Android’s share menu is great for sending files, pics, music, and more to other apps. It usually shows a bunch of apps, like cloud storage (Google Photos, Drive), messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram), plus Quick Share, and others.
But, let’s be honest, most of us use just a couple of apps regularly for sharing. Android usually shows a default list first, and then you have to scroll through the rest. This can be a pain. So, here’s how to make your share menu more convenient.
Method 1: Pin your favorite apps
Not long ago, the share menu apps seemed to appear randomly. While the apps you used more frequently tended to show up first, it could still be difficult to find the exact one you wanted, especially if you used many apps.
Now, the apps are listed alphabetically, which is helpful. You also get shortcuts to recent conversations at the top, which is also cool. But the best way to customize this is by pinning the apps you use most.
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Select whatever you want to share, and then hit the “Share” button.
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Once the share menu pops up, press and hold on the app you want, then tap “Pin app”. If an app has several sharing options (like sending an image through email or a chat in Gmail), you can pin your preferred method.
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Pinned apps show up first in the share menu, and have a little pin icon next to them. Only four pinned apps appear at a time, but you can pin as many apps as you want.
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To unpin an app, tap and hold it in the share menu, and then tap “Unpin app”.
Method 2: Adding or Removing apps
Adding an app to the share menu is super easy. Just install it! If the app supports sharing, it’ll appear in the menu automatically. You don’t have to do anything special. If you want to remove an app from the Share menu, you have to uninstall it from your Android phone. Some apps you cannot uninstall fully, based on your device, and Android version. To remove these apps from the Share menu, you’ll have to disable them.
Things to remember
- In the past, there were third-party apps like Sharedr that let you customize the share menu more, like renaming or hiding apps. But, these don’t work anymore on Android 12 or newer.
- Even if you root your device, you won’t find a lot of share menu customization options if it is running Android 12 or higher.
- Some Android devices, such as Samsung phones, have built-in tools like the Good Lock features that let you customize the share menu.
- If you want a truly customized share menu, you might want to consider using a custom ROM. They often have features you won’t find in stock Android.