The fastest way to change your home screen
On iPhone, press and hold any empty space on your home screen until the edit menu appears, then tap "Customize." You can rearrange app icons by dragging them, delete apps from the screen (without deleting them from your phone), or add new ones by tapping the plus sign. On Android, the method depends on your phone maker — most let you long-press the home screen and select "Home screen settings" or "Edit home screen," then drag icons to new positions or remove them.
Both systems let you keep the apps on your phone while hiding them from the home screen. The apps stay in your app drawer or app library, so you can still find them by searching or scrolling through your full list.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone home screens are edited by pressing and holding an empty space, then tapping "Customize" to rearrange or remove icons.
- Android phones usually require a long-press on the home screen followed by selecting "Home screen settings" or "Edit," though the exact steps vary by manufacturer.
- Removing an app from your home screen does not delete it from your phone — it stays in your app library or app drawer.
- You can add multiple home screen pages by dragging an icon to the right edge of the screen on iPhone, or by tapping the add button on Android.
iPhone home screen customization step by step
Start by pressing and holding any blank area of your home screen — not an app icon, but the space between them. After about a second, the screen will dim slightly and a menu will appear at the bottom. Tap "Customize" to enter edit mode.
In edit mode, you can drag any icon to a new spot by holding it and moving your finger. To remove an icon from the home screen, tap the minus sign that appears in the corner of the icon, then confirm by tapping "Remove." The app itself stays on your phone in the App Library (the last page of your home screens, or accessible by swiping left past all your pages).
To add an app back to the home screen, tap the plus sign at the bottom left of the edit menu, search for the app by name, and tap the plus sign next to it. When you are done making changes, press the back arrow or swipe up from the bottom to exit edit mode.
Android home screen customization step by step
Long-press an empty area of your home screen — the exact method varies slightly by phone maker. On Samsung phones, this opens a menu with options including "Home screen settings" or "Edit home screen." On Google Pixel phones, you may see "Home settings" or a pencil icon. On other Android phones, look for similar options in the menu that appears.
Once you are in edit mode, drag icons to rearrange them. To remove an icon, either drag it to a trash icon at the top of the screen, or long-press it and select "Remove from home screen." The app stays in your app drawer (usually accessible by swiping up from the bottom or tapping the app grid icon).
To add an app to your home screen, open your app drawer, long-press the app you want, and select "Add to home screen." Some Android phones let you create folders by dragging one icon onto another, which groups related apps together.
Adding and removing home screen pages
On iPhone, you create a new home screen page by dragging an icon to the right edge of the screen while in edit mode. The screen will shift and create a new page. You can see all your pages as dots at the bottom of the screen and tap any dot to jump to that page. To remove a page, enter edit mode, tap the dots at the bottom, and tap the minus sign next to the page you want to delete.
On Android, the process depends on your phone. Most Android phones let you swipe right to add a new page, or you can long-press the home screen and look for an "Add page" or plus icon. To remove a page, long-press it and select "Delete" or drag it off the screen.
Using widgets and app shortcuts
Both iPhone and Android let you add widgets — small app windows that show information without opening the full app. On iPhone, tap the plus sign in edit mode, select an app, and choose which widget size you want. On Android, long-press an empty space, select "Widgets," find the app, and drag the widget to your home screen.
You can also create shortcuts to specific functions. On iPhone, you can add a shortcut by using the Shortcuts app. On Android, long-press an app icon and select "Create shortcut" or "Add shortcut" (if available on your phone). Shortcuts save you a tap by jumping straight to a specific task, like opening a particular contact or starting a timer.
Organizing apps into folders
On iPhone, drag one app icon onto another to create a folder. The phone will automatically name it based on the app category, but you can tap the name and type a custom folder name. Drag more apps into the folder by holding them over it. To remove an app from a folder, open the folder, long-press the app, and drag it out.
On Android, the method varies by phone. Most phones let you drag one icon onto another to create a folder, similar to iPhone. Some phones require you to long-press the icon and select "Create folder." You can rename the folder by tapping its name and typing a new one.
Resetting your home screen to default
On iPhone, you can reset your home screen layout by going to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout. This removes all your customizations and returns the home screen to the way it was when you first set up the phone. Your apps are not deleted — they just move back to their original positions.
On Android, the reset option depends on your phone maker. Samsung phones have a reset option in Settings > Display > Home screen, while Google Pixel phones may have it under Settings > System > Gestures or Home settings. If you cannot find a reset option, you can manually rearrange your apps back to alphabetical order or delete and re-add them one by one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing an app from my home screen delete it from my phone?
No. Removing an app from your home screen only hides it from view. The app stays on your phone and you can find it in your app library (iPhone) or app drawer (Android). You can add it back to your home screen anytime by searching for it or opening the app drawer.
Can I have different home screens on different pages?
Yes. Both iPhone and Android let you create multiple home screen pages. Each page can have a different layout and set of apps. You navigate between pages by swiping left or right, or by tapping the page dots at the bottom of the screen.
What is the difference between a widget and an app icon?
An app icon opens the full app when you tap it. A widget is a small window that shows live information — like weather, calendar events, or news headlines — without opening the app. Widgets are useful for information you check often without needing the full app.
Can I change the size of app icons on my home screen?
iPhone does not let you resize individual icons, but you can use widgets in different sizes to create visual variety. Android phones vary by manufacturer — some let you long-press an icon and select a size option, while others do not offer this feature.
How do I move apps between home screen pages?
On both iPhone and Android, enter edit mode, long-press the app icon you want to move, and drag it to the right or left edge of the screen. The screen will shift to the next page and you can drop the icon there. You can also drag it across multiple pages by holding it at the edge until the page changes.