The present disclosure refers to a method and an apparatus for managing an application in a terminal. The method includes: displaying at least one target folder in a visible area of a current desktop, when monitoring that there is a between-folder moving trigger event of an application icon, the target folder being different a first folder where the application icon is located; and, when monitoring that there is a between-folder moving end event of the application icon, determining a selected target folder from the at least one target folder, deleting the application icon from the first folder, and adding the application icon into the selected target folder. The present may simplify a manual operation of a user for moving an application icon.