How to lock your home screen layout on Microsoft Launcher

Microsoft Launcher Lock Home Screen Hero
Microsoft Launcher Lock Home Screen Hero (Image credit: Windows Central)

Microsoft Launcher makes it easy to customize the home screen of your Android device. Sometimes, however, you can accidentally drag an icon to a new place on your screen. Fortunately, you can lock your home screen to prevent accidental rearranging from you or anyone that uses your phone.

How to turn notification badges on or off on Microsoft Launcher

  1. Download Microsoft Launcher or see the mobile app link below.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)
  1. Press and hold your home screen. This will show a page with options to add widgets, change your wallpaper, or change launcher settings.
  2. Select Launcher Settings (you can also reach this page by clicking on Launcher in the app drawer).
  3. Select Home screen.
  4. Select More.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)
  1. Scroll down and toggle Lock home screen on (or off if you prefer not to show them).

Now, if you try to move an icon on your home screen, it will appear red. If you drag it and try to move it, you will see a prompt telling you that your home screen is locked. You can unlock it through this prompt if you'd like to move the item on your home screen. Within the prompt, you can also choose to have your home screen lock again once you turn off your phone's display.

Sean Endicott
News Writer

Sean Endicott is a News Writer at Windows Central, where he covers Windows 11, Surface hardware, Microsoft 365, AI, apps, and the broader PC ecosystem. Since joining the site in 2017, he has written well over a thousand articles across the Microsoft landscape, covering breaking news, analysis, and feature reporting.

He writes Windows Wrap, a weekly column covering the biggest stories in Windows and the PC industry, and what they mean for the platform going forward.

Before joining Windows Central full-time, Sean worked in journalism and media production after earning a First Class degree in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University. Outside of tech, he is an award-winning American football coach based in Nottingham, England, and was named BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year in 2024.