An app icon can land in the wrong place after a download, a reset, or a quick drag that went sideways. You can move it back without deleting the app, and most Home Screen fixes take less than a minute once the icons are in edit mode.
Move an app on the same Home Screen
Use this when the app is already on the page you want. Go to the Home Screen that contains the app you want to move. Touch and hold the Home Screen background until the apps begin to jiggle. Drag the app to another open position on the page, including the top, bottom, or side of the screen.
On an iPhone with a Home button, press the Home button when you are finished. On other iPhone models, tap the Home Screen background to finish.
Move apps between Home Screen pages
Touch and hold the app until the apps jiggle. Drag the app to the right edge of the screen and hold it there for a moment. Place the app where you want it when the next page appears.
Drag the app toward the left or right side when page dots appear beside the bright dot and you want an existing page. Drag the app to the right edge when there are no dots to the right and you want to create a new Home Screen page. On iPhone models where Search appears at the bottom instead of page dots, scroll through your Home Screen pages to see the page positions. Move one app first, then repeat the drag for any other icons that belong on the same page.
Place an app in the Dock
The Dock is the row at the bottom of the Home Screen, and it is best for apps you open constantly. Moving an app there uses the same edit mode as moving any other icon.
Touch and hold any app on the screen, then tap Edit Home Screen. Drag the app to the Dock at the bottom of the screen. On iPhone X and later, tap Done to save the position. On iPhone 8 and earlier, press the Home button.
Create folders for cleaner app groups
This fixes a crowded Home Screen by grouping related apps in one place. Go to the Home Screen. Touch and hold the background until the apps begin to jiggle. Drag one app onto another app to create a folder.
Drag more apps into the folder when you want them in the same group. Touch and hold the folder when you want a new name. Tap Rename. Enter the new name.
Tap Done. Open the folder when you want to move an app out. Touch and hold the app until the apps jiggle. Drag the app back to the Home Screen.
Bring back an app from the App Library
Swipe left past all of your Home Screen pages until you reach the App Library. Touch and hold the app you want to place on the Home Screen. Swipe left while still holding the app.
Place the app on the Home Screen. Tap Done when the app is in the right spot.
Touch and hold an app on the Home Screen when you want to remove its icon without deleting it. Tap Remove App. Tap Remove from Home Screen. Apps removed this way stay in the App Library.
Reorder or hide whole Home Screen pages
This fixes a layout where the apps are right, but the pages are out of order or one page no longer needs to show. Touch and hold an empty area on the Home Screen. Tap the dots near the bottom of the screen.
Tap and hold a page when you want to reorder pages. Move the page to the position you want. Tap Done.
Tap the circle under a page when you want to hide it. Tap Done. Return to the same screen and select the page again when you want to show it.
Tap the circle under a page when you want to remove that Home Screen page without deleting its apps. Tap the Remove button. Tap Remove.
Reset a badly mixed up layout
Use the Home Screen reset when dragging individual icons would take too long. Go to Settings. Tap General. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap Reset. Tap Reset Home Screen Layout. Tap Reset Home Screen.
This removes folders you created and arranges downloaded apps alphabetically after the built-in apps. Reset All Settings also resets the Home Screen layout and wallpaper, but it resets many other system settings too. If the Home Screen reset fails, check Screen Time restrictions or device management settings that can block app removal or layout changes.
Know computer and managed device limits
Most people should reposition iPhone apps directly on the iPhone. On a Mac with iPhone Mirroring, open the iPhone Mirroring app, connect to the iPhone, Control-click an app, click Edit Home Screen, then drag apps with the Mac mouse or trackpad.
iPhone Mirroring requires macOS Sequoia 15 or later on a Mac with Apple silicon or the Apple T2 Security Chip, an iPhone with iOS 18 or later and a passcode, the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and a locked nearby iPhone. The Mac also must not be sharing its internet connection or using AirPlay or Sidecar, or iPhone Mirroring will not connect.
iPhone Mirroring is unavailable in the EU. On a work or school iPhone, device management can lock the Home Screen layout, so the organization that manages the device may need to change it. Skip older iTunes instructions for rearranging iPhone apps; app, book, and tone management was removed from iTunes 12.7, so that is no longer a current consumer Home Screen method.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I move an app where I want on my iPhone?
Make sure the apps are jiggling or tap Edit Home Screen from the app menu. If the iPhone is managed by work or school, the Home Screen layout may be locked.
Can I remove an app from the Home Screen without deleting it?
Yes. Touch and hold the app, tap Remove App, then tap Remove from Home Screen. The app stays in the App Library.
How do I put an app back on the Home Screen from App Library?
Open App Library, touch and hold the app, swipe left while holding it, place it on the Home Screen, then tap Done.
Does resetting the Home Screen delete my apps?
No. Reset Home Screen Layout removes your folders and rearranges downloaded apps alphabetically after built-in apps, but it does not delete the apps.