Rearrange apps list on BlueStacks

Pin It

After installing apk on BlueStacks, I found out that the app list is following the installation order. The last installed apps will be added into last icon in the gadget/launcher. At beginning it was okay since I have a few apps only, but later when I install more apps, finding apps become difficult. And I have a few apps that I always use, so I would want to move the icons to the first page of launcher.
However BlueStack does not allow moving icon of apps interactively like on iOS (iPhone/iPad/iPod touch). Fortunately, there is a way to do it, it is by hacking a BlueStacks' file.

Edit this file: %localappdata%\bluestacks\gadget\apps.json

1. To access this path quickly, put in the following path (without double quote) into the run box [the "Search programs and files box"] and hit Enter.
"%localappdata%\bluestacks\gadget\"

A new Windows Explorer windows will open at that location.

2. Back up apps.json first.

3. Edit apps.json with text editor (Notepad, Textpad or PSPad).

4. The file is in one single line only. Each icon is represent by a pair of curly bracket {xxx}.

5. For example, I want to move ASTRO file manager to be first one. I will move the following code to be first one and separate it from the currently first one with a comma.
{"name": "ASTRO", "img": "com.metago.astro.png", "package": "com.metago.astro", "activity": "com.metago.astro.SplashActivity", "system": "0"}

6. I can also change the name of the apps. Example, Dolphin Browser HD that I installed is a Chinese version. The name for this apps become some funny characters after installation. So I edit it to Dolphin Browser HD.
{"name": "Dolphin Browser HD", "img": "com.dolphin.browser.cn.png", "package": "com.dolphin.browser.cn", "activity".......

7. For those apps that I removed using ASTRO, the icon still remain there, so I can use this method to remove the icon as well. Example, I want to remove TextFree apps, I will remove this code from apps.json.
{"name": "Textfree", "img": "com.pinger.textfree.png", "package": "com.pinger.textfree", "activity": "com.pinger.textfree.activities.TFSplash", "system": "0"}

Now I can access ASTRO, Android Market, Amazon AppStore and Talking Tom 2 FREE at first page:


Update (Jan 19, 2012): If you plan to upgrade BlueStacks, please backup the apps.json that you edited before running the update. Otherwise it will be overwrite by the update and all the edit will be gone.


Hope you will enjoy this post, subscribe to my RSS or mailing list or follow me on blogger or twitter. :)
source: some from XDA (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=18333866&postcount=5)