What a shortcut is and why you'd add one
A shortcut on your iPhone is a single icon on your home screen that opens an app, a website, or a folder of apps with one tap instead of hunting through multiple screens. You create it yourself — Apple doesn't decide what shortcuts appear on your phone. Once you add one, it sits on your home screen alongside your other apps and works exactly like them.
The most common reason to add a shortcut is speed: if you use one app far more than others, putting it on your home screen means you never have to swipe to find it. You might also add a shortcut to a website you visit constantly, so tapping it opens Safari directly to that page. Some people add shortcuts to folders that hold related apps together — for example, a folder called "Banking" that contains your bank app, your payment app, and your investment app.
From a security standpoint, shortcuts don't change how your phone protects you. They're just a way to organize what's already on your device. The apps themselves still require the same passwords and Face ID or Touch ID to open if you've set that up.
Key Takeaways
- You add a shortcut by holding down an empty space on your home screen, tapping the plus sign, and selecting the app or website you want.
- Shortcuts to apps appear as icons on your home screen; shortcuts to websites open Safari to that specific page.
- You can organize shortcuts into folders by dragging one icon onto another, which saves home screen space.
- Removing a shortcut deletes only the icon from your home screen — the app itself stays on your phone.
How to add a shortcut to an app
Start by unlocking your iPhone and going to your home screen. Find an empty space — any blank area between apps or at the bottom of the screen. Press and hold your finger on that empty space for about two seconds until a menu appears at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the plus sign (it looks like a circle with a plus inside). Your phone will show you a list of every app installed on your device. Scroll through the list or use the search box at the top to find the app you want. Tap the app name once to select it.
Your phone will show you a preview of how the shortcut will look. Tap "Add Shortcut" at the bottom right. The app icon will now appear on your home screen in the spot where you held down your finger. If you want to move it, press and hold the icon and drag it to a new location, then lift your finger.
How to add a shortcut to a website
Open Safari and navigate to the website you want to add. For example, if you want a shortcut to your email, go to your email provider's website and log in. Once you're on the page you want, tap the share button — it looks like a square with an arrow pointing out of it, usually at the bottom of the screen.
Scroll down through the menu that appears and tap "Add to Home Screen." A dialog box will pop up showing you what the shortcut will look like. The name field at the top will usually show the website's name, but you can change it to anything you want — for example, "My Email" instead of the full website name. Tap "Add" in the top right corner.
The shortcut will appear on your home screen as an icon. When you tap it, Safari will open directly to that website. If you were logged in when you created the shortcut, you'll usually stay logged in when you use it.
How to organize shortcuts into folders
If you have many shortcuts, putting them all on your home screen can make it crowded. You can group related shortcuts into a folder to save space. Press and hold one shortcut icon until a menu appears, then tap "Move" or "Edit Home Screen" (depending on your iPhone model). Your icons will start jiggling, which means they're in edit mode.
Drag one icon directly onto another icon that you want to group with it. Your phone will automatically create a folder and put both icons inside. You can name the folder anything you want — "Banking," "Social Media," "News," or whatever makes sense to you. Drag more icons into the folder if you want to add them.
When you're done organizing, press the home button or swipe up from the bottom of the screen to exit edit mode. The icons will stop jiggling. Now when you tap the folder, it will open and show you all the shortcuts inside.
How to remove a shortcut from your home screen
Press and hold the shortcut icon you want to remove. A menu will appear with several options. Tap "Remove from Home Screen." The icon will disappear from your home screen when ready.
This only removes the shortcut — the app itself is still on your phone. If you added a shortcut to an app, the app is still in your App Library (the screen that shows all your apps). If you added a shortcut to a website, you can still visit that website by opening Safari and typing the address. Removing a shortcut doesn't delete anything; it just cleans up your home screen.
Troubleshooting shortcuts that don't work
If you tap a shortcut and nothing happens, the most common cause is that you're not connected to the internet. Website shortcuts need an internet connection to load. Check that Wi-Fi or cellular data is turned on, then try again.
If a shortcut to an app doesn't open the app, try restarting your iPhone. Press and hold the power button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, then slide it to turn off your phone. Wait a few seconds, then press the power button again to turn it back on. Once your phone restarts, try the shortcut again.
If you deleted an app and its shortcut is still on your home screen, tapping it will show an error. Remove the shortcut using the steps above, then reinstall the app from the App Store if you want it back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change what a shortcut looks like?
Yes. Press and hold the shortcut icon and tap "Edit Home Screen." Your icons will jiggle. Tap the icon again and you can change its name and choose a different image or color. When you're done, press the home button or swipe up to exit edit mode.
What's the difference between a shortcut and an app?
An app is the actual program on your phone. A shortcut is just an icon that opens it. You can have multiple shortcuts to the same app on different home screens if you want, but there's only one copy of the app itself on your device.
Can I add a shortcut to a specific part of an app, like a certain folder in my email?
Some apps support this through their settings, but most don't. Website shortcuts work this way — you can create a shortcut to a specific page. For apps, shortcuts usually just open the app to its main screen.
Do shortcuts use more storage space?
No. Shortcuts are just links to apps or websites that are already on your phone. They take up almost no storage space — just a few kilobytes for the icon.
Can I organize shortcuts on different home screens?
Yes. You can swipe left and right between home screens, and you can add shortcuts to any of them. You can also create a new home screen by pressing and holding an empty space, tapping the plus sign, and then swiping to the rightmost screen and tapping the plus icon there.