Dialog selections are discussed below the image. Only the OK button is available to make a selection in the Design Menu Page Margins image.

Design Menu Page Margins dialog.

Margins could simply be said to be a way of managing space surrounding the page which separates content (icons, widgets, folders) from the device’s screen physical edge, sort of like a frame around a canvas. Smaller margins make more space available for the screen. Page margins in TL affect that frame:

• Positive margins will reduce the size and position of that frame. Objects in TL will have less space in which to be positioned on the page and screen. This may be required to avoid issues with gesture, controls, notches, cutouts, navigation or status bars.
• Negative margins will create an area on that side of the page (top, bottom, left, or right) which will not be seen on the screen.
  • Normally, the page will not scroll, even with negative margins. However, there are some techniques to create vertical page scrolling. See Page Scrolling.

Page margins are a design tool which can provide a more consistent result across pages or devices (especially Multi-Screen Devices).

The above Design Menu Page Margin dialog shows controls for:

• Margin Value Fields (top, bottom, left, and right):
  • These four fields allow a number input to define the size of the margin on each respective side of the page. Each side is controlled individually.
  • Measurement Unit: While not labeled, the unit is best understood as dip (density-independent pixel). This ensures the layout remains consistent on Android devices with different screen sizes and resolutions.
    • Positive Numbers: A positive value increases the size of the invisible frame on that side, reducing the usable screen space. This is the standard way to avoid system UI elements.
      • A very large value can have a dramatic effect. For example, on a 1080×2400 screen, a 'left' margin of 1080 would result in no viewable page area.
    • Negative Numbers: A negative value decreases the border, effectively pushing the page's canvas off the screen on that side. Any content placed in this negative margin area will be partially or totally unviewable. This is an advanced technique for specific design objectives.
• SUGGEST: - Tap this button to have Total Launcher propose margin values. It may suggest numbers to account for system navigation bars or other dynamics it can detect.
• OK: - Tap to accept the margin numbers shown and return to the previous screen.

Visual demos of the effects of page margins are seen for positive page margins and for negative page margins.

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