So you’ve bought a bunch of apps, perhaps its a good time to organize them. There are many ways to do this. A couple include using iTunes or physically dragging apps around on your iPad.

iPad to Organize

To rearrange apps on your iPad, touch an app and hold down until the app icons jiggle. Then, arrange the icons by dragging them. Press the home button to save your arrangement.

If you have many apps, you can arrange and create up to 11 screens or pages. The dots above the Dock show the number of screens you have and the white one shows you the one you are currently viewing.

For apps you use frequently, you can create a shortcut by making those apps available on every page. Tap and hold an app. When they start to jiggle, drag the app or folders of apps to the bottom of the screen (dock). This will allow you to find an app quickly, no matter which page you are on. To drag a folder into the dock, you will have to create it first on the screen, then drag it to the dock.

iTunes

You can organize your apps via iTunes if you prefer. Launch iTunes and connect your iPad. Select your iPad and tap Apps.

You will see your apps and the different pages on which they appear on your iPad. Select an app and drag it to a different page to move it to that page.

You can create folders the same way by dragging an app into another app. iPad automatically names a folder when you create it based on the icons used to create the folder. You can change the folder name by tapping the x and typing a new folder name. You can put up to 20 icons in a folder.

To get rid of the folder, drag the apps out to the desktop.

Organizational Methods

There are many ways you can arrange your apps including by location, alphabet or categories.

Alphabetical

To arrange your apps alphabetically, on your iPad, tap Settings > General > Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout. This will make your first page default to the original Apple apps. Beginning on the second page, your apps will appear alphabetically. You will have to do this each time you add an app to keep it in order or you can rearrange them after buying new apps.

Categories

Apple has currently listed 20 categories of apps. Perhaps you can create a folder for each category and arrange your apps accordingly. The 20 categories (in alphabetical order) are: Books, Business, Education, Entertainment, Finance, Games, Healthcare & Fitness, Lifestyle, Medical, Music, Navigation, News, Photography, Productivity, Reference, Social Networking, Sports, Travel, Utilities, Weather.

Conclusion

There are many ways to organize and make your iPad your own. When you have begun accumulating apps, take a little bit of time to organize them. A little time spent organizing can well save time and increase your productivity.