Earlier today, Nokia released an app called App Folder that’s available for Lumia phones. It lets you create folders on the Start screen with apps and various settings inside. Here’s a quick look at folders and how they work.
And there you have it. A quick look at how folders work on Lumia devices running Windows Phone 8. You don’t need the Lumia Black firmware update to get the app, it worked on our Amber device just fine. It’s not a perfect solution to folders on Windows Phone, but it’s a start and could help clean up your Start screen.
You can grab App Folder from the Windows Phone Store for free.
Reader comments
App Folder for Nokia Lumia phones – Hands on demo of the new app
It doesn't work with a single app I want to merge so no point for me.
Great to finally have folders, but there is still a lot of room for improvement...
Mainly it needs to open the folders faster - it should be instant (at least on my 1020).
Also, notification numbers on the icon within the folder would be nice :)
They need to implement this in the OS, its sluggish and slow at the moment. Not too sure how it runs on the 1520 but on the Lumia 925, the app is pointless, I'd rather pin all those apps to my home screen to be honest.
Never really thought the Start Screen should have a folder system. I think the Start Screen in Microsoft's vision was suppose to be thee notification hub, the shortcuts hub, essentially, the place you go to for quick information and quick access. If you pin almost all your apps on it, that defeats the purpose. If you have so many apps on the Start Screen, that defeats the purpose. The screen scrolls smoothly, so it isn't like you can organize it by page swipes, you have to know where it is on your screen, and having too many apps and things pinned there just doesn't help. It's why Windows Phone can be your own phone. But having the option for people who don't share this opinion is good. Hoping Windows Phone 8.1 will mimic grouping and categories like Windows 8 does. I find that much more useful than using folders.
The best thing about this app isn't pinning folder categories to the start screen but it allows you to organize your apps! Within the app you can create folders. You complete the process by pinning it to your start screen. If you delete that folder tile though when you open App Folder your folder is still there. So i am now creating folder categories for my app list and all I have to do is pin the App Folder to the start screen and now i have a customized index of all my apps that i can quickly access! Finally!
Not working on my ATT 920...
I create a new folder, but my apps list is blank, so I can't add apps. I can add settings, but not apps.
And yes, I do have apps installed.
Love this.. have Amber on my 521 and it works great!
Could be also useful in Windows 8(.1). Any tips?
Is there any other way to pin specific settings, like just wifi or airplane mode settings link to the start screen? (I think there is an app in the app store that allows this, but is there any other way using just the OS?)
Suggest "Connectivity Tiles" Just puts WiFi, Airplane Mode, Bluetooth tile on front screen. Goes straight to settings selected. Quick and reliable.
There are probably more that should appear in related column in marketplace.
I've always wanted Folder but this doesn't look too good Imo. Its a good 1st attempt. Hopefully windows Phone 8.1 fully integrates folders.
Thanks! BTW is this the cyan accent color? because it looks little off...
Not too bad. I noticed a couple of things:
Still a work in progress.
I posted this to the Nokia forum and was told that Music + Videos is a hub, not an app, so it cannot be put into a group. They suggested the individual music and video apps, but I replied stating my reluctance to pay a monthly fee to use the app, especially, when I don't plan to use the features that the monthly fee buys me.
If you don't want it, or have no use of it, then, DON'T install it! End of conversation. I prefer a neater start screen though.
Nokia should focus on to make a full featured file manager which is the main thing for users
Isn't this the same thing with the option to pin individual folders to the start screen? I just use it as an index of all my apps by the folders that i created.
Just tried it out, its a start was hoping for custom tile backgrounds for folders... Oh well guess ill have to let some of my start screen ideas simmer on the back burner for awhile longer lol.
Good to see nokia is listening to users requests....not dat impressive but still seems ok...hope dey update it regularly and add new features like adding more apps to folder, notifications to apps in app folders and more....
The app system titles is much more useful than this, Nokia app folder
Lol implementation. Its so slow that id go to the app myself(app list) and open. They should have made this fast like folders on windows or android. This is like running an app :-(
I am more concerned about the improvements of the Camera. I hope the yellowish pictures taken by Nokia Camera will be fix.
This looks so ugly!
Is anyone able to put the calculator in a folder? Calculator doesn't show up in my list of apps to select. (Running Amber on Lumia 920) Same with alarm clock.
