrome, even though I have my home and default browser set as Chrome. And if go to website that way it never recognizes my passwords since in a different browser. I've been trying to find out how to change that forever. Do you know how to change that where if open up a website through my Hotmail, it will open up in Chrome browser?

 

[Javier P]

So so bummed. thank you for letting me know that Javier! Not even sure why I disabled them in first place. Think was trying to see if it'd make my emails open in Chrome. Everytime I open something through my emails it opens in another browser that isn't Chrome, even though I have my home and default browser set as Chrome. And if go to website that way it never recognizes my passwords since in a different browser. I've been trying to find out how to change that forever. Do you know how to change that where if open up a website through my Hotmail, it will open up in Chrome browser?

Try this. Open Gmail - Hamburger icon top left - Settings - General settings and make sure this option is disabled. This way you can select which browser to use for email links and not the in-app browser. Let us know if it works.

PS. I read too fast Look for a similar option in your Hotmail app.

 

[Javier P]

Are you using the Outlook app? If so you're not alone, it seems that's the way Microsoft designed their app.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...internal/f94d3268-c753-4dd5-a87c-42bd96c0b6ed