How to Rearrange Apps on iPhone (Home Screen, Folders, and App Library)

iPhone Home Screens are easier to tame once you stop thinking in “iOS 13 jiggle only” terms. Current iOS still uses jiggle mode to drag icons, but App Library, removable Home Screen icons, and hidden pages do most of the real cleanup.

The steps below use iOS 17 and iOS 18 menu layouts. Labels may vary by software version. For update headaches, see fixing iOS update problems.

Jiggle mode: move apps on the Home Screen

1. Touch and hold any empty spot on the Home Screen until the icons jiggle (or touch and hold an app → Edit Home Screen).
2. Drag an app to a new place, to the Dock edge, or to the screen edge to move it to another page.
3. Tap Done (or the checkmark) in the top corner when finished.

On iPhones with Face ID, you can also press and hold, then start dragging without waiting through a long menu — once jiggling, everything moves freely.

Create and rename folders

1. In jiggle mode, drag one app onto another to make a folder.
2. Drop more apps into the folder; swipe inside the folder if you fill the first page.
3. Tap the folder name to rename it, then tap outside or Done.

Keep high-frequency apps on the first page or Dock. Folders are for clusters (travel, banking, photo tools), not for hiding things you open daily.

App Library: find apps without a Home Screen icon

Swipe left past your last Home Screen page to open App Library. Apps are auto-grouped; use the search field at the top to jump straight to a name. New downloads can go to App Library only if you enable that behavior under Settings → Home Screen & App Library (wording may say Home Screen).

Remove an app from Home Screen without deleting it

1. Touch and hold the app icon.
2. Tap Remove App.
3. Choose Remove from Home Screen to keep the app installed and findable in App Library / Spotlight.
4. Choose Delete App only when you want the app and its local data gone.

This is the cleanest way to declutter without uninstalling.

Hide Home Screen pages

1. Enter jiggle mode.
2. Tap the page dots above the Dock.
3. Uncheck the page you want hidden, then tap Done.

Hidden pages are not deleted — re-check them later to bring the layout back. Apps on those pages remain installed.

Locked and Hidden albums are not the same as app folders

Photos has Locked / Hidden albums; that is unrelated to Home Screen folders. Do not expect a folder on the Home Screen to require Face ID unless you use Screen Time app limits or a dedicated lock feature inside that app (for example WhatsApp’s chat lock).

Reset Home Screen layout

Nuclear option: Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Home Screen Layout. That restores default icon placement and removes folders you built — apps stay installed. Use it when the layout is beyond saving.

Dock and suggested apps

The Dock holds up to four apps (plus the App Library icon on some layouts). In jiggle mode, drag an app onto the Dock to pin it; drag one off to free a slot. Suggested apps in the Dock (if enabled) rotate — turn suggestions off under Settings → Home Screen & App Library if you want a static Dock only.

A 5-minute cleanup workflow

1. Move daily drivers to page 1 and the Dock.
2. Folder the long-tail utilities (travel, finance, photo editors).
3. Remove seasonal apps from the Home Screen (keep in App Library).
4. Hide an old page of icons you never open instead of deleting apps.
5. Search App Library once to confirm nothing important vanished.

FAQs