This guy is wearing a Sony neck strap hinting us that Sony is going to release a WP soon? Gotta tell evleaks about this! LOL
We cant receive the notification in the group of apps? such messages? right?
I deleted this app after ten minutes. It completely defeats the purpose of live tiles. It's as ridiculous as a notification center. Why do people want to have to open an app just to see what other apps are doing? That's inefficient and...dumb. I don't put a bunch of non-live tiles on my Start screen and the jumplist makes it very fast to open any other apps I have installed. It just seems like we're going backwards...just to look like Android or iOS. Stupid.
Yup same opinion but feel it could just save some tile space but now its crashed..i don't want to create again
Choice is good. Live tiles have limits. So does screen space.
Some don't want to swipe all over and if you have many, many apps finding NBC News for example is more difficult than needed without folders especially when you don't want it pinned. With folders i have all my "news apps" pinned to a small tile so 2 clicks is MUCH faster than many clicks & swipes & remembering exact app names.
Next the nofication center is DESPERATELY needed...a running log of events/interactions on your personal device. Instagram has a nice implementation of this where the user sees a runnning log of activity. Not a rocket science folks. If you don't want to use it then don't!
Jeez.... you're still crying?
Its an app, not a UI rebuild. Some people like to group similar apps together, particularly people with a lot of apps.
We get it, you don't want it - move on.
Lol my crashed ..i spent time to create 6 folders arranged everything now its showing i have not created any...:-(
:/ I can't get the app folder to store my email inboxes.
+1. I have the same complaint!
It ruins the beauty of my tiles, now I had to tap 1 extra to load my apps. I will use it just to keep the list of hRdly used apps not to forget those apps. Otherwise I dont seen the need for it. I placed at te bottom of my home screen and thats it
Hey our favorite emoticon trick works when naming folders. Like adding a controller to a Games Folder or a Gear for Settings.
If you don't know the trick we've been using it for Contact names. Just go to compose a SMS go to the Emoticons, add it to the message, highlight it, copy it, go back to the App Folders app, paste the emoticon into the name of the folder. DONE.
We don't need this app. We WP users simply want File manager App :(
I want this app, along with many other people. Ironically, I don't personally need a file manager.
Bunch of complainers! Go back to Android or IOS! Geeze......
Looks great on my screen!
Yep.
It's just an app, which means more choices for people. Not a OS change that is forced on everyone... yet some feel they need ridicule and complain.
Are you kidding me! I expected atleast popup folder. :(
Me too! I feel you.
Ok now what u have got to do is.. Make the tiles one size (small) and round off the edges and then we can call it iOS???
Nothing really special in here.
This app is a nice try. But this feature really needs to be implemented into the windows phone OS.
Hmm, pretty cool. I wish the folders opened faster.
DO NOT approve this for kids corner. It allows it to bypass the security and access any app.
When I just tried, you can't pin the newly created folder to the start screen, as it will NOT let you. So no, your apps are still safe.
http://youtu.be/YIfclNoG3dg
Here's an example.
I dont understand this, its the same as putting them on the screen directly without the clutter of the name of the folder, it hardly shaves off any space?
You will not be required to scroll all the way down for pinned tiles anymore since most of them are available in the viewable screen. No?
what happens when we click on the live tile?
Seriously. Why didn't the video show that!!!!!!!
That's the same thing I was wondering.
True.
He forgot to mention that before you pin it, you can rearrange the order that the apps appear in the list.
Anyway, nice idea, but not quite the implementation I could see using. It doesn't take that long to swipe left, hit a letter, jump to correct letter and pick app. I wish there was an option to just pick the letter first, without having to force it to bring up the choices. Minor quibble.
You swipe left, tap on the alpha, then tap on the app - 3 steps. For this, I tap to open the folder, tap to start the app - 2 steps. So why not? Furthermore, this will allow one to have much easier access to more apps which are oringially pinned way down below the start screen.
It takes about 1 or 2 seconds to launch the folder. The folder should open instantaneously.
By the 1 or 2 seconds, you will need to use jump list to navigate to the app you wanna launch, ain't that also the same?
I like the app but the options are too limited to make it useful yet.
