Ever peered at your iPhone home screen and yearned for a touch of your individuality to be reflected on it? With the introduction of iOS 14, Apple has served up a fascinating feature – the power to customize iPhone’s icons. This much-anticipated feature allows you to go beyond the regular and experiment with the aesthetics of your phone. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll be taking a deep dive into this feature, breaking it down into simple steps that even those of us who aren’t tech-savvy can follow.
The Basics of Icon Customization
Customizing icons on your iPhone isn’t as daunting as it may sound. It’s all about giving a makeover to the app icons on your home screen, tailoring them to your liking. This might mean tweaking their colors, replacing them with a fun picture, or even designing a themed pattern.
Why Customize Your Icons?
Customization has a simple answer – it’s all about creating a digital space that reflects who you are. You can modify the icon to add a personal touch to your phone, enabling it to stand out from the crowd of standardized home screens. Not to mention, it’s an exciting process that allows you to explore your creative side!
Preparing for Icon Customization
Before you take the leap and dive into the customization pool, it’s important to ensure that you’re well-equipped.
iOS Version Check
The first step on this journey is to make sure your iPhone is running on iOS 14 or a newer version. The icon customization feature isn’t available on earlier versions, and upgrading your iOS ensures that you can enjoy this and other exciting features Apple has introduced.
Required Tools for Icon Customization
Icon customization is like painting, but instead of brushes and paint, you’ll need a couple of digital tools.
The Shortcut App
Think of the Shortcut app as your paintbrush. Pre-installed on all iPhones, this app is the nucleus of the customization process. It allows you to create a shortcut that can mimic the app you want to change the icon for, opening the door for you to personalize it.
Icon Packs or Graphic Design Tools
Here’s your paint – the new icons. Icon packs are available online in a multitude of designs, and there’s something out there for every aesthetic preference. Alternatively, if you fancy yourself as a bit of a designer, you can use graphic design tools like Canva to create your own icons, offering an even higher level of personalization.
And let’s not forget the “iOS app icon set“. These are sets of ready-made icons that you can download and apply directly, saving you the time and effort of creating each icon individually.
Step-by-Step Guide to Customizing Icons
Armed with the necessary tools, you’re now ready to dive into the customization process.
Creating Your New Icon with Shortcuts
Setting the App
Firstly, open the Shortcuts app. Tap on the “+” icon located on the top-right corner of the app to create a new shortcut.
Creating the Shortcut
Then, add an action. To do this, tap on ‘Add Action’, and in the search bar that appears, type ‘Open App’. From the actions list, select the ‘Open App’ option. This will lead you to a screen where you’ll tap ‘Choose’, allowing you to select the app you want to change the icon for.
After you’ve chosen the app, tap on the three-dot icon located at the top of the screen. Then, select ‘Add to Home Screen’. Now comes the fun part – tap on the placeholder app icon and choose ‘Choose Photo’ to select your new icon!
Using an Icon Pack or Design Tool
If you’re using an icon pack or the iOS app icon set, the process is simplified. Simply download your preferred pack or set and save the icons you want to use. Apply these icons using the process we’ve explained above.
If you prefer to create your own designs, graphic design tools like Canva come in handy. Once you’ve let your creativity run wild and design your perfect icon, save it, and apply it using the same steps as above.
Customization Tips and Tricks
Now that you’ve mastered the basics, you can experiment with different styles and create a home screen that is truly a reflection of you.
Combining Different Icon Styles
There’s no rulebook that says you have to stick to one style of icons. Feel free to mix and match different icon styles to create a layout that resonates with you. You could have a row of minimalistic black-and-white icons, followed by a row of vibrant, geometrically patterned icons. The sky’s the limit!
Designing Aesthetically Pleasing Home Screens
When customizing, don’t forget to consider your wallpaper. Choose icons that contrast nicely with your background for a striking look, or go for a harmonious color palette for a seamless aesthetic.
Conclusion
The ability to customize iPhone icons opens up a whole new world of possibilities for personalizing your device. Gone are the days of a monotonous home screen, replaced by a canvas where you can express your style and personality. This process, far from being a daunting tech exercise, is accessible and user-friendly with a bit of guidance.
As we’ve outlined, by simply using the Shortcuts app on your iPhone, along with icon packs, graphic design tools, or iOS app icon sets, you can redefine your digital space. You have the liberty to craft an aesthetically pleasing layout that resonates with your personal style – whether that’s minimalist, vibrant, and colorful, or a unique mix of different themes.
