Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and a device for managing a desktop. With the method, the desktop management request sent by the mobile terminal is obtained by the server, in which the desktop management request carries user information and desktop application information; the management rule corresponding to the desktop management request is selected from the preset rule base by the server; the user interest feature information corresponding to the user information is analyzed according to the management rule, and the desktop application information is planned according to the user interest feature information to generate the desktop application arrangement information; and the desktop application arrangement information is sent to the mobile terminal, such that the mobile terminal arranges a plurality of application icons on the desktop according to the desktop application arrangement information.