Whether you've had your iPhone for a while or you just got a new one, you've probably spent a lot of time customizing your phone's home screen to your liking. But did you know that in addition to organizing your apps into folders and selecting just the right wallpaper, you could also change the look of the app icons?
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Indeed, if you're tired of the look of that dusty ol Mail app or if you just want to add a personal touch to your phone, you can change the look of any app icon.
There are two ways to change them. One is a relatively simple method built into iOS 18 and the other is a bit more advanced and uses the Shortcuts app. If you only want to change the icons size and color, then the simple method is the way to go.
How to customize an app's icon the simple way with iOS 18
Touch and hold the home screen until the icons jiggle.
Tap Edit at the top left of the screen, then select Customize
Then you can choose what color settings you want your icons to be.
two screenshots - one shows light mode and the other dark mode
Here are how app will look with Light mode enabled (left) and Dark mode enabled (right). Patrick Holland/CNET
Light shows what your icons would look like with a lighter background, while Dark is how they would look with a darker background. You can also select Automatic, which shows them in Light mode during the day and automatically switches them to Dark mode at night.
A screenshot of the home screen with apps Tinted
Here's is the iOS 18 app customize palate. When you select Tint, you change give all the apps on your home screen the same color wash. Patrick Holland/CNET
For a more unified look, you can select Tinted, which essentially changes the color of all of your app icons to the same hue. You can use the sliders to select the color and saturation levels you want, or you can use the eyedropper tool to select a color in your wallpaper.
You can also choose to make the icons bigger. However, the names disappear if you select this option.
A screenshot of the app customize palate
At the top of the app customize palate are buttons for Small (the default app size with name) and Large (a larger icon option that forgoes any app names). Patrick Holland/CNET
On the other hand, if you want to replace the app icon with your own image -- or you don't have iOS 18 -- you'll have to use the Shortcuts app.
How to customize an app's icon using the Shortcuts app
A progression of screen shots
The Shortcuts app on iPhone will help you setup a custom icon, rename your shortcut and select which app. Patrick Holland/CNET
First, select your new icon.
Before you get started, be sure you know what you want your new icon to be. If it's an existing emoji or a photo you already downloaded, you're good to go. But if you don't have it yet, either download one from the internet – there are a bunch of free icon sources online – or put your creative skills to use with your favorite image editing app. Either way, be sure to save the icon image to your phone. It's best to save it in your Photos app so it's easier to find later.
A progression of screen shots
Then select which app you want to set up this shortcut with, choose the photo for the icon and your homescreen. Patrick Holland/CNET
Now find and launch the Shortcuts app. It should already be installed.
From there, tap the + icon in the top right corner. At the top of the screen will be the name of your new shortcut, aptly titled New Shortcut. Go ahead and change it to the name of the app or something else you prefer.
Then select Open App from the list of actions.
After that, you'll see the words Open App, with App appearing in a faint blue font over a grey background.
Tap the faint App word, and you'll be brought to a list of all of your phone's apps. Pick the one whose icon you want to change.
Then select the dropdown arrow at the very top of the screen. Select Add to Home Screen so the shortcut will appear on your home screen.
You'll now see a preview of a generic Shortcuts icon. Instead of choosing that, select the grey picture icon on the left. You'll then be presented with a few choices: Choose Photo, Take Photo or Choose File.
If you've already loaded your Photos app with the icon you want, go ahead and select Choose Photo and select your replacement icon.
Finally, tap Add on the top right. Now you'll see the brand new app icon on your home screen! If you don't want to see two shortcuts for the same app on your home screen, you can simply move the old icon to the App Library.
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This Shortcuts feature is one of many ways you can customize your iPhone using features introduced in Apple's iOS 18. You can also create new iPhone controls for your lock screen, customize your iPhone's Control Center and customize your icons further by changing their colors.