Have you ever looked at your iPad's Home Screen and thought, "This could be so much more me?" While Apple's default app icons are functional, they might not always align with your personal aesthetic or a specific theme you have in mind. Good news! You can absolutely customize app icons on your iPad, transforming your digital workspace into a reflection of your unique style. And the best part? You don't need to jailbreak your iPad to do it!
This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process, step by step, using Apple's built-in Shortcuts app. Get ready to unleash your creativity and make your iPad truly your own!
The Magic Behind Custom Icons: Shortcuts
Before we dive in, let's understand how this works. Apple's Shortcuts app allows you to create automated tasks. One of these tasks can be to "Open App." When you create a shortcut to open an app, you can assign a custom icon to that shortcut. When you add this shortcut to your Home Screen, it looks and acts just like a regular app icon, but with your chosen image!
Ready to get started? Let's go!
Step 1: Gather Your Aesthetic — Choosing Your Icons
This is where the fun begins! Before you start creating shortcuts, you need the actual images you want to use as your new app icons.
Sub-heading: Sourcing Your Icon Images
- Personal Photos: Do you have a favorite photo that would make a great icon? Perhaps a minimalist shot of a cloud for your weather app, or a quirky selfie for your messaging app?
- Downloaded Images: The internet is a treasure trove of custom icons. You can search for "aesthetic app icons," "minimalist app icons," or even specific themes like "cottagecore app icons."
- Pro Tip: Look for images that are square or can be easily cropped into a square without losing important details. PNG format is generally preferred for its transparency capabilities, but JPG works too.
- Icon Packs: Many artists and designers create entire icon packs with a consistent theme. You can find these on websites like Etsy, Pinterest, or even dedicated icon sites. Some apps (like WidgetClub or Icon Themer) also offer libraries of icons.
- Design Your Own: Feeling artistic? Use a drawing app on your iPad (like Procreate or even Apple's Freeform) or a web-based design tool to create truly unique icons. Keep them simple and recognizable!
Sub-heading: Saving Your Icons to Your iPad
Once you have your desired images, make sure they are saved to your iPad's Photos app or Files app. This will make it easy to access them in the Shortcuts app.
- If you're downloading from the web, simply tap and hold on the image, then select "Add to Photos" or "Save to Files."
- If you're creating them, export them to your Photos app.
Step 2: The Core Process — Creating a New Shortcut
Now that your images are ready, it's time to put the Shortcuts app to work.
Sub-heading: Opening the Shortcuts App
- Locate Shortcuts: Find the Shortcuts app on your iPad. It has a blue icon with pink and green squares inside. If you can't find it on your Home Screen, swipe down from the middle of the screen to open Spotlight Search and type "Shortcuts."
- Start a New Shortcut: Once in the app, tap the "+" icon in the top-right corner of the "My Shortcuts" tab to create a new shortcut.
Sub-heading: Adding the "Open App" Action
- Add Action: On the "New Shortcut" screen, tap "Add Action."
- Search for "Open App": In the search bar at the top, type "Open App."
- Select "Open App": From the results under "Actions," tap on "Open App."
- Choose the App: You'll see "Open [App]" with "[App]" in blue. Tap on the blue "App" text. This will bring up a list of all the apps installed on your iPad.
- Select Your Desired App: Scroll through the list or use the search bar to find the app you want to customize. For example, if you want to change the icon for Safari, select "Safari."
Step 3: Customizing the Shortcut Icon — The Visual Transformation
This is the most exciting part! Here's where you'll assign your custom image to the shortcut.
Sub-heading: Accessing Home Screen Options
- Open Details: With the "Open App" action added, tap the three dots (...) in the top-right corner of the "New Shortcut" screen. This opens the "Details" menu for your shortcut.
- Add to Home Screen: In the "Details" menu, tap "Add to Home Screen."
Sub-heading: Selecting Your Custom Icon
- Tap the Placeholder Icon: On the "Home Screen Name and Icon" screen, you'll see a placeholder icon next to "New Shortcut" (or whatever the default name is). Tap this placeholder icon.
- Choose Your Image Source: You'll be presented with three options:
- Take Photo: Use your iPad's camera to take a new photo.
- Choose Photo: Select an existing photo from your Photos library (this is the most common option).
- Choose File: Select an image from your Files app.
- Select Your Image: Navigate to where you saved your custom icon image and tap on it.
- Adjust and Choose: A preview of your icon will appear. You can pinch to zoom and drag the image to position it perfectly within the square. Once satisfied, tap "Choose" in the bottom-right corner.
Sub-heading: Naming Your Custom Icon
- Rename the Shortcut: Below the icon preview, there's a text field with a default name (e.g., "New Shortcut 1"). Tap this text field.
