In September, Apple released its latest operating software, iOS 14, to the world. This update gives users an unprecedented ability to customize and design their devices with widgets, app icons, and more. But with your entire iPhone as a canvas, it can be kind of hard to know where to start. Don’t worry, though — here’s a list of tips you can use to unleash your creativity and personalize your phone screen.
- Utilize the app library
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One pesky problem for many iPhone users is that our home screens can become easily cluttered with apps we don’t often use. But the iOS 14 “App Library” solves this problem. This is a new page at the end of your home screen that will automatically categorize all your apps for you. You can move apps to the library so that they don’t show up on your main home screen, without deleting them entirely. To do so, simply hold down on an app and press “Move to App Library.”
- Come up with a theme or aesthetic
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On iOS 14, you can design your phone according to any theme you can dream of. That could be a color, a season, your favorite hobby, a TV show, or music genre. Or you could even go for a more traditional internet aesthetic, like cottagecore, dark academia, vaporwave, or Y2K.
And feel free to have some fun with this! People have even made Club Penguin and Mean Girls-themed phone screens.
- Use widgets
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One standout feature of iOS 14 are the custom widgets. These can be used to display news, reminders, the weather, or whatever, really. You can use the ones built-in to different apps, but you can also make your own. Widgetsmith and Color Widgets are two popular apps that you can use for this. Popular custom widget designs include motivational quotes, to-do lists, and favorite pictures.
- Make custom app icons
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Using the shortcuts feature, you can make custom icon covers for your apps. You can make these yourself or find pictures for them online. The how-to is kind of difficult to explain in words, but this video provides a really great tutorial.
- Make use of Pinterest
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Pinterest is an amazing way to find inspiration and ideas for your home screen. You can also use it to find photos for your widgets or icons. Simply search for “iOS 14 home screen ideas” to get started.
And that’s all! But if you’re still looking for more inspiration or tips, there are SO many good resources online, primarily on TikTok and YouTube. A quick Google search will get you headed in the right direction. Or you can even ask your friends to share what their home screens look like. Happy customizing!