What You Can Actually Change on iPad App Icons
iPad does not let you change the color of the app icons themselves — Apple locks those to their original design. What you can do is create custom shortcuts that launch apps and display in whatever color you choose, using the Shortcuts app that comes built into iPadOS. These colored tiles sit on your home screen just like regular apps, and tapping them opens the real app underneath.
This method works on any iPad running iPadOS 14 or later. The colored icons you create are technically shortcuts, not the apps themselves, so your original apps stay unchanged. You can make as many colored versions as you want — one purple shortcut and one blue shortcut that both open the same app, for example.
Key Takeaways
- The Shortcuts app, which comes free on every iPad, is the tool you use to create colored app icons that launch your real apps.
- You create a shortcut, assign it a custom color and icon, and place it on your home screen — the original app icon stays in your app library unchanged.
- The process takes about two minutes per icon once you understand the steps: open Shortcuts, create a new shortcut, add an "Open App" action, customize the appearance, and save to home screen.
- You can use any color from the color picker, or upload your own image as the icon background.
Opening the Shortcuts App and Creating a New Shortcut
Tap the Shortcuts app icon on your home screen or in your app library — it looks like a blue square with white lines. If you do not see it, swipe down from the top of the screen to open search, type "Shortcuts," and tap the result.
Once Shortcuts opens, look for the plus sign (+) in the top right corner and tap it. This opens a blank shortcut editor. You will see a large blue area in the middle that says "Add an action" — this is where you build your shortcut step by step.
Tap "Add an action" and a search box appears. Type the name of the app you want to color — for example, "Mail" or "Photos." When the app name appears in the results, tap it. A new action block appears showing "Open [App Name]." That is all the action you need; you do not have to add anything else.
Customizing the Icon Color and Appearance
At the top of the shortcut editor, you will see a small circle icon next to the shortcut name. Tap that circle to open the customization menu. This is where you set the color and icon image.
You will see options for "Color" and "Icon." Tap "Color" first. A color picker appears with preset colors across the top (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, and gray) and a gradient wheel below them. Tap any preset color, or drag your finger on the gradient wheel to pick a custom shade. The circle icon at the top updates in real time to show your choice.
Next, tap "Icon" to change what image appears on the colored background. You can choose from hundreds of built-in symbols — tap "Symbols" at the bottom of the screen to browse them. Scroll through categories like "Objects," "Symbols," "Nature," or "People" and tap any icon you like. You can also tap "Photos" to upload a picture from your photo library as the icon background instead.
Naming Your Shortcut and Saving It to Your Home Screen
At the very top of the editor, you will see a text field with the app name. You can leave it as is or type a custom name — for example, "Mail (Purple)" or "Photos Work." This name appears below the icon on your home screen.
Once the color, icon, and name are set the way you want, tap "Done" in the top right corner. The shortcut is now saved in your Shortcuts library, but it is not on your home screen yet.
To add it to your home screen, tap and hold the shortcut tile in your library until a menu appears. Tap "Add to Home Screen." A preview of how it will look appears, and you can drag it to position it where you want. Tap "Add" in the top right, and the colored icon now sits on your home screen.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
If the shortcut does not open the app when you tap it, make sure you added the "Open App" action and that the correct app is selected in that action block. Go back into the shortcut editor, tap the action block, and verify the app name is right.
If the colored icon does not appear on your home screen after you tap "Add to Home Screen," check that you have enough empty space. Move other apps around to create room, then try adding the shortcut again. If the home screen is completely full, you may need to delete or move an existing icon first.
If tapping the icon takes a long time to open the app, that is normal — shortcuts add a one- or two-second delay before the app launches. This is a limitation of how iPadOS handles shortcuts and cannot be removed.
Creating Multiple Colored Versions of the Same App
You can create as many shortcuts as you want that all open the same app. This is useful if you want different colored icons for different purposes — for example, a red Mail shortcut for work and a blue one for personal use.
straightforward repeat the process: create a new shortcut, add the same app, customize the color and icon differently, give it a different name, and save it to your home screen. Each shortcut is independent, so you can organize them however you like.
Keep in mind that all versions open the exact same app — they are just different ways to launch it. If you have unread messages in Mail, all your Mail shortcuts will show the same notification badge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the color of app icons without using Shortcuts?
No. iPadOS does not provide a built-in way to recolor app icons directly. Shortcuts is the only free method available on iPad. Some third-party apps claim to do this, but they actually create shortcuts behind the scenes, just like the method described here.
Will changing the icon color affect how the app works?
No. The colored icon is only a shortcut that launches the real app. The app itself runs exactly as normal, and all your data, settings, and notifications stay the same.
Do I need to pay for the Shortcuts app?
No. Shortcuts comes free on every iPad running iPadOS 14 or later. It is made by Apple and is already installed.
Can I organize colored icons into folders?
Yes. You can drag colored shortcut icons into folders on your home screen just like regular apps. Long-press an empty area of your home screen, tap the plus sign, and create a new folder, then drag shortcuts into it.
What happens if I delete the original app?
The colored shortcut will stop working and show an error when you tap it. The shortcut itself stays on your home screen, but it cannot open an app that no longer exists. You can delete the shortcut at that point.