How to customize your iPhone Home screen with widgets and app icons

Want to make your iPhone® feel more like your phone? With a few simple changes, you can update the look of your Home screen using widgets and custom app icons—no special tools or tech skills needed.

At Asurion, we help you get the most out of your tech. Here's how to customize your iPhone Home screen using built-in iOS features.

Why customize your iPhone Home screen?

Make your phone easier to use

Adding widgets or moving apps around helps you find what you need faster. You can check the weather, see your calendar, or control your music—right from the Home screen.

Show off your style

Whether you like a clean, simple look or a fun, colorful theme, changing your phone's layout and app icons lets you make it match your personality.

How to add widgets to your iPhone Home screen

What are widgets on iPhone?

Widgets are little windows that show live info from your apps, like news headlines, battery level, or fitness stats. You can put them right on your Home screen and even stack them to save space.

Steps to add a widget

1. Touch and hold an empty area on your Home screen until the apps jiggle.
2. Tap the plus sign (+) in the top-left corner.
3. Scroll or search to find the widget you want.
4. Tap the widget, swipe to choose a size, then tap Add Widget.
5. Drag the widget to where you want it, then tap Done.

How to edit or remove widgets

• To edit a widget, touch and hold it, then tap Edit Widget (if available).
• To remove it, touch and hold the widget, then tap Remove Widget > Remove.

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How to change your app icons on iPhone

Use the Shortcuts app

You can use Apple®’s free Shortcuts app to make custom icons for your apps. Here’s how:

1. Open Shortcuts, then tap the plus (+) sign.
2. Tap Add Action, then tap Scripting > Open App.
3. Tap App, then choose the one you want.
4. Tap the three dots in the corner.
5. Tap Add to Home Screen.
6. Tap the icon next to the name, then Choose Photo to pick your custom icon.
7. Rename the shortcut if you want, then tap Add.

Now you’ll see your custom icon on the Home screen.

Hide original apps to clean up your screen

Once you’ve added your custom icons, you can hide the original apps to avoid clutter:

1. Touch and hold the app.
2. Tap Remove App > Remove from Home Screen.

The app will still be in your App Library, just not on the Home screen.

Tips for organizing your iPhone layout

Group apps into folders

Drag one app onto another to create a folder. You can rename it to match your theme or category, like “Social” or “Work.”

Use the App Library

Swipe left past your last Home screen to open the App Library. It automatically organizes your apps into smart categories, so you don’t need to keep everything on your Home screen.

What to do if your Home screen changes don’t work

Restart your iPhone

A simple restart can fix small bugs. Press and hold the power and volume buttons, then slide to turn off.

Update iOS

Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check for updates. Newer iOS versions often fix widget or icon issues.

FAQs

What are iPhone widgets?

They’re tools that show app information—like weather or calendar events—right on your home screen.

How do I remove a widget from my iPhone Home screen?

Touch and hold the widget, then tap Remove Widget > Remove.

Can I change every app icon on my iPhone?

Yes, but you’ll need to create a shortcut for each app using the Shortcuts app.

Do I need to jailbreak my iPhone to customize it?

No. All the features mentioned here work on iPhones without jailbreaking.