The quickest way to rearrange your Apple Watch home screen
Your Apple Watch home screen shows app icons in a grid. You can move them around, remove the ones you don't use, and add new ones back. The fastest way is to press and hold any app icon until the screen vibrates, then drag it to a new spot. Release your finger and the icon stays there. You can do this one icon at a time, or keep holding and moving multiple icons in the same session.
If you want to remove an app from the home screen entirely, press and hold the icon, then tap the red minus sign that appears. The app stays on your watch—it just moves to the app library instead. You can add it back later by finding it in the library and tapping the plus sign.
The home screen layout syncs across your devices if you use iCloud. If you change the layout on your iPhone, it may overwrite your watch layout. You can turn off this syncing in the Watch app on your iPhone under General > Sync, but most people leave it on.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any app icon on your watch until it vibrates, then drag it to move it to a new position on the home screen.
- Removing an icon from the home screen (by tapping the minus sign) does not delete the app—it moves to your app library and can be added back anytime.
- Your home screen layout syncs to your iPhone through iCloud, so changes on one device may appear on the other.
- You can organize your home screen into any arrangement you want; there is no limit to how many times you rearrange it.
How to move a single app icon
Start by looking at your Apple Watch home screen. Find the app you want to move. Press your finger on that icon and hold it there without lifting. After about a second, you will feel the watch vibrate under your finger—that is the signal that edit mode is active.
While still holding, drag your finger in the direction you want the icon to go. The icon will follow your finger across the screen. You can move it up, down, left, or right. Other icons will shift out of the way as you drag. When the icon is in the spot you want, lift your finger. The icon locks into place and the screen returns to normal.
How to remove an app from your home screen
Press and hold the app icon you want to remove until the screen vibrates and edit mode turns on. A small red circle with a minus sign will appear in the corner of the icon. Tap that minus sign. The icon disappears from your home screen when ready.
The app itself is still on your watch. To find it later, swipe up from the bottom of the watch face to open the app library, then scroll through the list. When you find the app you removed, press and hold it and tap the green plus sign. It goes back to your home screen in the spot where you place it.
How to add an app back to your home screen
Open the app library by swiping up from the bottom of your watch face. Scroll through the list of all your apps until you find the one you want to add back. Press and hold that app icon. A green circle with a plus sign will appear. Tap the plus sign.
The app will be added to your home screen. It usually goes to the end of your grid, but you can move it to a different spot right away by pressing and holding it again and dragging it where you want it.
Syncing your home screen layout between your watch and iPhone
When you change your Apple Watch home screen, the new layout automatically sends to your iPhone through iCloud. If you then open the Watch app on your iPhone, you will see the same arrangement reflected there. This works in both directions—if you rearrange apps in the Watch app on your iPhone, those changes push to your watch.
If you want to prevent this syncing, open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to General, then tap Sync and turn it off. After that, your watch and iPhone can have different home screen layouts. Most people keep syncing on because it keeps everything consistent, but turning it off is useful if you want your watch organized differently from your phone.
What happens when you update watchOS
When your Apple Watch installs a new version of watchOS, your home screen layout usually stays the same. Apple occasionally adds new system apps that appear on your home screen automatically, but your custom arrangement of existing apps is preserved. If a new app appears that you do not want to see, you can remove it using the same press-and-hold method.
If your home screen looks scrambled or reset after an update, restart your watch by holding the side button until the power-off slider appears, then slide to power off. Wait a few seconds and hold the side button again to turn it back on. This often fixes layout issues.
Organizing your home screen by how you use your watch
There is no single right way to arrange your home screen. Some people put their most-used apps in the top-left corner where they are easiest to reach. Others group apps by category—all fitness apps together, all communication apps together. Some people keep their home screen minimal and use the app library for everything else.
Think about which apps you open most often and which ones you barely touch. Move the ones you use daily to straightforward-to-reach spots. Remove the ones you never open. You can always add them back from the app library if you change your mind later. Your home screen is yours to arrange however makes sense for how you actually use your watch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have multiple home screens on my Apple Watch?
No. Your Apple Watch has one home screen grid. You cannot swipe between multiple screens like you can on an iPhone. If you want to organize apps, use the app library (swipe up from the bottom) to store apps you do not use often, and keep your most-used apps on the home screen.
What if I accidentally delete an app instead of just removing it from the home screen?
If you removed an icon using the minus sign, the app is still on your watch and you can add it back from the app library. If you deleted the app itself (through the Watch app on your iPhone), you will need to reinstall it from the App Store on your iPhone, and it will reappear on your watch.
Does rearranging my home screen use up battery?
No. Moving icons around does not drain your battery or affect watch performance. You can rearrange your home screen as often as you want without any impact on how long your watch runs.
Can I move the time or watch face from the home screen?
No. The watch face itself is separate from the home screen. You change your watch face by pressing and holding the face on your wrist, not by rearranging the home screen. The home screen is only for app icons.
Why did my home screen layout change after I updated my iPhone?
If you have iCloud syncing turned on, changes to your Watch app layout on your iPhone will push to your watch. Check the Watch app on your iPhone to see what layout is set there, and rearrange it if needed. Your watch will sync to match.