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How to Customize an iPhone's Home Screen

Learn how to add custom widgets and change app icons.

By Saikat Basu 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 Reviewed by Jerrick 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. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email iPhone & iOS Switching from Android

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. 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 Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Change the Color of Apps on iOS 14 How to Make a Widget on an iPhone How to Change the Instagram Icon in iOS and Android How to Use Google Assistant on iPhone 4 Ways to Customize the iOS 14 Home Screen How to Customize an iPhone Lockscreen in iOS 16 How to Show Battery Percentage on the iPhone 12 How to Show Battery Percentage on an iPhone XR How to Customize the Music App Toolbar on an iPhone Can You Delete the Apps That Come With the iPhone? How to Change App Icons on iOS 14 How to Move Apps From the App Library to the Home Screen on Your iPhone How to Unhide Apps on an iPhone How to Delete Apps From Your iPhone How to Save a Live Photo as a Video on iPhone How to Add Widgets on iPhone Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies