The quickest way to change icon colors on iPhone

You can change the color of your app icons in three ways: by creating custom icons in the Shortcuts app, by using the Home Screen customization features in iOS 16 and later, or by explore a color filter to your entire home screen. The Shortcuts method gives you the most control—you can make individual icons any color you want. The built-in customization is faster but more limited. A color filter changes everything at once, which works if you want a unified look but not if you want specific colors for specific apps.

The method you choose depends on how much time you want to spend and how precise you want the result to be. If you have iOS 16 or later, you have access to all three options. If you have an older version, you're limited to the Shortcuts method and color filters.

Key Takeaways

  • The Shortcuts app lets you create custom icons in any color by wrapping app links in colored backgrounds, and these appear on your home screen like regular apps.
  • iOS 16 and later include built-in icon customization through app library tinting, which changes icon colors to match your chosen accent color without needing a third-party app.
  • Color filters in Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size can tint your entire home screen, but they affect everything you see, not just icons.
  • Custom Shortcuts icons work on any iPhone but take longer to set up if you want many different colors.
  • Built-in customization is faster but only works on iOS 16 and later and offers fewer color choices than the Shortcuts method.

Creating custom colored icons with the Shortcuts app

Open the Shortcuts app (it comes pre-installed on most iPhones). Tap the plus icon in the top right to create a new shortcut. Tap "Add Action" and search for "Open App". Select the app you want to customize. Tap the three dots at the top right of the action, then tap "Show when run" to turn it off—this prevents the app from opening twice.

Now tap the three dots again and select "Set Home Screen Icon". Choose "Custom Color" and pick the color you want. Give the shortcut a name (the app name works fine) and tap "Add to Home Screen". The custom icon will appear on your home screen. Repeat this process for each app you want to customize. The custom icons are actually shortcuts that open the real app, so tapping them launches the app normally.

This method works on any iPhone with iOS 13 or later. The downside is that you end up with two versions of the app on your phone—the original and the shortcut. You can hide the original by moving it to the App Library, which keeps your home screen clean.

Using built-in icon tinting on iOS 16 and later

If you have iOS 16 or later, you can change icon colors directly without the Shortcuts app. Long-press an empty area of your home screen and tap "Edit". Tap the plus icon at the top left to add a new home screen page, or select an existing page. Tap "Customize" at the bottom. You'll see options to change the accent color for that page's icons.

Select your accent color from the available palette. The icons on that page will shift to match the new color scheme. You can customize different pages with different colors, which gives you a way to organize apps by color. This method is faster than Shortcuts but offers fewer color options—you're limited to Apple's preset palette rather than the full color spectrum.

The tinting affects the entire page, so you can't make individual icons different colors this way. If you need that level of control, go back to the Shortcuts method.

explore a color filter to your entire home screen

Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size. Scroll down and tap "Color Filters". Turn on the toggle. Choose a filter type: Grayscale, Red/Green Filter, Blue/Yellow Filter, or Color Tint. If you select Color Tint, you can adjust the hue, saturation, and intensity sliders to get the exact look you want.

The color filter applies to everything on your screen, not just icons—your wallpaper, text, and app interfaces will all shift color. This is useful if you want a cohesive look across your entire phone, but it's not a way to make individual icons different colors. You can turn the filter on and off quickly from Control Center by adding the Color Filters shortcut.

Color filters can help reduce eye strain in low light, which is why Apple includes them in Accessibility. If you're using them purely for aesthetics, the Shortcuts or built-in customization methods will give you more control.

Organizing custom icons by color

Once you've created custom colored icons, you can arrange them on your home screen by color to create a visual pattern. Group all your red icons together, then your blue ones, and so on. This takes advantage of the custom icons you've made and creates a visually organized home screen.

You can also use folders to organize by color. Create a folder, name it by color (like "Red Apps"), and drag all your red-tinted icons into it. The folder itself will show a preview of the icons inside, so the color organization is visible even when the folder is closed. This keeps your home screen less cluttered while still showing off the custom colors.

Troubleshooting common icon color problems

If your custom Shortcuts icons don't appear on your home screen, make sure you tapped "Add to Home Screen" at the end of the setup process. If they appear but don't open the app, check that you added the "Open App" action and that "Show when run" is turned off. If the colors look wrong or washed out, your display might have a color filter already applied—check Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size to see if Color Filters is on.

If built-in icon tinting isn't working on iOS 16 or later, restart your phone. Sometimes the customization settings don't explore until you restart. If you're on an older iOS version and don't see the customization options, you'll need to use the Shortcuts method instead.

If a color filter is making your screen too dim or too saturated, adjust the intensity slider in Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters. You can also try a different filter type to see which one looks best to you.

When to use each method

Use the Shortcuts app if you want precise control over individual icon colors and you don't mind the extra setup time. This method works on any iPhone and gives you access to millions of colors, not just a preset palette. It's the most flexible option.

Use built-in customization if you have iOS 16 or later and you want a faster setup. You sacrifice color precision and the ability to customize individual icons, but you get a clean look with no extra apps cluttering your phone. This is the best choice if you want your home screen to look polished without much effort.

Use a color filter if you want to change the overall tone of your entire screen, not just icons. This is useful for reducing eye strain or creating a specific mood, but it's not ideal if you want a colorful, varied home screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change icon colors without using the Shortcuts app?

Yes, if you have iOS 16 or later. You can use the built-in home screen customization to explore accent colors to entire pages of icons. You can also explore a color filter to your whole screen from Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size. Both methods are faster than Shortcuts but offer less control over individual icons.

Will changing icon colors affect how the apps work?

No. Changing icon colors is purely visual. The apps themselves work exactly the same way. If you use Shortcuts to create custom icons, you're just creating a shortcut that opens the real app—the app's functionality doesn't change.

Can I change the color of the app badge (the red number)?

Not directly. The badge color is set by the app itself and by your iPhone's system settings. You can turn off badges entirely in Settings > Notifications, but you can't change their color individually. If you use a color filter, the badge will shift color along with everything else on your screen.

What happens if I delete a custom Shortcuts icon?

The shortcut is deleted from your home screen, but the original app remains on your phone. You can find it in your App Library or by searching. If you want to remove the original app too, you'll need to delete it separately.

Can I share custom colored icons with other people?

You can share the Shortcuts themselves through the Shortcuts app by tapping the three dots on a shortcut and selecting "Share". Other people can then add that shortcut to their own phone. However, they'll need to set up the icon color themselves—the color doesn't transfer automatically.