When Android devices display duplicate application icons, knowing how to remove duplicate icons on Android would come in handy. For sporadic duplication, you could delete the duplicated icons but if the duplication gets excessive, force stop affected apps and restart your smartphone, etc. New to Android and don’t know how to carry out the solutions on your own? In that case, you have come to the right place.
How to get rid of duplicate app Icons Android
Only happen once or twice
If the issue only happens once and other apps are fine without any duplicated icons, then simply remove the icon.
Most of the time, this is a result of a badly coded app. The developer might have made a few mistakes in coding, so the apps create multiple shortcuts here and there.
Anyway, press and hold the duplicated icons until the options menu shows up. There should be a command to remove icon, tap on it, and it will remove the duplicated icon.
Multiple duplicated icons for different apps
If there are multiple duplicated icons for different apps, rather than just one, we need a different solution. There could be literally hundreds of reasons why it happens. However, the most possible reason among them would be bugs and glitches introduced from a third-party app.
Anyway, here is how to get rid of the problem.
Step 1
Go to Settings, then Application or Apps, and tap on All apps
Step 2
Select whichever app with multiple launchers that you see on the Phone’s home screen
Step 3
There should be an option to Force Stop the app. This will compel your device to launch all installed apps.
Step 4
Reboot your phone and see if the duplicated icons are still there.
Prevention
Turn off Auto shortcuts on home screen (OREO Android only)
To avoid the same thing from happening again, the permission to automatically add shortcuts to the home screen should be disabled.
To do so, access the home screen setting in the home screen (press the home button and the device will direct you there). Scroll until you see the option to Add apps to Home Screen. And switch it off.
Quick note, the wording might be a bit different for different Android devices even if they are OREO version.
Now you make sure there won’t be any duplicated launchers as long as you are the one manually adding them.
Other Android versions
For readers who haven’t updated to OREO, don’t worry, we won’t abandon you. Your device can avoid duplicated icons too, it just has to be done a bit differently.
Go to your Google Play Store and tap on the three-bar icon for a white box to pop up. Scroll down to the cog icon and tap on it to access Settings. There should be an option to Add icon to Home screen, untick it and launchers won’t be automatically added.
Wrapping up
Above are how to remove duplicate icons in Android as well as how to prevent them. Hopefully, our article can help you solve the problems.
If you have any more Android-related bugs or glitches that trigger you, Milagromobilemarketing has tons of other similar articles which can help too.
Thanks for reading and Ciao!
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A dynamic and multifaceted professional developer who has made significant strides in the Android industry. As a pivotal member of the Milagro Mobile Marketing team, Vinh’s journey is a testament to the power of education, experience, and unwavering passion for mobile technology.