You can change app icon colors on iPhone through shortcuts, app themes, or by creating custom icons

iPhone does not let you change the color of built-in app icons directly from Settings. Instead, you have three real paths: use the Shortcuts app to create colored icon replacements that sit on your home screen, switch to an app that offers themed icons, or create custom icons using the Files app and a shortcut. The Shortcuts method is the most common because it works with any app and gives you full control over the icon appearance.

The trade-off is that these are not the real app icons — they are shortcuts that launch the app. When you tap them, they open the app you want, but they sit separately on your home screen and do not update with notification badges the way the original icons do. If you want notification badges to work, you will need to keep the original app icon visible as well.

Key Takeaways

  • The Shortcuts app lets you create custom-colored icons that launch any app, and these sit on your home screen alongside or instead of the original icons.
  • Custom icons created through Shortcuts do not show notification badges, so you may need to keep the original app icon visible if you rely on those alerts.
  • Third-party apps like Pastel, Unfolder, and Coloful offer pre-made themed icon packs that change the look of your entire home screen at once.
  • Creating a custom icon takes about two minutes per app and requires only the Shortcuts app, which comes built into iOS.

Creating custom icons with the Shortcuts app

Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone — it comes pre-installed and looks like a purple square with a white play symbol. Tap the plus icon in the top right corner to create a new shortcut. Tap "Add Action" and search for "Open App". Select the app you want to create an icon for, then tap the three dots at the top of the screen.

Tap "Add to Home Screen" and a dialog will appear. You will see a small preview of the app icon on the left. Tap that icon preview to change it. Choose "Choose Photo" to upload an image from your camera roll, or tap "Choose Color" to pick a solid color background. After you select your color or image, name the shortcut something straightforward — this name will appear below the icon on your home screen. Tap "Add" and the custom icon will appear on your home screen.

You can repeat this process for as many apps as you want. Each shortcut launches the real app when tapped, so the functionality is identical to the original icon. The only difference is appearance and the lack of notification badges.

Using icon pack apps for a coordinated look

Apps like Pastel, Unfolder, Coloful, and Aesthetic let you read pre-designed icon packs that change the appearance of multiple apps at once. These apps work by creating shortcuts in bulk — you choose an icon pack, select which apps you want to customize, and the app generates all the shortcuts for you automatically.

Open one of these apps from the App Store and browse the available icon packs. Most offer free packs and paid packs. Select a pack you like and tap "explore" or "Install". The app will ask which apps you want to customize — you can select all of them or just a few. Once you confirm, the app creates shortcuts for each app and places them on your home screen, usually organized into folders by category.

The advantage of this method is speed and consistency. Instead of creating icons one at a time, you get a complete themed home screen in minutes. The disadvantage is less flexibility — you are limited to the colors and designs in the pack you choose, and you cannot easily mix packs or create hybrid looks.

Creating icons from images in the Files app

If you want to use a specific image as an icon — a photo, a screenshot, or a design you created — you can store it in the Files app and create a shortcut that points to it. Open the Files app and navigate to iCloud Drive or On My iPhone. Create a new folder called "App Icons" or something similar. Upload or take a photo of the image you want to use as an icon.

Open Shortcuts and create a new shortcut. Add the "Open App" action for the app you want to customize. Tap the three dots and select "Add to Home Screen". Tap the icon preview and choose "Choose Photo". Navigate to the Files app folder where you stored your image and select it. Name the shortcut and tap "Add".

This method gives you the most control over the final appearance because you can use any image — a custom design, a screenshot, a photo, or a graphic you made in another app. The process takes slightly longer than using a color, but the result is unique to your phone.

Why custom icons do not show notification badges

When you create a shortcut icon, it is technically a separate app from the original. iOS sends notification badges to the real app icon, not to the shortcut. This means if you have unread messages in Mail, the badge will appear on the original Mail icon in your app library, not on your custom Mail shortcut on the home screen.

If you rely on notification badges to know when you have unread messages or alerts, keep the original app icon visible somewhere — either on your home screen, in a folder, or in the app library. You do not need to use it; it just needs to exist so the badge has somewhere to appear. Many people keep original icons in a folder labeled "Badges" or similar, hidden on a second home screen page.

Organizing custom icons into folders

Once you have created several custom icons, your home screen can get crowded. You can organize them into folders the same way you would organize regular apps. Long-press on a custom icon and select "Move" or "Edit Home Screen". Drag the icon onto another icon to create a folder, or drag it into an existing folder. Name the folder something descriptive like "Social Media" or "Productivity".

Folders help keep your home screen clean while still giving you quick access to your custom icons. You can create as many folders as you need, and the custom icons behave exactly like regular app icons for organization purposes.

Removing or changing custom icons later

If you want to remove a custom icon, long-press it and select "Remove" or "Delete". This removes only the shortcut from your home screen — it does not uninstall the app itself. The original app remains in your app library and continues to work normally.

To change a custom icon's appearance, open the Shortcuts app, find the shortcut in your library, tap the three dots next to it, and select "Edit". Tap the icon preview and choose a new color or image. Your home screen icon will update automatically. You can change icons as many times as you want without affecting the app's functionality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the color of the built-in iOS app icons without using shortcuts?

No. iOS does not provide a setting to change the color of official app icons. Your only options are creating shortcuts through the Shortcuts app, using a third-party icon pack app, or switching to an app that offers themed versions of itself. Apple does not allow direct modification of system app icons.

Will changing icon colors affect how the app works?

No. Custom icons are just visual shortcuts that launch the real app. The app itself works exactly the same way — all your data, settings, and functionality remain unchanged. The only difference is what the icon looks like on your home screen.

Can I use a photo of a person as an app icon?

Yes. You can use any image from your camera roll as an icon. Open the Shortcuts app, create a shortcut for the app you want, tap "Add to Home Screen", tap the icon preview, and choose "Choose Photo". Select any photo you have saved. The image will be cropped to fit the icon shape, so test it first to make sure it looks good when reduced to icon size.

What happens to my custom icons if I update iOS?

Your custom icons will remain on your home screen after an iOS update. The shortcuts themselves are stored locally on your phone and do not get removed or reset by system updates. However, if you restore your phone from scratch, you will need to recreate the shortcuts.

Can I share custom icons with someone else?

You can share the shortcut itself through the Shortcuts app. Open the shortcut, tap the three dots, and select "Share". You can send it via Messages, Mail, or AirDrop. The person receiving it can add it to their own phone, though they will need to have the same app installed for the shortcut to work.