To make apps appear smaller on your Samsung S23, you can adjust various display settings, primarily focusing on app icon size and the overall display scaling.
Adjusting App Icon Size on Your Samsung S23
One of the most common ways to "make apps smaller" refers to reducing the size of their icons on your Home screen and Apps screen. This allows you to fit more icons on a single page.
Changing Home Screen Grid Size
By increasing the grid density, your app icons will shrink to accommodate more on the screen.
- Pinch the Home Screen: On your Home screen, pinch two fingers together or long-press on an empty space.
- Access Settings: Tap on "Settings" at the bottom of the screen.
- Select Home Screen Grid: Tap on "Home screen grid."
- Choose a Denser Grid: You'll see options like 4x5, 4x6, 5x5, or 5x6. A bigger number means smaller icons. For example, choosing 5x5 will make your app icons smaller than if you selected 4x5, allowing more icons to be displayed.
- Apply Changes: Select your preferred grid and tap "Done."
| Grid Size | Icon Appearance | Example Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 4x5 | Larger icons, fewer on screen | Up to 20 icons fit (4 columns x 5 rows) |
| 5x5 | Smaller icons, more on screen | Up to 25 icons fit (5 columns x 5 rows) |
| 5x6 | Smallest icons, most on screen | Up to 30 icons fit (5 columns x 6 rows) |
Changing Apps Screen Grid Size
Similarly, you can reduce the size of icons in your Apps screen (app drawer) to see more at a glance.
- Access Home Screen Settings: Follow steps 1-2 from "Changing Home Screen Grid Size" above.
- Select Apps Screen Grid: Tap on "Apps screen grid."
- Choose a Denser Grid: Like the Home screen, select a higher grid number (e.g., 5x5 or 5x6) to make the app icons smaller.
- Apply Changes: Tap "Done."
Making App Windows Smaller with Multi-Window Features
If "making apps smaller" refers to the actual application windows when they are active, your Samsung S23 offers powerful multi-window capabilities.
Utilizing Pop-Up View
Pop-up view allows you to run an app in a resizable, floating window that you can move around the screen, effectively making the app smaller than full screen.
- Open Recent Apps: Swipe up and hold from the bottom of the screen, or tap the Recent Apps button (if using navigation buttons).
- Tap App Icon: Find the app you want to open in pop-up view and tap its icon at the top of its card.
- Select Pop-up View: Choose "Open in pop-up view" from the menu.
- Resize and Move: The app will open in a small, floating window. You can drag the corners to resize it or drag the top bar to move it around the screen.
Using Split Screen View
Split screen view allows you to run two apps simultaneously, each occupying a portion of the screen, making both apps appear smaller than their full-screen counterparts.
- Open Recent Apps: Swipe up and hold from the bottom of the screen, or tap the Recent Apps button.
- Tap First App Icon: Tap the icon of the first app you want to use in split screen mode.
- Select Split Screen: Choose "Open in split screen view" from the menu.
- Choose Second App: Select the second app from your Recent Apps list or your Apps screen. Both apps will then share the screen.
- Adjust Divider: You can drag the divider between the two apps to make one app window larger or smaller.
Adjusting Overall Display and Font Size
These settings affect the entire user interface, including elements within apps, making them appear generally smaller or larger.
Changing Screen Zoom (Display Size)
Reducing the screen zoom will make everything on your display, including app content, appear smaller, fitting more information onto the screen.
- Go to Settings: Open the "Settings" app.
- Navigate to Display: Tap on "Display."
- Select Screen Zoom: Tap on "Screen zoom."
- Adjust Slider: Drag the slider to the left to decrease the screen zoom, making content appear smaller.
Adjusting Font Size
While not directly making the "app" smaller, reducing the font size can make text within apps appear smaller, which might contribute to the feeling of more content fitting on the screen.
- Go to Settings: Open the "Settings" app.
- Navigate to Display: Tap on "Display."
- Select Font Size and Style: Tap on "Font size and style."
- Adjust Font Size: Drag the "Font size" slider to the left to decrease the text size.
By utilizing these customization options, you can effectively make app icons, app windows, or the overall content within apps appear smaller on your Samsung S23, optimizing your screen space for improved productivity and personal preference.
