Moving an app on your iPhone takes seconds once you know where to look
To move an app on your iPhone, press and hold the app icon until a menu appears, then tap Edit Home Screen. The app icon will start to jiggle. Drag it to where you want it to go, then press the home button or swipe up from the bottom to finish. The app stays on your phone — you are only changing where it appears on your screen.
This works the same way whether you want to move an app to a different spot on the same page, move it to a different page entirely, or move it into a folder with other apps. The process is identical on all recent iPhone models.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any app icon, tap Edit Home Screen, and drag the jiggling icon to its new location.
- You can move apps between pages by dragging them to the edge of the screen while in edit mode.
- Moving an app does not delete it or change any of its settings — it only changes where the icon appears.
- To stop moving apps, press the home button, swipe up from the bottom, or tap anywhere outside the app icons.
How to move an app to a different spot on the same page
Open your home screen and look at the app you want to move. Press and hold the icon with your finger until a dark menu appears above it. You will see several options, including one that says Edit Home Screen. Tap that option.
The app icon will now start to jiggle and shake slightly. This means edit mode is active. While the icon is jiggling, drag it to the empty spot where you want it. You can move it left, right, up, or down on the same page. Other apps will shift out of the way as you drag. Once the icon is in the right place, lift your finger off the screen.
To exit edit mode and stop the jiggling, press the home button at the bottom of your phone (on older models) or swipe up from the very bottom of the screen (on newer models without a home button). The app is now in its new location.
How to move an app to a different page
Start the same way: press and hold the app icon and tap Edit Home Screen. The icon will jiggle. Now, instead of dragging it to an empty spot on the same page, drag it all the way to the right edge of your screen and hold it there. Your iPhone will automatically scroll to the next page to the right.
Once the next page appears, you can place the app anywhere on that page. If you want to move it to a page even further to the right, keep dragging to the edge and your phone will keep scrolling. You can also drag an app to the left edge to move it backward to an earlier page.
When the app is where you want it, lift your finger and press the home button or swipe up to exit edit mode. The app now lives on that new page.
How to move an app into a folder
Folders let you group related apps together — for example, all your social media apps in one folder, or all your games in another. To move an app into a folder, press and hold the app icon and tap Edit Home Screen. The icon will jiggle.
Now drag the app icon on top of another app icon. Your phone will automatically create a folder and place both apps inside it. The folder will have a name based on the category of apps — for example, "Social" or "Games" — but you can change this name by tapping on the folder name while still in edit mode.
To move an app out of a folder, open the folder by tapping it, then press and hold the app you want to remove. Tap Edit Home Screen, and drag the app out of the folder onto your home screen. Exit edit mode when you are done.
What happens to the app when you move it
Moving an app changes only its location on your screen. The app itself does not change. All your settings, saved data, and notifications stay exactly the same. If you had notifications turned on for that app before you moved it, you will still get notifications after you move it.
You can move an app as many times as you want without any risk. There is no limit to how many times you can rearrange your home screen.
How to undo a move if you made a mistake
If you moved an app and now want to put it back where it was, straightforward move it again. There is no undo button, but since moving takes only a few seconds, you can quickly drag it back to its original location.
If you cannot remember where the app was originally, you can always move it to the app library instead. The app library is a separate screen that holds all your apps organized by category. Swipe to the far right of your home screen pages to see it. Every app on your phone appears there, so you can always find what you need even if you have rearranged your home screen completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move the built-in apps like Phone or Messages?
Yes. You can move any app, including the ones that came with your iPhone. Press and hold the icon, tap Edit Home Screen, and drag it like any other app. You cannot delete these built-in apps, but you can move them anywhere or put them in a folder.
What if I move an app and it disappears?
It did not disappear — it moved to a different page or into a folder. Swipe left and right across your home screen pages to find it, or swipe all the way right to the app library where every app on your phone is listed. You can also search for the app by swiping down from the top of your screen and typing its name.
Can I move multiple apps at once?
No. You move one app at a time. Press and hold, tap Edit Home Screen, drag one app, exit edit mode, then repeat for the next app. There is no way to select multiple apps and move them together in one action.
Does moving an app use up storage space?
No. Moving an app does not change how much storage it uses on your phone. Storage only changes when you read a new app, delete an app, or when an app stores new data like photos or messages.