How to Change iPhone App Icons with Shortcuts

Changing your iPhone app icons gives your home screen a custom look without jailbreaking. Using the built-in Shortcuts app, you can replace any app icon with a photo, color, or design of your choice. This guide walks you through the process step by step, from creating a shortcut to adding it to your home screen.

What You’ll Need

• An iPhone running iOS 14 or later (Shortcuts is pre-installed).
• The icon image you want to use (can be from your Photos, a downloaded image, or a screenshot).
• Optional: An app icon pack or images saved to your Photos library.

Step-by-Step

1. Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone. It’s a blue icon with white shortcuts symbols.
2. Tap the + (plus) button in the top right corner to create a new shortcut.
3. Tap Add Action (the blue button with a plus).
4. In the search bar, type Open App and select the action Open App from the list.
5. Tap the blue App text (or “Choose”) and select the app you want to customize from the list. For example, if you want to change the Instagram icon, choose Instagram.
6. Tap the shortcut name (currently “Open App”) at the top of the screen. This opens the shortcut settings.
7. Rename the shortcut to the app’s name (e.g., “Instagram”) so it’s easy to recognize.
8. Tap Add to Home Screen (it may be under “Home Screen” in the settings).
9. In the “Add to Home Screen” window, you’ll see the shortcut name and an icon preview. Tap the icon placeholder (the default shortcut icon) next to the name.
10. Choose Choose Photo or Choose File to select your custom icon image. You can also take a photo if you prefer.
11. Adjust the image if needed (you can move and scale it), then tap Add in the top right corner.
12. Tap Done in the top right of the shortcut settings to save.
13. Your new icon appears on the home screen. Tap it to launch the app.
14. To remove the original app icon, long-press the original app icon, tap Remove App, then Remove from Home Screen (the app stays in your App Library).

Common Mistakes

• Not renaming the shortcut: If you leave the shortcut name as “Open App,” your home screen will show “Open App” instead of the app name.
• Choosing the wrong action: Make sure you select “Open App” and not “Open URL” or another action. Otherwise, the shortcut won’t launch the app correctly.
• Deleting the original app: If you delete the app entirely (not just from the home screen), the shortcut won’t work because the app is gone.
• Using a low-resolution image: A blurry or pixelated icon will look bad on your home screen. Use a high-quality image (at least 180×180 pixels).
• Not testing the shortcut: After adding, tap the new icon to ensure it opens the correct app. Sometimes the wrong app is selected.

Tips

• Create a consistent theme: Use the same color palette or style for all your icons to make your home screen look cohesive.
• Use transparent icons: For a minimal look, you can create icons with a transparent background using apps like Canva or photo editors.
• Batch create shortcuts: You can duplicate a shortcut by swiping left on it and tapping “Duplicate,” then change the app and icon. This speeds up the process.
• Use a shortcut to open a specific page: If you want the icon to open a specific feature (like a website or a playlist), you can add additional actions before “Open App” (e.g., “Open URL” or “Play Playlist”).
• Keep the original app in App Library: Removing the icon from the home screen doesn’t delete the app. You can still access it via App Library or Spotlight search.

Troubleshooting

• Icon doesn’t appear on home screen: After tapping “Add to Home Screen,” make sure you tap “Add” in the top right. If it still doesn’t appear, try restarting your iPhone or going to Settings > Shortcuts and toggling “Sync iCloud” off and on.
• Shortcut opens the Shortcuts app instead of the app: This usually means you didn’t add the “Open App” action, or you selected the wrong app. Edit the shortcut and check the action.
• Icon is blurry: Use a higher-resolution image. The home screen icon size is about 180×180 pixels, but a larger image (like 512×512) will look sharper.
• Shortcut doesn’t run at all: Make sure the app is installed. If you deleted the app, the shortcut will fail. Also, check if the shortcut is enabled in Settings > Shortcuts > Advanced (allow untrusted shortcuts may need to be enabled if you downloaded a shortcut).
• Icon shows a white square: This happens when the image format isn’t supported (e.g., a PDF). Convert the image to PNG or JPG before using it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this change the app’s actual icon everywhere?

No, it only changes the home screen shortcut. The app’s icon in the App Library, Settings, and other places remains the original.

Can I change icons without the Shortcuts app?

No, the Shortcuts app is the only built-in way to do this without jailbreaking. Third-party apps like “Icon Themer” use Shortcuts under the hood.

Will the shortcut open the app faster than normal?

It opens the app directly, but there is a brief moment where the Shortcuts app may flash before the app opens. This is normal.

Can I use a GIF as an icon?

No, the icon must be a static image. GIFs will only show the first frame, and it may not animate.

Does this work on iPad?

Yes, the same process works on iPadOS 14 and later, as long as the Shortcuts app is available.

Can I change the icon of a website or a folder?

You can create a shortcut that opens a website (using “Open URL” action) and add it to the home screen with a custom icon. For folders, you cannot change the folder icon directly.

Related

• Power Management Tab Missing in Device Manager on Windows 11
• Fix Microphone Not Detected in Windows 11
• Dell BIOS Password Removal: Step-by-Step Guide