What you can change about iPhone app appearance
You can change how apps look on your iPhone in three main ways: app icons (the small pictures on your home screen), app themes (colors and styles inside the app itself), and app library organization (how apps are grouped and displayed). Not every app supports every option, and some changes require you to use iOS Shortcuts or third-party icon packs rather than built-in settings.
The easiest changes are usually within the app itself — most apps have a Settings or Preferences section where you can toggle between light mode, dark mode, or system-based appearance. Custom icons and themes often require more steps, but they are still something you can do without jailbreaking your phone or installing anything risky.
Key Takeaways
- Most apps have a built-in dark mode or light mode toggle in their Settings menu, and many will follow your iPhone's system-wide appearance preference automatically.
- Custom app icons require you to create shortcuts in the Shortcuts app and assign custom images, since iOS does not allow direct icon replacement.
- Some apps offer built-in theme options (different color schemes or layouts) that you can change without leaving the app.
- Icon packs and theme bundles are available through the App Store, but they work by creating shortcuts rather than replacing the actual app icons.
Changing app appearance through built-in settings
Open the app you want to change and look for a Settings, Preferences, or Account menu — usually found by tapping a gear icon, three horizontal lines, or your profile picture. Scroll through the options until you find Appearance, Theme, Display, or Dark Mode. Tap the option and choose your preference: Light, Dark, or System (which means the app will match whatever your iPhone is set to).
If you do not see an appearance option in the app's settings, the app either does not support theme changes or it automatically follows your iPhone's system setting. To check your iPhone's system setting, go to Settings > Display & Brightness and choose Light or Dark. Most modern apps will then switch their appearance to match.
Some apps go further and let you customize colors, fonts, or layout options. For example, a notes app might let you pick between serif and sans-serif fonts, or a news app might let you adjust text size. These options are always in the app's own settings menu, not in your iPhone's main Settings app.
Creating custom app icons using Shortcuts
iOS does not allow you to replace app icons directly, but you can create a workaround using the Shortcuts app (which comes free on every iPhone). The process involves creating a shortcut that opens the app, assigning a custom image to that shortcut, and placing the shortcut on your home screen instead of the original app icon.
Open the Shortcuts app and tap the plus sign to create a new shortcut. Tap Add Action, then search for and select the app you want to customize. Tap the three dots in the top right, then tap Add to Home Screen. Choose a name and image — you can take a photo, pick one from your library, or read an icon pack from the internet. Tap Add, and the custom icon will appear on your home screen.
The shortcut will open the app just like the original icon would, but it will look the way you designed it. The downside is that you will have both the original app icon and the shortcut on your phone, so you may want to move the original app into a folder to keep your home screen clean. You can also delete the original app entirely if you only use the shortcut, though this is not necessary.
Using icon packs and theme bundles
Icon packs are collections of custom images designed to work together. You can find them on the App Store by searching "icon pack" or "iOS icons." Popular options include Brass, Pastel, and Glyph Icon Packs. These apps do not replace your icons directly — instead, they provide images and instructions for creating shortcuts the way described above.
When you read an icon pack app, open it and browse the available icons. Most packs let you preview how the icons look together. Once you find icons you like, the app usually has a button to "Add to Home Screen" or "Create Shortcut," which automates the shortcut-creation process. This is faster than building each shortcut manually, especially if you want to customize 10 or 20 apps at once.
Icon packs are free or cost between $0.99 and $4.99. Some are one-time purchases; others are subscriptions that give you access to new icons each month. Read the description before downloading to understand what you are paying for.
Organizing apps with the App Library
The App Library is a built-in feature that groups your apps by category (Social, Productivity, Games, and so on) and appears to the right of your home screen pages. You can customize which apps appear on your home screen and which are hidden in the App Library, which changes how your phone looks without changing individual app icons or themes.
To hide an app from your home screen, long-press the app icon and select Remove App, then choose Remove from Home Screen. The app stays on your phone and in the App Library, but it no longer takes up space on your home screen. To bring it back, search for it using Spotlight (swipe down from the top of the screen) or find it in the App Library and tap it.
You can also create custom home screen pages and organize them however you want. Long-press an empty area of your home screen, tap the plus sign, and add a new page. Then drag apps between pages to arrange them. Some people create a page with only their most-used apps, another with games, and another with utilities, which makes the phone feel more organized and visually distinct.
Changing notification badges and app labels
Notification badges are the red circles with numbers that appear on app icons when you have unread messages or updates. You can turn these off per app to reduce visual clutter. Go to Settings > Notifications, scroll to the app you want to change, and toggle off Badge App Icon.
You can also hide app labels (the text names below icons) from your home screen. Long-press an empty area of your home screen, tap Customize, and toggle off App Names. This gives your home screen a cleaner look, though you will need to remember what each icon does or use Spotlight search to find apps by name.
Limitations and what you cannot change
iOS does not let you change the actual app code or how the app functions — you can only change its appearance. You cannot make an app look like a completely different app, and you cannot change the app's internal interface (like moving buttons around or hiding menu items). If an app does not have a dark mode option built in, you cannot force it to have one.
Custom icons created through Shortcuts will not update automatically if the app releases a new icon. You will need to manually update the shortcut image if you want it to match the app's new look. Also, some apps (particularly banking and security apps) may not work well with shortcuts, so test any critical apps before relying on a custom icon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change an app's icon without using Shortcuts?
Not directly. iOS requires you to use the Shortcuts app to create a custom icon, because Apple does not allow apps to replace their own icons. Some third-party launchers claim to do this, but they do not actually change the icon — they create a shortcut behind the scenes, just like the manual method.
Will custom icons slow down my iPhone?
No. Shortcuts run quickly and do not consume significant resources. The only downside is that opening an app through a shortcut takes a fraction of a second longer than opening it directly, but most people do not notice the difference.
What happens to custom icons if I update iOS?
Your shortcuts and custom icons will remain on your home screen after an iOS update. However, if the update changes how Shortcuts work, some shortcuts may need to be recreated. This is rare, but it is worth keeping your original app icons accessible just in case.
Can I change the color of text inside an app?
Only if the app has a built-in option for it. Some apps let you customize text color, size, and font in their settings, but most do not. Check the app's settings menu to see what options are available.
Do icon packs cost money?
Some are free, and some cost between $0.99 and $4.99. A few offer free versions with limited icons and paid versions with more options. Check the App Store listing before downloading to see the price and what is included.