Would be nice if password protection for folders and live tile feature will be added in next update
Ya, so Live Tile Feature won't die and +1 for password protection :)
Would be better to have a flip left to another scree , like right to kids screen
This is useful until WP has a true folder system. Nice video Sam.
I really like it. It isn't very complicated. It is basically making a new list of apps. Nothing too special, but it will work for now. I wish it would act like a second start screen, that would be incredible.
Lacking. Not fluid enough... Not integrated enough. But its certainly helpful and having settings included is nice. But definitely falls short considering there holding back on the potential it could be. BUT at least we know it will only get better! Hopefully Black or 8.1 or w.e incorporates it better. Thanks Nokia for continuing to improve "MICROSOFTS OS".
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What I see is Nokia addressing a way for a Windows Phone owner to be able make his/her phone more the way they want it if they choose. These folders on the start screen, with apps in them, are alot like other OS's having this very same capability. I will go out on a limb here and say that an overall majority of WP owners had the Android/IOS phones before having a Windows Phone and therefore wish that their new phone could do what their old phone could.
Exactly. And you know, that's the way it should be... An "improvement". I mean... How else is MS supposed to take over the market if they're 10 steps behind...?
WP8 is only a year old. 10 steps behind is already quite an achievement. Look how stale iOS is even till now.
Stale is a sufficient word for iOS. But intuitive and very functional still... I don't base WP on 8. I base it on the time it started. 7.0. Because the numbers... Are just numbers. It can't be all that hard to add these features. They go slow on purpose. Keeps interest. Not sure why most dont "see" that very obvious logic. Anyways... Im on board with WP and will stay. GayDroid will never be an option but apple isn't terrible... Just stale. If they make a 5" phone or 4.5" at least than I dont know what woll happen to the market but they would be favored plenty and again..... They KNOW that. They stretch it coz idiots keep buying the same phone year after year with all complaints... Keep buying. And buying. Apple isn't dumb. There robbing people literally BLIND. lol.
It is NOT just a number. Seriously, I think you have misjudged WP versions here. WP8 is a ground up development again from 7. I see WP 8 intuitive and very functional too. Being a 1 yr old OS, we have 3 big updates happened within a year frame, can Apple do that?
Also, I'm not sure why are you so hated against Android. If you are getting an OEM phone, of course you will need to wait for OEMs to test their skins and launchers properly before releasing the updates. However, if you are using the Nexus series, you will get the latest Android too, just like WP and iOS! So, all 3 platforms are just the same. IS about which services do you prefer. I will prefer Android as well as MS services, but not Apple.
Well said! I do welcome this folder functionality.
Can't say I'm too impressed with this one, it is very similar to the Samsung version, and actually I like the way the Samsung app folder looks, but at least this one doesn't lag
What are the differences?
Omaga just fainted app folders.
This is great! Atta boy Nokia!
For me i just dont see the use... i have all the apps i need on my start screen, i dont mind having one thats 3 screens long.
I feel like that clutters the screen. This way I can fit any number of apps into a single tile.
We all WP users not need this by the way. All we need is a file manager, not file folder. There are thousand of WP user need file manager in WP, but all you just gave a file folder. Now we had to wait again.
You know why? Because it's really messy to have so many tiles pinned on the Start screen. Tiles are cool, but not neat imo. This will act to be something like Android to make things neater.
File manager? Don't think it will ever happen. Not in the near future at least. IF you can't wait, I will suggest you switching over to Android, because even iOS is not having a file manager.
This isn't a file folder. It's an app folder, huge difference.
Its definitely lacking. I may use it for less used apps... But its really not much fast than swipe over, hit #, select the letter, hit the app. Or using voice to launch the app. Very disappointing.
Exactly. Couldn't have critiqued it better myself. But, at least were moving forward.
If you've used the same app from Samsung, you'll notice that this app is much better than their initial release.
How quickly do the apps open? On Samsung's app folder it takes like half a second to fully open an app.
Even here in Lumia's app folder it takes a bit to load. I dont like/want lag in windows phone when everything else is zippy and fast. Options to add IE favorites or contacts could be a good option/welcome it in future update of the app.
"Your Nokia Lumia Windows Phone"...
