How to Customize an iPhone's Home Screen (2024)

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Learn how to add custom widgets and change app icons.

By

Saikat Basu

How to Customize an iPhone's Home Screen (1)

Saikat Basu

Writer

  • University of Pune (India)

Saikat has been a technology writer for 12+ years. His writing has appeared at MakeUseOf, OnlineTechTips, GoSkills, and many others.

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Updated on April 27, 2022

Reviewed by

Jerrick Leger

Reviewed byJerrick Leger

Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years' experience in technical support and IT fields. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses.

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  • Switching from Android

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What to Know

  • Open Shortcuts > tap plus (+) > Add action. Search for Open App > Open App > tap App > select app.
  • Next, in Open App field, enter name. Change color and icon > Done > Add to Home Screen > Add.
  • Create custom widgets: Download and install third-party apps available on the App Store.

This article explains how to use icons and custom widgets to make your home screen more eye-catching. Instructions apply to iPhones running iOS 14 and later.

How to Move Apps From the App Library to the Home Screen on Your iPhone

How Do I Customize Icons on my iPhone's Home Screen?

When you create a shortcut to an app, you can give the shortcut a unique name and icon.Download icon images or icon packs and place them in Photos. You can also use any photo you have in the gallery as an icon’s image.Then, start customizing your home screen with these steps.

  1. From the home screen, open the Shortcuts app.

  2. Select Add (+) to create a new shortcut.

  3. Select Add Action.

    How to Customize an iPhone's Home Screen (3)

  4. Search for Open App and select Open App.

  5. Tap App and select the app you want to open.

    How to Customize an iPhone's Home Screen (4)

  6. At the top of the screen, tap in the Open App field to change the name of the new shortcut. You can also tap the icon to change the color or choose a different icon (glyph). Select Done to save your changes.

  7. In the upper-right corner, select the three dots.

  8. On the Details screen, select Add to Home Screen and preview the screen name and icon. Tap Add.

    How to Customize an iPhone's Home Screen (6)

  9. The custom icon is now on your home screen and it will behave like any other app icon. To remove the icon, long press it and select Delete Bookmark from the menu.

How Do I Customize My iPhone Widgets?

iOS 14 allows you to add widgets for almost any iPhone app and display its information on the home screen. Also, you can group iPhone widgets into neat Smart Stacks to customize your iPhone home screen and glance at the most important information throughout the day.

However, unlike icons, you cannot directly change the appearance of a widget. For instance, you may want to match the look of the widgets to the wallpaper and icons and create a consistent home screen. But there are several widget apps on the App Store that can help you design your widgets and choose the information they will show.

How Do I Add Custom Widgets to My Home Screen?

An iPhone widget helps you see valuable information immediately without opening the app. Then, a custom widget allows you to add your own spin to how it looks. Widgetsmith is one of the most popular custom widget apps on the App Store, and we will use it to do this walkthrough.

  1. Select the size of the widget. You can choose from Small Widget, Medium Widget, and Large Widget.

  2. Select the Default Widget and go through the different Styles. You can choose between assorted styles of the time, date, weather, photos, calendars, and more.

    Note:

    For each type, you can also select the Default Widget or a Timed Widget. The latter replaces the default widget at a specific time. For instance, you can schedule upcoming calendar events to appear on the home screen only during the day.

    How to Customize an iPhone's Home Screen (7)

  3. Use the series of menus below the Style to choose the Theme.

  4. You can save the widget with this theme or customize it more with Font, Tint Color, Background Color, and Border Color, and Artwork.

  5. To save the theme, go back to the previous screen (select the arrow on the upper left corner) and select Save. To customize the theme further, tap Customize Theme.

    How to Customize an iPhone's Home Screen (8)

  6. When you get the exact look, go back to the previous screen to rename and save it.

  7. Add a Widgetsmith widget to the home screen the same way you'd add any other widget. Select an empty area on the home screen and long press to enter the jiggle mode. Then, use the Add (+) button to add the generic Widgetsmith widget. Tap and hold to Edit Widget. Choose your custom widget from the dropdown menu.

    How to Customize an iPhone's Home Screen (9)

FAQ

  • How do I customize the lock screen on my iPhone?

    Just like the home screen, you can customize your iPhone's lock screen appearance. Go to Settings > Wallpaper > Choose New Wallpaper and choose a background for your iPhone lock screen.

  • How do I customize my Control Center?

    You can customize the Control Center to add and organize controls. First, go to Settings> Control Center. Then, tap the Insert button to add or remove controls or tap Reorder to drag a control to a new position.

How to Add a Photo Widget on iPhone

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How to Customize an iPhone's Home Screen (2024)

FAQs

How can I make my iPhone customize better? ›

  1. Change sounds and vibrations.
  2. Use the Action button on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
  3. Create a custom Lock Screen.
  4. Change the wallpaper.
  5. Adjust the screen brightness and color balance.
  6. Keep the iPhone display on longer.
  7. Use StandBy.
  8. Customize the text size and zoom setting.

How do you redesign your Home Screen? ›

Customize your Home screen
  1. Remove a favorite app: From your favorites, touch and hold the app that you'd like to remove. Drag it to another part of the screen.
  2. Add a favorite app: From the bottom of your screen, swipe up. Touch and hold an app. Move the app into an empty spot with your favorites.

How do I create a custom shortcut on my iPhone? ›

To create an automatic shortcut on your iPhone:
  1. Open the Shortcuts app on iPhone.
  2. Tap "Automation"
  3. Select "Create Personal Automation"
  4. Choose the action you prefer.
  5. Set the parameters you want and tap "Next"
  6. Add additional actions and repeat as necessary.
  7. Tap "Next"
Sep 26, 2022

How to customize Home Screen with Shortcuts? ›

In the Shortcuts app on your iOS or iPadOS device, tap on a shortcut, then tap to open Details. Tap Add to Home Screen. Optional: To use a custom photo for a Home Screen icon, tap the icon (in the Home Screen Name and Icon area), then choose one of the following: Take Photo: Use the camera to take a new photo.

How do I organize my iPhone apps aesthetically? ›

  1. Arrange into folders and add custom icons. The most simple way to ensure your apps are well organized is by creating folders. ...
  2. Use custom icons. ...
  3. Choose widgets for your home screen. ...
  4. Designate home screens according to category. ...
  5. Use a wallpaper to tie in the aesthetic. ...
  6. Download an app for prebuilt themes.
Aug 29, 2022

How to customize Home Screen in iOS 16? ›

Open up the Settings app. Scroll down and tap on Wallpaper. Tap on the ‌Home Screen‌ icon to customize the ‌Home Screen‌ Wallpaper.

What is the best app to customize your iPhone Home Screen? ›

Loved by 10 Million happy users, ScreenKit app is the #1 choice to customize your iPhone & iPad homescreen & lockscreen with aesthetic themes, app icons & widgets! It's a must-download if you want to go from the boring standard theme to an aesthetic iPhone makeover.

How can I customize my Home Screen iOS 16? ›

Open the Settings app. Scroll down and select "Wallpaper." The Lock Screen wallpaper is shown on the left, Home Screen on the right. Tap "Customize" on the right to change the Home Screen wallpaper.

Where do I find Home Screen settings? ›

How to tweak your Home Screen settings on your Android
  1. Long-press on a blank area of your home screen.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Select Home Screen.
  4. A list of settings will appear that you can change on your Home Screen.
Apr 19, 2024

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