Customize the Share Menu on Android: Step-by-Step

This guide shows you how to customize the Android share menu so your most-used apps and contacts appear at the top, making sharing faster and less cluttered. You’ll learn how to pin specific actions, hide apps you never use, and reorder the list on both stock Android and Samsung One UI. No root access or special tools are needed—just a few minutes of your time.

What You’ll Need

• An Android phone or tablet running Android 10 or newer (the exact options vary slightly by manufacturer).
• Access to the Settings app (usually a gear icon in your app drawer or notification shade).
• For Samsung devices: the One UI Home app (preinstalled) and the Good Lock app (free from the Galaxy Store) if you want advanced pinning.

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Pin Apps to the Top (Stock Android & Most Phones)

1. Open any app that has a share button—for example, open a photo in Google Photos or a webpage in Chrome.
2. Tap the Share icon (usually three dots connected by lines, or a share arrow). The share sheet will open.
3. Look for the row of app icons at the top of the sheet (often labeled “Share to” or “Recent”).
4. Long-press the app icon you want to pin. A small menu will pop up.
5. Tap Pin (or the pushpin icon). The app will now stay at the top of the share menu, even after you use other apps.
6. To unpin, long-press the same icon and tap Unpin.
7. To reorder pinned apps, long-press and drag them left or right within the pinned row.

Method 2: Hide or Reorder Apps (Samsung One UI)

1. Open the share sheet as described above.
2. Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the share sheet.
3. Select Edit apps (or “Manage apps” on some versions).
4. You’ll see a list of all apps that can receive shares. Each app has a checkbox or a handle icon.
5. To hide an app, uncheck its box or drag it to the “Hidden” section.
6. To reorder, press and hold the hamburger icon (≡) next to an app and drag it up or down.
7. Tap Done or the back arrow to save your changes.

Method 3: Advanced Pinning with Good Lock (Samsung Only)

1. Open the Galaxy Store app on your Samsung device.
2. Search for Good Lock and install it (if not already installed).
3. Open Good Lock and find a module called Home Up (if you don’t see it, tap the download icon next to it).
4. Inside Home Up, tap Share Manager.
5. Toggle on Custom share list (or “Share list” depending on version).
6. You can now pin specific apps to the top, and even pin individual contacts (like “Share to John”) directly.
7. Tap the + icon to add apps or contacts, then arrange them as you like.

Method 4: Reset to Default (If You Mess Up)

1. Go to Settings > Apps (or “Applications”).
2. Tap the three-dot menu and select Reset app preferences (this resets all app defaults, not just the share menu).
3. Confirm. This will clear all pinned apps and return the share sheet to its original order.

Common Mistakes

• Pinning the wrong icon: Long-pressing an app icon in the share sheet sometimes triggers a preview or opens the app instead of showing the pin menu. Make sure you press and hold without moving your finger until the menu appears.
• Expecting the same options on all phones: Stock Android, Samsung, Xiaomi, and other manufacturers all have slightly different share menus. The pin feature is not universal—some phones only allow hiding, not pinning.
• Forgetting to save changes: On Samsung’s edit screen, if you just close the app without tapping “Done,” your changes may not stick.
• Hiding an app you need later: Once hidden, an app won’t appear in the share sheet at all. You’ll need to go back into edit mode to unhide it.

Tips

• Pin your most frequent contacts: On Samsung with Good Lock, you can pin a specific contact (e.g., “Share to Mom”) so you don’t have to choose the app and then the person.
• Use the “Direct share” row: Android automatically suggests contacts based on your usage. If you want to clear these suggestions, you can often tap the “More” or “Edit” icon next to them.
• Clear the share cache: If the share menu is slow or shows stale suggestions, go to Settings > Apps > Android System (or “System UI”) > Storage > Clear cache. This won’t delete your pinned items, but it may reset suggestions.
• Use a third-party share manager: Apps like “Share to Clipboard” or “Sharedr” can replace the default share sheet entirely, giving you more control. These are not needed for basic customization, but are an option for power users.

Troubleshooting

Pinning doesn’t work (no pin menu appears): Your phone’s manufacturer may have disabled this feature. Try the edit method (Method 2) instead. If that also fails, your only option is a third-party share manager.

Changes revert after restart: Some phones reset the share order when the system UI restarts. If this happens, check for a system update, as this is a known bug on certain devices. As a workaround, re-pin after each restart or use a third-party app that stores its own settings.

Share menu is missing apps entirely: If an app you expect to see doesn’t appear, open that app’s settings and make sure it’s not disabled. Also, check if the app has a “Share to” setting that might be turned off.

Good Lock module not showing: Good Lock is only available in certain regions. If you can’t find Home Up, try downloading the APK from a trusted source (at your own risk) or use the built-in edit option instead.

Share menu is very slow: This is often due to too many apps being loaded. Try hiding apps you never use via the edit menu. Also, clearing the system UI cache (as described in Tips) can help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I customize the share menu on any Android phone?
A: Basic customization (pinning) is available on stock Android 10 and later, but many manufacturers modify it. Samsung, OnePlus, and Xiaomi offer their own edit options. If your phone doesn’t support pinning, you can still hide apps or use a third-party share manager.

Q: Will customizing the share menu affect my installed apps?
A: No. You’re only changing which apps appear in the share sheet and their order. The apps themselves are untouched. Resetting app preferences will restore the default share order but also reset other app defaults (like default browser or SMS app).

Q: How do I remove a pinned app?
A: Long-press the pinned icon and select “Unpin.” On Samsung’s edit screen, uncheck the app or drag it out of the pinned section.

Q: Can I pin a specific contact instead of an app?
A: On Samsung with Good Lock’s Home Up module, yes. On stock Android, you can only pin apps, not contacts. However, the “Direct share” row will suggest contacts based on your usage automatically.

Q: Why does my share menu look different from screenshots online?
A: Because every manufacturer (Samsung, Google, Xiaomi, etc.) uses a different share sheet. Screenshots you see are likely from a specific device. The steps in this guide cover the most common variations.

Q: Is there a way to make the share menu show fewer apps?
A: Yes. Use the edit method to hide apps you never share to. On some phones, you can also disable “Direct share” suggestions in the share sheet settings (look for a gear icon or three-dot menu).

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