Apple has released iOS 18, bringing a host of new features and improvements to the iPhone. One of the most significant changes is the introduction of enhanced home screen customization options. Users can now access these new capabilities by long-pressing on the home screen and tapping the “Edit” button.
Today is official iOS 18 rollout day! iPhone users can officially put homescreen icons wherever they want now. Huge.
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— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) September 16, 2024
Apple’s new password app alerts users to update a weak password or one that’s been used before. “The broader goal is to have more people using unique passwords and having more general online security,” EFF’s Thorin Klosowski told @CNBC. https://t.co/curs7I8jU9
— EFF (@EFF) September 16, 2024
This brings up a menu with options to add widgets, customize the appearance, and edit the visibility of home screen pages. The “Customize” option opens a panel that allows users to toggle between dark and light modes, change the size of icons, and apply color tints to app icons. The color tinting feature works with all icons, not just those from apps that have been specifically updated to support it.
If you've just recently installed iOS 18, what are your impressions? What do you like and what you don’t? pic.twitter.com/FPPNLOYlJd
— Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) September 17, 2024
While the process of moving and arranging icons still relies on the familiar “wiggle mode,” the new customization options make it less frustrating.
Enhanced home screen customization options
Icons can now be placed on the grid without requiring another icon to be positioned to their left or above them.
This means users can avoid accidentally creating folders or displacing icons across multiple pages. Although icons must still snap to the grid, the increased flexibility is a significant improvement over the previous system. Users can now create minimalist layouts, alternate icon placement, or arrange their apps in unique patterns.
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— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) September 16, 2024
These changes in iOS 18 address the long-standing desire for greater home screen customization among iPhone users. The new options bring iOS closer to the level of personalization offered by other platforms, such as Android. As users explore these features, they can look forward to crafting home screen layouts that better suit their preferences and needs, whether they prefer a clean and simple design or a more creative and expressive arrangement.
