How to Edit Control Center on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Control Center is one of the most useful shortcuts built into Apple's operating systems — a quick-access panel for the settings and tools you reach for most. But its default layout doesn't fit everyone. Whether you want faster access to your flashlight, screen recording, or accessibility shortcuts, editing Control Center puts those controls exactly where you need them.

Here's how it works across devices, what you can and can't change, and the factors that determine how useful those changes actually are for your situation.

What Is Control Center and Why Edit It?

Control Center is a system-level overlay that gives you one-swipe access to frequently used settings — things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness, volume, and more. On iPhone and iPad, you swipe down from the top-right corner. On Mac, it lives in the menu bar.

The default layout covers the basics, but Apple lets you add, remove, and rearrange many of those tiles to suit your workflow. The degree of customization available depends on which device and OS version you're running.

How to Edit Control Center on iPhone and iPad

The process is straightforward and doesn't require any technical knowledge.

Step 1: Open the Settings app.

Step 2: Scroll down and tap Control Center.

Step 3: You'll see two sections:

• Included Controls — items currently in your Control Center
• More Controls (or "Additional Controls") — items available to add

Step 4: To remove a control, tap the red minus (−) button next to it, then tap Remove.

Step 5: To add a control, tap the green plus (+) button next to any item in the More Controls list.

Step 6: To reorder controls, press and hold the three-line handle (≡) next to any item and drag it up or down.

Changes take effect immediately — no restart needed. 🎛️

What Controls Can You Add?

Apple provides a growing library of optional controls, including:

Some controls — like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Do Not Disturb — are fixed and cannot be removed. This is intentional: Apple considers them essential enough to always be present.

iOS Version Matters

The available controls and the layout of the Control Center settings screen have changed across iOS versions. iOS 18, for example, introduced a more flexible grid-based Control Center that allows freeform repositioning and even multiple pages — a significant departure from earlier versions. If your iPhone is running an older iOS version, you'll have a more limited set of options and a different editing interface.

How to Edit Control Center on Mac

Mac's Control Center, introduced in macOS Big Sur, works differently from iOS. It lives in the menu bar at the top of your screen.

To customize it:

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions)
2. Click Control Center in the sidebar
3. You'll see a list of modules — things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirDrop, Focus, Display, and more
4. For each module, you can choose whether it appears in Control Center, in the Menu Bar, or not at all

Mac's customization is module-based rather than tile-based. You're not dragging items around a grid — you're toggling visibility settings per feature. Some items can also be pinned permanently to the menu bar for even faster access without opening Control Center at all.

Third-Party Controls on Mac

Unlike iPhone and iPad, Mac allows some third-party apps to add their own menu bar items, which sit adjacent to (but technically separate from) the built-in Control Center. Tools like display managers, VPN clients, and utility apps often place their own icons in the menu bar. These are managed through each app's own settings, not through the Control Center customization panel.

Factors That Shape the Right Setup for You

Editing Control Center is simple, but what you should put in it depends on several variables: 🔧

Device usage patterns. Someone who frequently records their screen for tutorials has different needs from someone who mostly uses their phone for calls and browsing. The same applies to accessibility users who rely on specific shortcuts.

iOS or macOS version. The newer your OS, the more flexible and feature-rich the Control Center customization becomes. Running an older version may limit both available controls and layout options.

App ecosystem. On Mac especially, how many third-party utilities you run affects how crowded your menu bar gets — and how you prioritize what lives in Control Center versus pinned elsewhere.

Screen size and device type. iPad users can access more screen real estate in Control Center than iPhone users, which changes how many controls are practical to include. On smaller iPhone models, a cluttered Control Center creates its own friction.

Accessibility needs. For users relying on features like AssistiveTouch, Voice Control, or Magnifier, adding those controls to Control Center can meaningfully reduce the number of steps to activate them.

What You Can't Change

There are real limits worth knowing:

• Fixed controls on iPhone (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.) cannot be removed
• Third-party apps cannot add controls to iOS Control Center (unlike Mac menu bar apps)
• On older iOS versions, you cannot create multiple Control Center pages or reposition tiles freely
• App-specific shortcuts (like a specific playlist or contact) are generally not available as Control Center controls

The right Control Center layout ultimately comes down to which features you reach for daily, which OS version your device is running, and how your broader workflow is organized across apps and settings.