What you can actually change on iPhone apps
iPhone gives you three ways to change how apps look: Dark Mode (which turns the whole system dark, and most apps follow), app-specific color settings (which some apps let you adjust inside their own menus), and Home Screen accent colors (which changes the tint of app icons and widgets, available on iPhone XS and newer). You cannot change the color of an app's icon itself from the home screen — that requires creating a custom shortcut, which is a workaround, not a built-in feature.
Most of what people want — darker backgrounds, different accent colors, custom icon colors — comes from Dark Mode or from settings buried inside individual apps. A few apps let you pick accent colors or theme options. Many do not. What works depends entirely on which app you are using and what its developer built into it.
Key Takeaways
- Dark Mode affects most apps at once by switching them to dark backgrounds, and you turn it on in Settings > Display & Brightness > Dark.
- Many apps have their own color or theme settings inside the app itself — usually under Settings or Preferences within that app.
- Home Screen accent colors (iPhone XS and newer) change the tint of icons and widgets, found in Settings > Display & Brightness > Appearance.
- You cannot change an app's icon color directly from the home screen without using shortcuts, which is a manual workaround.
Turning on Dark Mode for all apps at once
Dark Mode is the fastest way to darken most apps on your phone. Open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, then select Dark. The entire system — including Mail, Messages, Safari, and most third-party apps — switches to a dark theme when ready.
If you want Dark Mode to turn on automatically at sunset and off at sunrise, stay in Display & Brightness, tap Automatic instead of Dark, then tap Options and choose Sunset to Sunrise. Your phone will switch themes on its own every day.
Not every app respects Dark Mode. Some older or poorly maintained apps ignore the system setting and stay light. If an app does not darken when you turn on Dark Mode, the developer did not build dark theme support into it, and there is no way to force it from your settings.
Finding color settings inside individual apps
Many apps let you pick colors, themes, or accent tones from inside the app itself. The location varies wildly — there is no standard place Apple requires developers to put these controls. Start by opening the app and looking for a Settings, Preferences, or gear icon, usually at the bottom or top of the screen.
In Gmail, tap your profile picture, select Manage your Google Account, go to the Display tab, and choose a theme. In Slack, tap your profile, go to Preferences, then Theme, and pick from Light, Dark, or Auto. In Spotify, tap Home, then the gear icon, scroll to Display, and toggle Dark Mode on or off independently of your system setting.
If an app does not have a theme or color option, it straightforward was not built in. You cannot add one yourself. Check the app's settings once — if nothing appears under a Preferences, Settings, or Appearance menu, the feature does not exist in that app.
Changing the accent color of icons and widgets
On iPhone XS, iPhone 11, and newer models, you can change the tint color that appears on app icons and widgets. This does not change the app's interior colors, but it changes how the icons look on your home screen. Open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, then scroll down and tap Appearance.
You will see options like Multicolor (the default), Blue, Green, Purple, Pink, Red, Orange, and Yellow. Pick one, and the accent tint on your icons and widgets shifts to match. This is purely visual — it does not affect how the app works or what colors appear inside it.
Older iPhones (iPhone XR, iPhone 8, and earlier) do not have this feature. If you do not see an Appearance option in Display & Brightness, your phone does not support accent color changes.
Using shortcuts to create custom-colored app icons
If you want to replace an app's icon with a custom image of your choosing, you can use the Shortcuts app to create a workaround. This does not change the app itself — it creates a shortcut that looks like a different icon and opens the app when you tap it.
Open the Shortcuts app (built into iOS), tap the + button to create a new shortcut, then tap Add Action. Search for and select Open App, then choose the app you want to customize. Tap the three dots at the top right, then tap Add to Home Screen. You will be asked to choose an image and name for the shortcut. Pick or create an image in whatever color you want, name it, and tap Add.
The shortcut now appears on your home screen as a custom icon. Tapping it opens the app. The original app icon remains in your app library. This method is manual and creates duplicate icons, but it is the only way to have a truly custom-colored icon on your home screen.
Why some apps do not have color options
App developers decide whether to include theme or color settings. Apple does not require them to. A large app like Instagram or TikTok might have a dedicated design team that built dark mode support and color options. A smaller app or one that has not been updated in years might not have any of these features.
If an app does not offer color settings and does not respond to Dark Mode, there is no hidden menu or system setting that will unlock them. The feature was not built in. Your only options are to use Dark Mode for the system as a whole, change the icon accent color on your home screen, or switch to a different app that does offer the customization you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dark Mode work in every app?
No. Most built-in Apple apps and major third-party apps support Dark Mode, but older or unmaintained apps may ignore the system setting and stay light. If an app does not darken when you turn on Dark Mode, the developer did not build support for it.
Can I change the color of an app icon without using shortcuts?
No. The only built-in way to change icon colors is the accent color feature in Display & Brightness, which tints all icons the same color. Custom icon colors require the Shortcuts workaround.
Will changing app colors affect how the app works?
No. Dark Mode, accent colors, and theme settings are purely visual. They do not change how the app functions, what data it stores, or how it connects to the internet.
What iPhones support the accent color feature?
iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, and all newer models. iPhone XR, iPhone 8, and earlier do not have this feature.
If I use a shortcut to create a custom icon, will it slow down my phone?
No. Shortcuts are lightweight. Creating several custom icon shortcuts will not noticeably affect your phone's performance.