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

Mobile Phones

Learn how to add custom widgets and change app icons.

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.

lifewire's editorial guidelines

Updated on April 27, 2022

Reviewed by

Jerrick Leger

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.

From the home screen, open the Shortcuts app.
Select Add (+) to create a new shortcut.
Select Add Action.
Search for Open App and select Open App.
Tap App and select the app you want to open.
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.
In the upper-right corner, select the three dots.
On the Details screen, select Add to Home Screen and preview the screen name and icon. Tap Add.
See Also
Organize Your iPhone Home Screen with These 10 Tips
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.

Select the size of the widget. You can choose from Small Widget, Medium Widget, and Large Widget.
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.
Use the series of menus below the Style to choose the Theme.
You can save the widget with this theme or customize it more with Font, Tint Color, Background Color, and Border Color, and Artwork.
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.
When you get the exact look, go back to the previous screen to rename and save it.
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.

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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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

As an expert in mobile phones and customization, I can provide you with information on how to add custom widgets and change app icons on your iPhone's home screen. I have extensive knowledge and experience in this area, and I will guide you through the process step by step.

To add custom widgets and change app icons on your iPhone's home screen, you can follow these instructions:

Adding Custom Widgets:

Download and install a third-party app from the App Store that offers custom widgets, such as Widgetsmith.
Open the app and select the size of the widget you want to add (Small, Medium, or Large).
Choose the default widget style or browse through different styles available for time, date, weather, photos, calendars, and more.
Customize the widget further by selecting a theme, adjusting font, tint color, background color, border color, and artwork.
Once you have the desired look, save the theme and go back to the previous screen.
To add the widget to your home screen, long-press on an empty area of the screen to enter jiggle mode.
Tap the (+) button to add a widget and select the Widgetsmith widget from the options.
Tap and hold the widget to enter the edit mode, and choose your custom widget from the dropdown menu.
Place the widget in your desired location on the home screen.

Changing App Icons:

Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.
Tap the (+) button to create a new shortcut.
Select "Add Action" and search for "Open App." Choose the "Open App" action.
Tap "App" and select the app for which you want to change the icon.
In the "Open App" field, you can change the name of the shortcut to your preference.
To change the icon, tap the icon next to the shortcut name.
You can choose a different color or select a different icon (glyph) from the options available.
Tap "Done" to save your changes.
In the upper-right corner, tap the three dots to access the details screen.
Select "Add to Home Screen" to preview the screen name and icon.
Tap "Add" to add the custom icon to your home screen.
To remove the custom icon, long-press it and select "Delete Bookmark" from the menu.

These instructions apply to iPhones running iOS 14 and later. By following these steps, you can personalize your home screen with custom widgets and app icons, making it more eye-catching and tailored to your preferences.

I hope this information helps you customize your iPhone's home screen. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask!