Ever feel like your iPhone is a cluttered digital junk drawer? You download a cool new app, it lands on page three, and suddenly your perfectly curated home screen looks like a mess. Most of us just drag icons one by one, which feels like trying to move a mountain with a teaspoon.
But honestly, there are way faster ways to handle this. Since the release of iOS 18, the rules have changed. You aren't stuck with that rigid, top-to-bottom grid anymore. You can basically put your icons anywhere, like furniture in a room.
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Moving Apps on iPhone: The Basics You Probably Know
To get started, you've gotta enter what Apple nerds call "Jiggle Mode." It’s that shaky state where every icon looks like it’s caffeinated.
Just long-press any empty spot on your wallpaper. You don't even have to touch an app. Hold it for about two seconds, and everything starts vibrating. Once you’re in this mode, you just grab an app and slide it around. If you want to move it to a different screen, drag it to the very edge and hold it there. The page will flip. It takes a second sometimes, so don't get impatient.
The New iOS 18 "Free Placement" Rules
For years, if you moved an app, every other app would scurry around to fill the gap. It was annoying. Now, if you're on iOS 18 or later, you can leave empty spaces. Want your apps only at the bottom so your thumb can reach them? Go for it. Want to frame your kid's face in your wallpaper? You can finally do that.
The apps still snap to an invisible grid, but they don't force each other into the next available slot. This is a huge win for anyone who likes a clean aesthetic.
The "Pro" Trick: How to Move Multiple Apps at Once
This is the one that blows people's minds. If you have twenty apps to move to a new folder or page, do not move them one at a time. That’s a waste of your life.
- Enter jiggle mode by holding the background.
- Start dragging one app—just pull it slightly away from its spot, but don't let go.
- While holding that first app with one finger, use another finger to tap every other app you want to move.
- You'll see them stack up under your first finger. A little blue number will show you how many you've "grabbed."
- Drag the whole stack to a new page or into a folder and let go.
It feels like magic the first time you do it. 15 apps moved in five seconds. Boom.
Organizing With Folders and the App Library
Folders are great, but they can also be black holes where apps go to die. To make one, just drag one app directly on top of another. The iPhone will automatically name it based on the category (like "Social" or "Utilities"), but you can just tap the name and change it to whatever you want. I use "Daily" for the stuff I actually open.
Dealing with the App Library
Sometimes you don't want an app on your home screen at all, but you don't want to delete it either.
- Long-press the app.
- Hit Remove App.
- Choose Remove from Home Screen.
The app is still on your phone; it’s just tucked away in the App Library (the very last page when you swipe left). This is the best way to hide those "just in case" apps like airline trackers or that one random parking app you use once a year.
Customizing Icon Looks
Apple also added the ability to "Tint" your icons in the newer updates. If you're already in jiggle mode, tap Edit in the top left, then Customize. You can make all your icons dark, or even tint them a specific color to match your vibe.
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There's also a "Large" option. This makes the icons bigger and hides the text names underneath. It looks super sleek, though it might take you a week to remember which bank app is which without the labels.
What to do if things get messy
If you go overboard and your home screen becomes a disaster, there's a panic button. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset. Tap Reset Home Screen Layout.
Warning: This will delete all your folders and put everything back in the factory-default order. It’s a bit nuclear, but sometimes a fresh start is exactly what a cluttered phone needs.
To keep your phone organized moving forward, you should check your "Newly Downloaded Apps" setting. Go to Settings > Home Screen & App Library. If you hate clutter, set it to "App Library Only." That way, new downloads don't mess up your layout; they just wait for you in the library until you're ready to place them.