How to Rearrange Wii/Wii U Icons and Create Wii U Folders

The main Wii/Wii U menu shows all your app icons (known on the Wii as channels), laid out on a grid. Those that don't fit on the first page of the menu are placed on successive pages. Here's how you can rearrange and organize your menu so what you want is where you want it. And how to take advantage of Wii U's support for folders?

Move an Icon

To move an icon you simply need to grab it and drag it. To grab an icon on the Wii, put the Wii remote cursor over the channel box and press A and B together. On the Wii U, you use the gamepad, pressing the stylus on an icon until it pops off the page.

Once you've grabbed the icon, you can move it and then release where you want to put it. If you move it to another icon they will switch places. 

If you want to move an icon from one page of the menu to another, pick up the channel and drag it over one of the arrows that point to the left or the right and you will move to the next page. This way you can take channels on the first page you don't use much and drag them to the next page, and take anything on the next page you would like instant access to and put it on the homepage.

Deleting an Icon

If you want to get rid of an icon altogether, you need to delete the app.

On the Wii, you go into Wii options (the circle with "Wii" on it in the lower left-hand corner), click on Data Management then Channels, then click on the channel you want to delete and choose erase.

On the Wii U, click the Settings icon (with the wrench on it). Go to Data Management, then choose Copy/Move/Delete Data. Choose which storage you want to work with if you have an external drive, then press Y, tap on the apps and games you want to remove, and press X. 

Creating and Using Wii U Folders

One nice improvement of the Wii U interface is the addition of folders. To create a folder, tap on a blank icon square, which will change to a "create folder" icon, then tap it again and give your folder a name. You can drag folders around just like any other icon.

If you drag an icon onto a folder and quickly let go the icon will drop into the folder. If you drag it to a folder and hold it there a moment the folder will open and you can place the icon where you like.