Customizing your iPhone home screen can be a fun and easy way to personalize your device. With just a few simple steps, you can rearrange apps, change your wallpaper, and even add widgets. Whether you want to showcase your favorite photos or keep your most-used apps at your fingertips, customizing your home screen can make your iPhone feel more like your own.
Step by Step Tutorial: How to Customize iPhone Home Screen
Before we dive into the steps, let’s talk about what we’re going to accomplish. Customizing your iPhone home screen allows you to organize your apps, change your background, and add widgets for quick access to information. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Enter Jiggle Mode
Tap and hold an empty space on your home screen until the apps start to jiggle.
Entering jiggle mode allows you to move your apps around, delete them, or put them into folders. It’s the first step to customizing your home screen.
Step 2: Move Apps
Drag an app to a new location or drag it onto another app to create a folder.
You can rearrange your apps however you like—whether that’s by color, category, or frequency of use. Creating folders can help keep your home screen tidy.
Step 3: Add Widgets
Tap the plus sign in the top-left corner to add widgets to your home screen.
Widgets are mini-applications that display information at a glance, like the weather, your calendar, or your activity rings. You can choose from different sizes and arrange them among your apps.
Step 4: Change Wallpaper
Go to Settings > Wallpaper > Choose a New Wallpaper to select a new background.
A new wallpaper can completely change the look of your home screen. You can choose from Apple’s default options, select one of your own photos, or download a wallpaper from the internet.
Step 5: Exit Jiggle Mode
Press the home button or swipe up from the bottom of the screen to save your changes.
Once you’re happy with your home screen layout, exiting jiggle mode will lock everything in place until you decide to make changes again.
After completing these steps, your home screen will be customized to your liking. You’ll have easy access to your favorite apps, and your chosen widgets will provide you with important information at a glance.
Tips for Customizing iPhone Home Screen
- Consider the color scheme of your wallpaper and app icons to create a visually appealing layout.
- Use folders to group similar apps together and reduce clutter on your home screen.
- Experiment with different widget sizes and placements to find the most convenient layout for you.
- Regularly update your wallpaper and app arrangement to keep your home screen feeling fresh.
- Remember that you can always reset your home screen layout in Settings if you want to start over.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I delete an app from my home screen?
Tap and hold the app until it jiggles, then tap the minus sign to delete it.
Deleting an app from your home screen doesn’t uninstall it from your iPhone; it just removes it from view. You can always re-add it later if you change your mind.
Can I customize the dock at the bottom of the screen?
Yes, you can drag apps in and out of the dock just like on the rest of the home screen.
The dock is a great place to keep the apps you use most frequently, as it’s visible on every page of your home screen.
How many widgets can I add to my home screen?
There’s no set limit, but too many widgets can make your home screen feel cluttered.
Try to strike a balance between the number of widgets and apps on your home screen for a clean, functional layout.
Can I use a live photo as my wallpaper?
Yes, go to Settings > Wallpaper > Choose a New Wallpaper, and select a live photo from your album.
Using a live photo as your wallpaper adds an extra layer of personalization and can look really cool when you press on your screen.
How do I reset my home screen layout?
Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout.
Resetting your home screen layout will arrange your apps in the order they were downloaded and remove any folders you’ve created.
Summary
- Enter jiggle mode by tapping and holding an empty space on the home screen.
- Move apps by dragging them to a new location or creating folders.
- Add widgets by tapping the plus sign and selecting from the available options.
- Change wallpaper in the Settings app under Wallpaper.
- Exit jiggle mode to save your changes.
Conclusion
Customizing your iPhone home screen is a great way to make your device truly yours. It’s not just about making it look good—although that’s certainly a part of it—it’s also about efficiency and having everything you need right at your fingertips. With the ability to add widgets, create folders, and choose the perfect wallpaper, you can create a home screen that reflects your personality and suits your lifestyle. And the best part? It’s incredibly easy to do. So go ahead, give it a try, and see how a customized home screen can enhance your iPhone experience.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.