iOS 18 may allow iPhone users customise home screen even more

Apple’s annual developer conference, popularly known as WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference), will likely return this year, as well. Apple will probably announce new software versions for its devices at WWDC, including the iPhone, which will see an upgrade to iOS 18. Rumours are rife that iOS 18 will bring significant improvements and maybe an overhaul to the iPhone software. A new report has suggested that iOS 18 will feature an even more customisable home screen, giving users more control over app icon arrangement.

What will change?

MacRumors.com has reported, citing sources familiar with the development, that Apple is looking at giving users more freedom to manage app icons. The current setup is customisable, but there is not a free flow of icons. The next iPhone software may introduce the ability to create blank spaces, rows, and columns between app icons, making them more free to move across the home screen. Apple, however, may still try to lock app icons into an invisible grid to make sure they look uniform. The new report corroborates a similar claim by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

Is it already available?

Apple already allows users to customise the home screen by creating blank app icons through apps such as Shortcuts and Widgetsmith. However, there are a lot of things users still cannot do. Moreover, the customisation options on the home screen are not very user-friendly currently. iOS 18 is expected to make customisation more convenient for iPhone users, who, for a long time, have wanted to personalise their home screen.

Apart from the home screen, the lock screen on the iPhone is already a lot customisable. Users can pick a preset wallpaper or create one using emojis or a photo from the gallery. They can change the font style, size, and colour of the text on the screen, while also choosing the widgets they want to show. The report suggests the home screen on the iPhone may have this level of customisation with the rollout of iOS 18. Apple will likely announce iOS 18 at WWDC in June, but it will become available after the launch of iPhone 16 in September.