The fastest way to rearrange your iPhone home screen

To change your home screen on iPhone, press and hold any app icon until a menu appears, then tap Edit Home Screen. From there you can drag icons to new positions, delete them from the home screen (without deleting the app), or organize them into folders. When you're done, press the back arrow or tap outside the grid to save your changes.

This method works on iPhone running iOS 16 or later. If you have an older iPhone, you'll use a slightly different process: press and hold an icon until it jiggles, then drag it where you want it. The end result is the same — a home screen arranged the way you prefer.

Key Takeaways

  • Press and hold any app icon, then tap Edit Home Screen to enter rearrangement mode on iOS 16 and newer.
  • You can move icons by dragging them, delete them from the home screen without uninstalling the app, or group them into folders.
  • Creating folders by dragging one app onto another keeps your home screen organized and reduces clutter.
  • Changing your home screen wallpaper and lock screen appearance happens in Settings, separate from rearranging apps.

Moving and organizing individual apps

Once you've entered Edit Home Screen mode, each icon becomes draggable. Tap and hold an icon, then slide it to a new spot on your home screen or to a different page. You can move apps between pages by dragging them to the edge of the screen — the view will scroll automatically to the next page.

To remove an app from your home screen without deleting it from your iPhone, press and hold the icon in Edit mode and tap Remove from Home Screen. The app stays installed and searchable through Spotlight (swipe down from the top of your home screen), but it won't clutter your main view. This is useful for apps you use rarely but want to keep.

Creating and managing app folders

Folders let you group related apps together and save space. In Edit Home Screen mode, drag one app directly onto another app. Your iPhone automatically creates a folder and suggests a category name based on the app types — for example, dragging Mail onto Calendar might create a "Productivity" folder.

You can rename the folder by tapping the name field at the top of the folder preview and typing a new name. Continue dragging apps into the folder to add more, or drag apps out to remove them. A folder can hold as many apps as you want, though only the first four icons show on the home screen itself.

Changing your wallpaper and lock screen appearance

Your home screen background is separate from the app layout. To change it, open Settings, tap Wallpaper, then tap Add New Wallpaper. Choose from built-in options, your photo library, or dynamic wallpapers that change throughout the day. Select the image and tap Set, then choose whether to explore it to your lock screen, home screen, or both.

You can also customize your lock screen directly by pressing and holding the lock screen itself, tapping Customize, and adjusting the font, color, and widgets that appear above the time. This is different from rearranging home screen apps but gives your iPhone a completely different look.

Using Smart Stack and widgets on your home screen

Widgets are small app windows that show information without opening the full app — weather, calendar events, reminders, or news headlines. To add a widget, press and hold an empty area of your home screen, tap the plus button in the top left, select an app, and choose the widget size you want.

A Smart Stack is a special widget that automatically rotates between multiple widgets based on time of day and your usage patterns. To create one, add a widget, then drag another widget directly onto it. Your iPhone stacks them and cycles through them automatically, or you can swipe up and down to browse manually.

Resetting your home screen to default layout

If you've made many changes and want to start over, you can reset your home screen to Apple's default layout. Open Settings, go to General, tap Transfer or Reset, then Reset, and choose Reset Home Screen Layout. This puts all your apps back in their original positions and removes any custom folders or organization you've created.

This action does not delete any apps or data — it only rearranges the home screen itself. All your apps remain installed and your data stays intact. You can rearrange again when ready after if you want to try a different layout.

Common mistakes to avoid when rearranging

The most common error is accidentally deleting an app instead of just removing it from the home screen. If you tap Remove App instead of Remove from Home Screen, you'll uninstall it completely. You can reinstall it from the App Store, but it's straightforward to do by accident. Take a moment to read the menu options before tapping.

Another mistake is forgetting that you're in Edit mode and trying to open an app by tapping it — in Edit mode, tapping moves the app instead. If your home screen feels unresponsive, you're likely still in Edit mode. Press the back arrow or tap outside the grid to exit and return to normal use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different home screens on my lock screen and home screen?

Yes. Your lock screen and home screen are separate. You can customize the lock screen independently through Settings > Wallpaper, and rearrange your home screen apps without affecting the lock screen layout. Many people use a minimal lock screen and a more detailed home screen.

What happens to my apps if I reset the home screen layout?

Resetting the home screen layout only rearranges your apps back to their original positions. It does not delete any apps, data, or settings. All your apps remain installed and functional. You can rearrange them again when ready after if you want a different organization.

Can I move apps between pages on my home screen?

Yes. In Edit Home Screen mode, drag an app to the right edge of the screen and hold it there — the view scrolls to the next page automatically. Release the app on the new page to place it there. You can create as many pages as you need.

How do I delete a folder without deleting the apps inside it?

Drag all the apps out of the folder one at a time back to your home screen. Once the folder is empty, it disappears automatically. The apps remain installed and are now on your home screen instead of grouped together.

Why can't I move certain apps like Settings or Phone?

System apps like Settings, Phone, and Messages cannot be removed from the home screen, though you can move them to different positions. You can remove other apps from the home screen but not these core system apps.