...Aha! So you were the one that planted on Ballmer's bald brain the notion that people referred to the phones by that long name, Sam! :P
No way to do IE pinned pages etc. It's a start though.
That would be a nice addition to a future update.
Makes the start screen look like crap, IMO.
Then don't use it...
Looks awesome in mine :P
Agree, not a metro ideology at all.
Well it looks cool tbh but it sucks without the live tile
I'm only going to use it for apps without a live tile.
M doing the same :D
Yup. It's best for those.
Good for games etc.
Had the same feeling...
How to put a mp3 on for a massages. Tone
How to type question into Bing. Search
Lol
Way to be a welcoming presence. Not that I don't enjoy the general sentiment of people not being lazy imbeciles.
Haha!!!
http://tinyurl.com/odlvwl6
Lol. That was pretty cool to watch.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
I think its sucks, but its a start.
Agreed
Agreed. It's a start.
But now you have to start an app to be able to start an app.... And you get the annoying animation in between.
Hopefully MS will solve this issue in wp8.1
+1
Huh, and to think I used the Proxy trick just a matter of week's ago to download Samsung's offering to my Lumia 1020.
Interesting. First I've heard of it. I want the Samsung Kobo-compatible e-reader app!
I did the same months ago, this one from Nokia seems to load the apps & open the folder faster - which were a problem with the Samsung app on my 822.
This app seems a little more thought out.
Like you said not bad
It's not bad...but I really hope they update it in the future so you can actually go into a kind of start screen, like kids corner!!! If only Microsoft integrated folders with the kids corner style start screen...THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!!
Yea I agree. I like it and I don't maybe cause I'm not into folders but I hope kids corner I have a 6 year old daughter and she always play with my phone until it die.
They need to integrate Groups and Kids Corner into a app Folder system.
Along with system apps.
Hurry with the 920. From flag-ship to dragging turd...
?
You don't need the Black update, it works fine on Amber.
Working for me in the UK with amber 920.
Works for me on ATT L920. This is the best little tweak to the UI ever! Now I can finally fit everything on the first page that I want on it!
You do not need Lumia Black software. You just need GDR3 update and it will work. :) *520
I've got a Lumia 820 with Amber (Not got GDR3) and its working fine :D
Sam just clarified that you don't need the BLACK update, just the AMBER update would do. :) GDR3 is even higher than AMBER, so ya, Amber would fit just fine.
Lamoo and what's the difference between Lumia black and GDR3? I think both are same.
Lumia black is the Nokia specific version of Microsofts generic GDR3 OS update. It brings new features specific to Lumia phones, such as chances to glance notfications. While the GDR3 update brings stuff like Bluetooth LE.
Most consumers on a Lumia device won't notice the difference, as the GDR3 update will be distributed to them bundled together with Lumia Black.
But some users have already installed GDR3 through the developer preview, and thus have only the microsoft specific features. You could forgive them for expecting that the folder app would'nt work on their device without Black.
No! Black is a Nokia firmware ujpdate Update3 or GDR 3 is an OS update from Microsoft!
No, Lumia Black and GDR3 are one and the same, the only difference is that Lumia Black have Nokia Lumia-exclusive features while GDR3 is the actual update for other Windows Phone 8 devices or Lumias that have the Developer's Preview installed.
Also both updates are from Microsoft and their servers, no Lumia-only update ever came from Nokia, only from Microsoft.
My 620 is on gdr 1, and it works
Can anyone point me in the direction of how to enable Lumia exclusive apps on an HTC 8x? Would be so greatly appreciated!
Lol...
Use proxy hack. 117.135.139.179 port 8888 ^^ you're welcome.
How do you do that?
Thanks mister!!
Just set that as your proxy server. Voila!
It doesn't work anymore.. It seems that MS fixed that glitch
It still works. I just downloaded Nokia Camera through the proxy settings.
How?
Can you use the proxy hack to get the Black update?
Do the apps (inside folders) get notifications?
They can't do that unless they open up an API for that or bake in folders in the next operating system update maybe in 8.1!
Maybe...
If we are getting notification center in 8.1, it does not matter anymore since notifications will be consolidated in the notification center.
Touché!
Its nice to have options as opposed to no choice at all.
Downloaded and working fine on L920 UK amber only. Nice to have he choice. Thanks Nokia