How to Change iPhone Icons on iOS 14

With iOS 14, Apple finally let you customize your Home Screen icons using the Shortcuts app. This guide walks you through replacing any app icon with a photo, custom color, or design of your choice—no jailbreak needed. You’ll need an iPhone running iOS 14 or later, the Shortcuts app (preinstalled), and a set of custom icon images saved to your Photos library.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone with iOS 14 or newer
The Shortcuts app (preinstalled, but you can reinstall from the App Store if deleted)
Custom icon images (PNG or JPG) saved in your Photos app
Optional: a wallpaper or color scheme to match your icons

Step-by-Step

Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone. Tap the + in the top-right corner to create a new shortcut.
Tap Add Action (or the search bar) and type “Open App”. Select the Open App action from the list.
Tap the blue App field (it says “App” or “Choose”) and select the app you want to replace. For example, choose Instagram or Notes.
Tap the shortcut name at the top (it’s usually “Shortcut” or “Open App”) and rename it to match the app you’re replacing (e.g., “Instagram”). Tap Done.
Tap the three-dot menu (⋯) on the shortcut row, then tap the share icon (the square with an arrow) at the bottom of the screen.
Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
In the new screen, tap the icon thumbnail (the small app icon next to the name) to open a photo picker. Choose the custom icon image you want from your Photos. You can also take a photo or browse albums.
Adjust the image if needed (zoom, move) and tap Choose.
Rename the Home Screen button if you want it to display differently than the shortcut name. This name appears below the icon.
Tap Add in the top-right corner. The new icon appears on your Home Screen.
Repeat steps 2–10 for every app you want to customize. Each app requires its own shortcut.
After creating all your custom icons, you can delete the original app icons from the Home Screen (press and hold, then choose Remove App > Remove from Home Screen). The app itself stays installed and accessible via your custom shortcut.
To keep your Home Screen clean, group the original icons in an App Library folder or move them to a second page.

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong action: If you pick “Open URL” instead of “Open App”, the shortcut may open Safari or fail. Make sure you select the “Open App” action.
Not renaming the shortcut: If you skip renaming, the Home Screen label will show “Shortcut” or “Open App”, which looks messy.
Choosing a low-resolution image: Icons look best at 180×180 pixels (for standard) or 120×120 for older iPhones. Blurry images look bad.
Deleting the shortcut instead of the icon: If you long-press the custom icon and choose “Delete Shortcut”, you’ll lose the shortcut. Use “Remove from Home Screen” to keep it.
Forgetting that shortcuts open with a brief animation: The app will open after a quick shortcut run, which is normal.

Tips

Create a folder in Photos named “Icons” to keep all your custom images organized.
Use a consistent color palette or design style for a cohesive look.
You can use free icon packs from sites like Pinterest or Etsy, or design your own with apps like Canva.
To speed up the process, duplicate an existing shortcut and change the app and image instead of starting from scratch each time.
If you want to change an icon later, edit the shortcut (tap ⋯) and re-add it to the Home Screen with a new image.
Set your wallpaper to match your icon colors for a seamless look.

Troubleshooting

Icon doesn’t appear on Home Screen: Make sure you tapped “Add to Home Screen” after sharing the shortcut. If not, go back to the shortcut, tap share, and choose Add to Home Screen.
Shortcut opens but doesn’t launch the app: Check that the action is “Open App” and that you selected the correct app in the action. If the app is not installed, the shortcut will fail.
Custom image doesn’t show: Ensure the image is saved in your Photos library and that you selected it from the picker. If you see a blank icon, try choosing a different image.
Icon name shows “Shortcut” instead of the app name: Rename the shortcut itself (step 4) before adding to Home Screen. Also rename the Home Screen button in the Add to Home Screen dialog.
Shortcut runs but shows a notification banner: This is normal. You can disable notifications for the Shortcuts app in Settings > Notifications > Shortcuts, but this may affect other shortcut alerts.
Icon opens the Shortcuts app first: This happens if you accidentally created a shortcut that opens Shortcuts. Delete the shortcut and recreate it with the Open App action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing the icon remove the original app?

No. The original app remains installed. You can hide its icon from the Home Screen, but the app is still in your App Library and accessible via your custom shortcut.

Can I use any image as an icon?

Yes, any image from your Photos library works. For best results, use a square image with a transparent background (PNG) if you want a clean look.

Will the custom icon show a notification badge?

No. Shortcut icons do not display notification badges. You’ll see badges only on the original app icons, which you can hide.

Does this work on iOS 15, 16, or 17?

Yes, the same method works on all later versions of iOS. The Shortcuts app may look slightly different, but the steps are essentially the same.

Can I change icons without the Shortcuts app?

No, on iOS 14 and later, the Shortcuts app is the only built-in way to change icons without jailbreaking. Third-party apps like “Icon Themer” still rely on Shortcuts in the background.

Why does the app open with a delay or animation?

Shortcuts run a quick script before launching the app, which causes a brief delay. This is normal and unavoidable. You can minimize it by keeping your shortcut simple (just one Open App action).

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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