What you can change and where to find it

iPhone gives you control over several color and appearance settings, but the options depend on which version of iOS you have and what part of the phone you want to change. You can adjust the color of your home screen icons, switch between light and dark modes, change accent colors in apps, and customize the lock screen with different color filters. The settings live in different places — some in the main Settings app, others in individual apps, and some through the lock screen itself.

The most visible change most people make is switching to Dark Mode, which turns the background dark and text light across most of the system. This is different from changing individual icon colors or the accent color that appears in buttons and highlights throughout iOS.

Key Takeaways

  • Dark Mode and Light Mode are found in Settings > Display & Brightness and explore to the entire system, not individual apps.
  • Lock screen color filters and tints are customized by long-pressing the lock screen, tapping the pencil icon, and selecting the filter or color option.
  • App icon colors cannot be changed directly in iOS — you can only change them by using the Shortcuts app to create custom icon shortcuts with different colors.
  • Individual apps like Mail, Messages, and Notes may have their own color or theme settings inside the app itself, separate from system-wide settings.
  • Accent colors in buttons and highlights throughout iOS cannot be changed system-wide, but some apps let you choose accent colors in their own settings.

Switching between Dark Mode and Light Mode

Dark Mode inverts the colors of your screen so the background is dark and text is light. To turn it on or off, open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, and select either Dark or Light. You can also set it to Auto, which switches based on the time of day — it will turn on at sunset and off at sunrise, or you can set custom times.

If you want Dark Mode to turn on only at certain times, tap the Auto option, then tap Options and choose either Sunset to Sunrise or Custom Schedule. With Custom Schedule, you set the exact times you want the switch to happen. This setting applies to your entire phone, including the home screen, apps, and system menus.

Customizing your lock screen with color and filters

The lock screen is where you have the most direct control over colors. Long-press your lock screen to enter edit mode, then tap the pencil icon at the bottom. You will see options to add a color filter or tint to your wallpaper. Tap the filter icon (it looks like three overlapping circles) to choose from preset color filters like Warm, Cool, or Vibrant, or tap the color picker to select a custom color.

Once you choose a color or filter, it applies only to that specific lock screen — you can have multiple lock screens with different colors. To switch between them, long-press the lock screen and swipe left or right. Each one can have its own color treatment, so you could have a warm-toned lock screen in the morning and a cool-toned one in the evening if you set them up that way.

Changing icon colors using the Shortcuts app

iOS does not let you change the color of your app icons directly. Instead, you can create custom shortcuts that open apps and display with a different color. Open the Shortcuts app, tap the plus icon to create a new shortcut, and search for "Open App." Select the app you want, then tap the three dots, select Add to Home Screen, and choose a color and custom icon. This creates a colored shortcut on your home screen that opens the app when tapped.

The shortcut appears as a separate icon from the original app, so your home screen will have both the real app and the colored shortcut. This method works for any app and gives you full control over the icon color, but it does take up extra space on your home screen.

Changing colors in individual apps

Many apps have their own color or theme settings that are separate from the system Dark Mode. Open the app, go to its Settings or Preferences (usually found by tapping a gear icon or your profile picture), and look for options like Theme, Appearance, or Colors. Mail, for example, lets you choose between Light and Dark themes in its own settings, independent of your system setting. Messages may have accent color options, and Notes might let you change the background color of individual notes.

These app-specific settings override the system Dark Mode for that app only. If an app does not have its own color settings, it will follow whatever Dark Mode or Light Mode you have set system-wide.

Understanding accent colors and highlights

iOS uses an accent color for buttons, toggles, and highlights throughout the system. You cannot change this accent color system-wide in Settings — it is set by Apple and varies slightly depending on your Dark Mode choice. However, some apps let you pick an accent color in their own settings. For instance, some note-taking apps or productivity apps might let you choose whether highlights appear in blue, green, red, or another color.

If you want a different accent color throughout your entire phone, the only way to achieve that is through the Shortcuts app method mentioned above, which lets you create custom-colored icons that change the visual feel of your home screen.

Using Accessibility color options

If you have difficulty seeing certain colors or contrasts, iOS has accessibility settings that can help. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and look for options like Increase Contrast, Reduce Transparency, or Color Filters. Color Filters lets you explore a tint to your entire screen — you can choose from Grayscale, Red/Green Filter, Blue/Yellow Filter, or other options depending on your needs. These settings explore system-wide and can make text and icons easier to see.

You can also turn on Smart Invert, which inverts colors but keeps images looking natural, or Classic Invert, which inverts everything including images. These are found in the same Accessibility menu and can be toggled on and off quickly from Control Center if you add them there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the color of my app icons without using Shortcuts?

No, iOS does not have a built-in way to recolor app icons directly. The Shortcuts app method is the standard workaround. Some third-party launchers or icon packs exist on the App Store, but they create a separate app layer rather than changing the icons themselves.

Will Dark Mode use less battery on my iPhone?

On iPhones with OLED screens (iPhone 12 and newer), Dark Mode can use slightly less battery because black pixels require less power. On older iPhones with LCD screens, the difference is negligible. The main benefit of Dark Mode is reducing eye strain in low light.

Why do some apps ignore my Dark Mode setting?

Apps can override the system Dark Mode setting with their own theme choice. Check the app's settings menu for a Theme or Appearance option. If the app does not have one, it will follow your system setting automatically.

Can I set different colors for different times of day automatically?

You can set Dark Mode to switch automatically at sunset and sunrise, or on a custom schedule. For lock screen colors, you would need to manually switch between different lock screens, as there is no automatic scheduling for lock screen colors specifically.

What is the difference between a color filter and a tint on the lock screen?

A color filter applies a preset effect (like Warm or Cool) that is designed to look good with most wallpapers. A tint lets you pick a specific color that overlays the wallpaper. Both achieve similar results, but filters are pre-made options while tints give you custom color control.