What adding an icon to your home screen actually does
Adding an icon to your home screen creates a shortcut to an app or website that sits on the main page you see when you unlock your phone or tablet. It does not install anything new — the app or website already exists somewhere on your device or online. The icon is just a faster way to reach it without digging through menus.
On an iPhone, this shortcut is called a home screen icon or app icon. On Android, it works the same way but the steps are slightly different. Either way, you are not changing how the app works or taking up much extra storage — you are just moving a button to a place you see first.
Key Takeaways
- Home screen icons are shortcuts to apps or websites you already have, not new installations.
- On iPhone, you long-press an app in the App Store or your library and choose "Add to Home Screen".
- On Android, you long-press an app icon and drag it to your home screen, or use the "Add to Home Screen" menu option.
- You can add websites as icons too by using your browser's menu to create a home screen shortcut.
- Removing a home screen icon does not delete the app itself, only the shortcut.
How to add an app icon on iPhone
Open the App Store and find the app you want. Tap the cloud icon (if you already own it) or the price button (if you need to read it first). Once the app is on your phone, open the App Store again and search for that app. Long-press the app name or icon in the search results — a menu will pop up with several options.
Tap "Add to Home Screen". A preview will show you what the icon will look like. Tap "Add" in the top right corner. The icon now appears on your home screen, usually at the end of your last page. You can drag it to any position you want by long-pressing and holding it, then dragging it to a new spot.
If you want to add a website as an icon instead, open Safari, navigate to the website, tap the share button (the square with an arrow), scroll down and tap "Add to Home Screen", then tap "Add". The website will appear as an icon you can tap to open it directly in Safari.
How to add an app icon on Android
Find the app in your app drawer (the grid icon that shows all your apps) or in Google Play Store. Long-press the app icon — a menu or set of options will appear. Look for "Add to Home Screen" or a plus sign icon. Tap it, and the app icon will appear on your home screen.
If the menu does not show that option, try a different approach: long-press an empty space on your home screen itself. A menu will pop up with options including "Widgets" or "Apps". Tap "Apps", find the app you want, and tap it to add the icon to that spot on your screen.
For websites on Android, open Chrome or your default browser, go to the website, tap the three-dot menu in the top right, and select "Add to Home Screen". Name the shortcut if you want to change it, then tap "Add". The website will now open in your browser when you tap the icon.
Moving and organizing icons once they are on your home screen
Once an icon is on your home screen, you can move it anywhere. Long-press the icon until it lifts slightly off the screen (you will feel a small vibration on most phones). Drag it to a new position on the same page or to a different page. Release it when it is where you want it.
You can create folders to group related icons together. On iPhone, drag one icon on top of another — they will automatically create a folder. On Android, long-press an icon, tap "Create folder" or drag it onto another icon, depending on your phone model. Name the folder if you want, and tap outside it to close it.
Removing an icon from your home screen
Removing a home screen icon does not delete the app. It only removes the shortcut from your main screen. The app stays on your phone and you can still find it in your app library (iPhone) or app drawer (Android).
On iPhone, long-press the icon and tap "Remove from Home Screen", then tap "Remove". On Android, long-press the icon and tap the trash or minus icon, or select "Remove from Home Screen". The icon disappears, but the app is still there if you need it later.
Why you might want icons for websites instead of apps
Some websites work well as home screen shortcuts even though they are not apps. Gmail, Google Maps, Twitter, and banking websites all work this way. The shortcut opens the website in your browser, but it looks and feels like an app icon on your home screen.
This is useful if you use a website regularly but do not want to read the full app, or if the app takes up storage space you do not have. The website shortcut uses almost no space and updates automatically whenever you visit the site. The trade-off is that it is slightly slower to load than a native app, and you do not get notifications the way you would from an installed app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does adding an icon to my home screen use more storage?
No. A home screen icon is just a shortcut — it does not duplicate the app or use extra space. The app itself was already on your phone. You are only creating a faster way to reach it.
Can I add the same app icon multiple times to my home screen?
On iPhone, you can add the same app multiple times, and each icon can open the app to a different place (like a specific email folder or contact). On Android, most phones allow this too, though it is less common. Check your phone's home screen settings if you want to try it.
What happens if I delete an app — does the home screen icon disappear?
Yes. When you delete an app from your phone, the home screen icon becomes broken and will not work. You can remove the dead icon by long-pressing it and selecting remove, or it may disappear on its own after a few seconds.
Can I change what an icon looks like?
On iPhone, you can create custom icons using the Shortcuts app, which lets you design how the icon appears. On Android, some launcher apps let you change icon appearance, but this requires downloading a separate app. Most phones do not allow you to change the built-in icon design.
Why does my website icon open in a browser instead of like an app?
Website shortcuts are designed to open in your browser because they are not installed apps — they are just links. If you want a website to feel more like an app, some phones have a "Install app" option in the browser menu that creates a more app-like experience, though this still opens the website, not a separate program.