How to customize your iPhone’s app icons

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Sometimes, an app’s icon just doesn’t look right on your homescreen. For example, let’s say — just for the sake of argument — that the icon for a social networking app was switched from a pretty blue bird to a rather stark “X.” Could you change that icon?

The answer is yes — it’s doable using Apple’s built-in Shortcuts app. You actually won’t be replacing the app’s official icon. Rather, you’ll be creating a separate shortcut that leads to the app. It’s a tedious and time-consuming process, but in the end, you can have a fully customized iPhone homescreen.

Here’s how you do it:

Before you begin, it’s a good idea to find an icon for your new shortcut. There are a bunch of icon sources online (Flaticon, for example), or if you’re artistic and / or ambitious, you can create your own. Whether you use someone else’s or your own, it’s easiest to save the image to Photos.
Okay, let’s begin. Find and tap on the Shortcuts app. It’s preinstalled; if you can’t see it immediately on your homescreen, swipe left until you’re at the App Library and start typing “Shortcuts” into the top search bar.
Once you’re in the app, tap on the plus sign in the upper-right corner.
On the top of the screen, you’ll see that your new shortcut will be named something like “New Shortcut 1.” If you’d rather have your own name, tap on the arrow next to it and select Rename.

On iPhone display, set of buttons with shortcuts.

Shortcuts can help you create new bookmarks for your apps.

Screenshot: Apple

Drop-down menu for renaming shortcut name

You can name your shortcut whatever you wish.

Screenshot: Apple

Once you’ve got your shortcut named, you will be directed just below it to “add actions from below to create a shortcut.”
Below the new name is a list of all the various things that you can do with Shortcuts. While it would be worth it to spend some time here and try out some customizations, right now, what we want to do is change your app icon.
The Open app selection may be the first in the list. If you don’t see it, type “Open app” in the search bar and then tap on the button that will show up.
Tap on the word App that appears (rather faintly) next to the word Open in the search bar.

List of actions you can attached to a new icon.

The Open app selection may be the first in the list.

Screenshot: Apple

iPhone screen with “Open App” at top.

Tap on the light blue App word to get a list of your apps.

Screenshot: Apple

You’ll see a list of your phone’s apps; pick the one you want to customize. The name of the app will now be next to the word Open.
Select the information icon (an “i” in a circle) at the bottom of the screen.
Tap Add to Home Screen.

Icon called Trst123 with list of features below.

Once you’ve chosen your app, tap “Add to Home Screen.”

Screenshot: Apple

Home Screen at top of display with generic icon showing with colored circles and various icons below.

You can tweak the generic icon that iOS supplies.

Screenshot: Apple

You’ll now see a preview of the icon (which will be a standard, uninteresting icon that Shortcuts automatically adds). Don’t worry — we’re going to make it better.
You’ll see two sample icons under the preview: one indicating a photo and the other a general icon with some colors underneath. If you select the latter, you’ll find, beneath it, several colors and, below that, a large variety of symbols you can use for the new icon. Just scroll down to see them all, or do a search for an appropriate symbol.
If, on the other hand, you want to replace it with your own, select the photo icon. You’ll have the choice of either choosing a photo, taking a photo, or choosing a file. Assuming you’ve already saved an image in Photo, tap on Choose Photo and select the photo you want to use.
If you’ve chosen an existing photo, a highlighted area will indicate what part of the photo will appear as an icon; you can move the photo around and change its size until you’re happy with it. Tap Choose in the lower-right corner.

Screen showing Choose Photo, Take Photo, and Choose File.

You can also use your own photo for your icon.

Screenshot: Apple

Photo of toy Dalek.

You can adjust your photo to suit your icon.

Screenshot: Apple

Now, you’ll see your new icon. If you haven’t added a name for your new shortcut, you can still do it here by typing the name under the icon.
All ready? Tap Add in the upper right corner.
You should see your new customized icon on your homescreen. Congrats!

Icon showing Dalek at top left of iPhone screen.

A new icon on your iPhone screen.

Screenshot: Apple

iPhone screen showing pop-up allows you to delete an app or removing the icon from the home screen.

You can remove the original icon from the home screen.

Screenshot: Apple

You can also hide the original app icon so you’ll just have the new one visible. (You don’t want to delete it completely, of course; that would delete the app.)

Long-press on your wallpaper until all your icons start wiggling. Tap on the minus sign of the app you want to hide.
On the pop-up menu, tap Remove from Home Screen. The original icon won’t be deleted, just hidden; you can always find it in the App Library.

Update, October 10th, 2024: This article was originally published on June 13th, 2021; it has been updated to accommodate changes in iOS.

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