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Moving folders is easy. It works just like moving apps. Simply click and hold on a folder until it starts wiggling. Use the Touch surface to move the app to its desired location. Of course, this will rearrange all of your other apps.
You can’t move a folder onto another folder. tvOS does not support nested or sub folders. Attempting this will simply move the folder.
Arrange Apps in Folder
Apps inside a folder can be arranged, just like on the Home screen. The process is similar. First, click on the folder to open it. Next, click and hold on an app icon until it starts wiggling. Move the app to the desired location and then click the Touch surface. The app will stop wiggling and remain in place.
Rename Folder
We already covered renaming a new folder. It’s also possible to rename an existing folder. First, click on the folder. The contents of the folder are displayed. Next, swipe up on the Touch surface until you see the on-screen keyboard. Use the virtual keyboard to edit the name. You can also use Siri dictation to edit the folder name. Press the Menu button or swipe down on the Touch surface when you’re done editing the folder name.
Move Folder
You can move a folder just as you would move any app. Click and hold on the folder until it starts to wiggle. Use the Touch surface to move the folder to the desired location. Click the Touch surface when the folder is in the desired position.
No Siri Commands to Open Folder
There are no Siri commands to open a folder. I tried “open [folder name] folder”, “open [folder]” and also just the folder name. Hopefully this functionality will come to tvOS soon.
Why I Don’t Use Folders
I don’t use folders because they create more user interface work. First, the user must open the folder. Then one must navigate to the appropriate app icon within the folder. It’s much easier to just launch an app from the Home screen. I recommend arranging the Home screen with frequently used apps at the top of the screen.
I may use folders to place seldom used apps in an archive folder. This would free the Home screen of extraneous apps. The reality is that I only use about 5 tvOS apps. I launch them using Siri. Even if you use several apps, it’s just easier to launch them with Siri. This can be done from the screen saver or even within another app. Simply press and hold the Siri button and say the app name or “launch [app name]”. The latter syntax seems to have broader support. For example, Asphalt 8 won’t launch if I just say the name. I have to declare “launch Asphalt 8”. Netflix will launch just by saying “Netflix”.
Despite my lack of enthusiasm for folders, a lot of users prefer an organized Home screen. If you have a lot of apps and Siri doesn’t work well for you, folders may prove beneficial.