Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter.

iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1
While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce the ability to create blank spaces, rows, and columns between app icons.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman was first to report that the iPhone would get a "more customizable" Home Screen starting with iOS 18. It is already possible to customize the Home Screen and create blank app icons with apps such as Shortcuts and Widgetsmith, but Apple's own personalization options will be more convenient and official.

iPhone users have already been able to customize the Lock Screen since iOS 16, and we expect the Home Screen to receive similar treatment with iOS 18. The update will introduce additional customization options for the Home Screen, according to our sources, and this could result in the biggest Home Screen revamp in several years.


Apple will announce iOS 18 at its annual developers conference WWDC in June. Other features and changes rumored for the update include new generative AI functionality for Siri and multiple apps, RCS support in the Messages app for improved messaging between iPhones and Android devices, design changes, and more.

Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

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Top Rated Comments

antiprotest Avatar
12 months ago
Tim Cook said they will break new grounds. Tim Cook delivers. Innovation at its best. Many might say Apple is more than a decade behind, but as MacRumors users let us know, Apple is often late, but when they finally offers a feature, they make it better than everyone else. Putting aside the obvious question of why they wouldn't offer it right along with everyone else and then make it better, rather than making users wait for years without the features at all...I am certain Apple's blank space will be more blank and polished than Android's!
Score: 86 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vegetassj4 Avatar
12 months ago
" the update will introduce the ability to create blank spaces, rows, and columns between app icons."

This is the most customizable iOS we have ever created, with state-of-the-art icon placement, the best row/column system yet that enables game-changing new layouts, and all new emojicons, which ushers in a new chapter of performance gains never before seen on iPhone. You're going to love it.

all it took was a little courage:



Attachment Image
Score: 50 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
12 months ago

Siri is already crazy good. It’s incredible how much it can do for us today.
Thanks for your input, Tim!
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tgwaste Avatar
12 months ago
more apps per row and column is what i want the most.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mcru21 Avatar
12 months ago
truly groundbreaking. they finally figured it out
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
robvalentine Avatar
12 months ago

Siri is already crazy good. It’s incredible how much it can do for us today.
I take it you have never used Siri?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)