- Enter Your Desired Name: Delete the default text and type in the name you want to appear under your custom app icon on the Home Screen. This is usually the actual name of the app (e.g., "Safari," "Notes," "Instagram"), but you can be creative!
- Confirm Addition: Tap "Add" in the top-right corner.
Voilà! Your new custom app icon will now appear on your iPad's Home Screen.
Step 4: Organizing Your Home Screen — The Finishing Touches
Now that you have your beautiful new custom icon, you'll likely have two icons for the same app on your Home Screen: the original one and your new custom shortcut.
Sub-heading: Hiding the Original App Icon
- Move to App Library: Gently press and hold the original app icon until all icons start to jiggle.
- Remove App: Tap the "–" (minus) sign in the top-left corner of the original app icon.
- Move to App Library: Select "Remove from Home Screen" (not "Delete App"). This will move the original app to your App Library, keeping it accessible without cluttering your Home Screen.
- Confirm: Tap "Done" in the top-right corner or press your Home button/swipe up from the bottom to exit jiggle mode.
Now, only your beautifully customized icon remains on your Home Screen! Repeat this process for all the apps you want to customize.
Sub-heading: Arranging Your New Icons
Feel free to drag and drop your new custom icons to organize them into folders or place them exactly where you want them on your Home Screen, just like any other app.
Important Considerations & Limitations:
- No Notification Badges: Shortcuts do not display notification badges (the little red circles with numbers) on their icons. If you rely on these for certain apps (like Mail or Messages), you might want to keep the original app icon visible or in an easily accessible folder.
- Brief Redirect: When you tap a custom shortcut icon, it will briefly open the Shortcuts app before launching the actual app. This is a quick flash, but it's part of how the customization works.
- System Apps: While you can create shortcuts for most third-party apps, some deep system integrations might not be fully supported. However, most common apps work flawlessly.
- Not a True Icon Change: You're essentially creating a shortcut to the app with a new visual. The original app icon still exists on your device (in the App Library).
- Accessibility: Be mindful of accessibility. If you have visual impairments, ensure your chosen custom icons are still clear and easy to distinguish.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to get more custom app icons?
You can find custom app icons on websites like Pinterest, Etsy, Unsplash, or dedicated icon sites. Simply search for "aesthetic app icons" or specific themes. Many third-party apps in the App Store also offer icon packs.
How to organize customized app icons into folders?
After creating your custom icons and adding them to your Home Screen, press and hold any icon until they jiggle. Then, drag one icon on top of another to create a folder. You can then drag other custom icons into this folder.
How to remove a custom app icon?
Press and hold the custom app icon on your Home Screen until it jiggles, then tap the "–" (minus) sign in the top-left corner. Select "Delete Shortcut." This will remove the custom icon from your Home Screen, but the original app will remain installed.
How to change the name under a custom app icon?
You can change the name when you're creating or editing the shortcut. In the "Home Screen Name and Icon" screen (Step 3, Sub-heading: Naming Your Custom Icon), simply tap the text field and enter your desired name. To edit an existing shortcut, go to the Shortcuts app, tap the three dots on the shortcut, then tap the three dots again in the top right to access "Add to Home Screen" options.
How to make app icons bigger or smaller on iPad?
Go to Settings > Home Screen & Multitasking. You'll find an option to "Use Large App Icons." Toggle this on or off to adjust the size of all app icons on your Home Screen.
How to use a photo from the Files app as a custom icon?
When you're on the "Home Screen Name and Icon" screen in the Shortcuts app (Step 3, Sub-heading: Selecting Your Custom Icon), after tapping the placeholder icon, choose "Choose File" instead of "Choose Photo" to browse your iPad's Files app for your image.
How to change the color of a shortcut icon without a custom image?
In the Shortcuts app, after creating or selecting a shortcut, tap the icon next to the shortcut name. You can then choose a color swatch and a glyph (a small symbol) provided by the Shortcuts app itself, without needing to upload an image.
How to revert to the original app icons?
To revert, simply delete the custom shortcut icons from your Home Screen (press and hold, then "Delete Shortcut"). Then, if you had moved the original app to the App Library, go to the App Library, find the original app, press and hold its icon, and select "Add to Home Screen."
How to prevent the brief Shortcuts app flash when opening a custom icon?
Unfortunately, the brief flash of the Shortcuts app is inherent to how this customization method works. It's an unavoidable part of the process, as the shortcut needs to execute before launching the target app.
How to find aesthetic icon packs for iPad?
Search platforms like Pinterest, Etsy, or dedicated design resource websites (e.g., Creative Market, Iconfinder) for "iPad aesthetic app icons," "iOS icon packs," or specific themes like "minimalist iPad icons" or "vintage app icons." Many content creators on YouTube and TikTok also share their favorite icon sources.
