Moving an app on your iPhone takes about 10 seconds
To move an app, press and hold it until a menu appears, then tap Edit Home Screen. The app icon will start to wiggle. Drag it to the spot where you want it to go, then press the home button or swipe up from the bottom to stop editing. The app stays in that location until you move it again.
This works for apps on your main home screen. If you want to move an app to a different screen entirely, you can drag it to the edge of the screen while in edit mode, and it will slide to the next screen. You can also move apps into folders, which keeps your home screen organized if you have many apps.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any app icon until a menu appears, then select Edit Home Screen to enter move mode.
- While in edit mode, drag the app to any position on your current screen or to the edge to move it to another screen.
- You can drag an app onto another app to create a folder and organize related apps together.
- Press the home button or swipe up from the bottom to exit edit mode and lock the app in its new location.
Moving apps between screens
If you have multiple home screens, you can move an app from one screen to another without leaving edit mode. While holding the app icon, drag it toward the right or left edge of your screen. After a moment, the screen will shift to the next page, and you can drop the app there.
This is useful if you organize your apps by category — for example, keeping all your social media apps on one screen and all your productivity apps on another. You can move as many apps as you want in a single edit session before pressing home to finish.
Creating folders to group apps
Instead of spreading apps across multiple screens, you can create a folder to hold related apps in one spot. While in edit mode, drag one app directly onto another app. Your iPhone will automatically create a folder and suggest a category name based on the app types.
You can rename the folder by tapping the name field at the top of the folder. For example, if you drag your banking app onto your investment app, iPhone might suggest "Finance" — but you can change it to "Money" or anything else you prefer. You can add more apps to the folder later by dragging them in the same way.
Organizing your home screen layout
Most people keep their most-used apps on the first home screen for quick access. Less frequently used apps go on later screens or inside folders. Some people put all their games in one folder, all their communication apps in another, and keep utilities like Settings or Health on a separate screen.
There is no right way to organize — it depends on what you use most. You can rearrange your entire home screen in a few minutes if you change your mind about the layout. The changes take effect when ready once you exit edit mode.
Moving apps back to the App Library
If you move an app off your home screen entirely, it does not disappear from your iPhone. It moves to the App Library, which is the last screen you see when you swipe all the way to the right. The App Library automatically sorts your apps into categories like Productivity, Entertainment, and Utilities.
You can still open apps from the App Library by searching for them or browsing the categories. Some people prefer to keep only their most-used apps on the home screen and let everything else live in the App Library. You can move an app back to your home screen anytime by pressing and holding it in the App Library and selecting Add to Home Screen.
What happens to app notifications and badges
Moving an app does not affect its notifications or the red badge numbers that show unread messages or updates. If your Mail app shows a red circle with "5" on it, that badge will follow the app wherever you move it. Notifications will still arrive at the same time, regardless of which screen the app is on.
This means you can organize your home screen however you want without worrying that you will miss alerts. The only thing that changes is the location of the icon — everything else about how the app works stays the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move multiple apps at once?
No, you move one app at a time. However, edit mode stays active until you press home, so you can move many apps in quick succession without having to re-enter edit mode each time. This makes it fast to reorganize your entire home screen in one session.
What if I accidentally move an app to the wrong place?
You can move it again when ready. As long as you are still in edit mode (the icons are still wiggling), you can drag the app to a different location. If you have already exited edit mode, just press and hold the app again and repeat the process.
Can I move apps that came with my iPhone?
Yes, all apps can be moved, including built-in apps like Settings, Camera, and Weather. The only exception is the home screen dock at the bottom — you can rearrange apps in the dock, but you cannot remove all apps from it.
Do I need to delete an app to move it off my home screen?
No. If you want an app to stay on your iPhone but not on your home screen, just drag it off the screen entirely or move it to the App Library. The app remains installed and you can still open it by searching or browsing the App Library.
Will moving an app affect my data or settings?
Moving an app does not change anything about how it works or what data it stores. Your login information, saved files, preferences, and everything else stays exactly the same. You are only changing where the icon appears on your screen.