The two ways to move apps on your iPhone

You can move apps on your iPhone in two ways: by holding down an app icon until a menu appears, or by using the App Library to drag apps into folders you create. The first method is faster if you want to move one or two apps. The second method works better if you want to reorganize your entire home screen at once.

Both methods do the same thing — they change where an app sits on your phone, but they don't change how the app works or what data it holds. Moving an app is safe and reversible. You can move it back whenever you want.

Key Takeaways

  • Hold down any app icon for two seconds until a menu pops up, then tap "Move App" to drag it to a new spot on your home screen.
  • You can move apps between home screen pages by dragging them to the edge of the screen and waiting for the next page to appear.
  • Create custom folders by dragging one app onto another app, then name the folder and add more apps to it.
  • The App Library (the last page on your home screen) automatically sorts all your apps by category, so you can find apps without moving them.
  • Moving an app does not delete it, change its settings, or affect any data stored inside it.

How to move a single app using the hold-and-drag method

Press and hold any app icon on your home screen for about two seconds. A menu will appear with several options. Tap "Move App" (or sometimes labeled "Edit Home Screen" on older iOS versions). The app icon will now be highlighted and ready to move.

Drag the app to where you want it on the same page, or drag it to the edge of the screen to move it to a different home screen page. When you reach the edge, the next page will slide into view automatically. Drop the app by releasing your finger. Tap the home button or swipe up from the bottom to finish.

If you want to move the app to a page that doesn't exist yet, drag it to the far right edge and hold it there until a new blank page appears. This is useful if you're running out of space on your current pages.

How to create folders and organize apps by category

Folders let you group related apps together so your home screen looks cleaner. To create a folder, hold down one app icon, tap "Move App," then drag that app directly onto another app. Both apps will snap together into a new folder, and iOS will suggest a category name based on what the apps do.

You can accept the suggested name or type your own. Once the folder exists, you can drag more apps into it by holding them and dragging them onto the folder icon. You can also open the folder, hold down an app inside it, and drag it back out to the home screen if you change your mind.

Folders can hold as many apps as you want, but only the first four app icons show on the folder thumbnail. The rest are hidden inside until you tap the folder to open it.

Using the App Library to find apps without moving them

The App Library is the last page on your home screen — swipe all the way to the right to see it. iOS automatically sorts every app you have into categories like Productivity, Social, Games, and Utilities. You don't have to move anything or create folders yourself.

If you want to hide an app from your home screen but keep it in the App Library, hold down the app icon, tap "Remove App," then tap "Remove from Home Screen." The app stays on your phone and in the App Library, but it won't clutter your home screen. You can still search for it using Spotlight (swipe down from the top of the screen and type the app name).

This approach is useful if you have apps you use rarely but don't want to delete. You can keep your home screen focused on the apps you use every day and find everything else through the App Library or search.

Moving apps between pages and organizing by frequency of use

Many people organize their home screens by how often they use each app. Put your most-used apps on the first page, less-used apps on the second page, and rarely-used apps on the third page or in the App Library. This saves you from swiping through multiple pages to find something you use daily.

To move an app to a different page, hold it down, tap "Move App," then drag it to the edge of the screen. Wait a moment and the next page will slide into view. Keep dragging toward the edge if you need to move it further right. You can also drag an app backward to earlier pages by dragging it toward the left edge.

Some people also organize by task — putting all communication apps (Messages, Mail, Phone) on one page, all productivity apps on another, and all entertainment apps on a third. Choose whatever organization makes sense for how you actually use your phone.

What happens to your app data when you move it

Moving an app changes only its location on your home screen. It does not delete the app, change its settings, reset your passwords, or affect any photos, messages, or data stored inside it. If you have notifications turned on for an app, those settings stay the same after you move it.

If you move an app and then realize you want it back where it was, you can always move it again. There is no limit to how many times you can rearrange your apps. You can also undo a move by using the undo gesture (swipe left with three fingers) when ready after moving an app, though this only works for the most recent action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move apps to my lock screen?

On iPhone 14 and newer models running iOS 16 or later, you can add app shortcuts to your lock screen by holding down the lock screen, tapping "Customize," and adding widgets or app shortcuts. This is different from moving apps on your home screen, but it gives you quick access to apps without unlocking your phone.

What if an app won't move when I try to drag it?

Some system apps (like Phone, Messages, and Settings) cannot be moved or deleted, but you can hide them from your home screen using the App Library method. If a third-party app won't move, try restarting your phone. If it still won't move, delete and reinstall the app from the App Store.

Can I move multiple apps at once?

You can only move one app at a time using the hold-and-drag method. However, you can speed up the process by moving several apps in quick succession. If you want to reorganize many apps, creating folders first and then moving the folders is faster than moving individual apps.

Will moving an app use up my storage space?

No. Moving an app does not change how much storage it uses on your phone. The app file stays the same size whether it's on your first home screen page or your tenth page.

Can I move apps to my iPad the same way?

Yes. iPads use the same hold-and-drag method to move apps. The process is identical — hold the app icon, tap "Move App," and drag it to a new location. iPads also have an App Library, though the layout is slightly different because of the larger screen.