What goes in Control Center and how to put it there

Control Center is the panel that slides up from the bottom of your iPhone or iPad screen. It holds toggles for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and flashlight, plus larger tiles for things like the camera, timer, or music player. Apple lets you customize which tools appear there — you can add apps, remove ones you don't use, and rearrange them in any order you want.

The process is the same on any iPhone or iPad running iOS 11 or later. You go into Settings, find the Control Center section, and add or remove items from a list. It takes about two minutes and requires no special permissions.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, scroll down to Control Center, and tap "Customize Controls" to see what you can add.
  • Tap the green plus sign next to any item to add it; tap the red minus sign to remove it.
  • Drag the three horizontal lines next to each item to reorder them — the top items appear first when you open Control Center.
  • Some built-in toggles like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth cannot be removed, but most other controls can be added or taken out.
  • Changes take effect immediately; you do not need to restart your device.

Opening the Control Center customization menu

Start by opening the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down until you see "Control Center" — it is usually near the middle of the list, below "Notifications" and above "Display & Brightness".

Tap "Control Center" to open it. You will see a section called "Customize Controls" with a list of items you can add. Above that list, you may see a section called "Included Controls" showing the toggles that are already there and cannot be removed — things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and airplane mode.

Adding controls to your Control Center

In the "Customize Controls" section, look for the item you want to add. Tap the green circle with a plus sign next to it. The item will move up into your active Control Center immediately.

You can add as many controls as you want. Common ones to add include Camera, Timer, Alarm, Flashlight, Screen Recording, Notes, Reminders, and Stocks. If you use a specific app frequently and it supports Control Center shortcuts, you may see it in this list — for example, Home (for smart home devices), Health, or Wallet.

Not every app offers a Control Center shortcut. Only apps that Apple has approved for this feature will appear in the list. If an app you use is not there, it simply does not support Control Center integration.

Removing controls you do not use

If your Control Center is crowded, you can remove items you rarely touch. In the "Customize Controls" section, find the item and tap the red circle with a minus sign next to it. It will disappear from your Control Center immediately.

You cannot remove the built-in toggles like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or airplane mode — those stay at the top of Control Center. But you can remove almost everything else, including Camera, Timer, and any third-party app shortcuts.

Reordering controls to match how you use them

The order of controls in your list determines the order they appear in Control Center. Items at the top of the list appear at the top of the Control Center panel when you swipe up.

To move an item, tap and hold the three horizontal lines (called a "grab handle") on the right side of that item. Drag it up or down to the position you want. Release it, and it will stay in that new spot. This is useful if you have a control you use constantly — move it to the top so it is the first thing you see when you open Control Center.

Control Center on different devices and iOS versions

The customization process is the same on iPhone and iPad. On iPad, Control Center may appear as a corner panel or a full-screen overlay depending on your model and settings, but the controls themselves work the same way.

If you are running iOS 10 or earlier, Control Center cannot be customized — you get a fixed set of controls. If you have iOS 11 or later, the full customization menu is available. You can check your iOS version in Settings under "General" and then "About".

If you have multiple Apple devices, Control Center customization does not sync between them. Your iPhone Control Center is separate from your iPad Control Center. You will need to customize each device individually if you want them to match.

Troubleshooting controls that do not appear or work

If you added a control but it does not show up in Control Center, try closing and reopening Control Center. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or down from the top right on newer iPhones) to open it, then swipe down to close it. Open it again and check if the control is there.

If a control is grayed out or does not respond when you tap it, the feature it controls may be turned off elsewhere in Settings. For example, if the flashlight control does not work, make sure your device has a working flashlight (most iPhones do, but some older models do not). If the Home control does not work, make sure you have set up HomeKit in the Home app first.

If you cannot find a control you want to add, it may not be supported on your device or iOS version. Newer controls are added with each iOS update, so updating your device may make more options available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add my banking app or email app to Control Center?

Only if the app developer has built that feature in. Most banking and email apps do not offer Control Center shortcuts for security reasons. Check the app's settings to see if it supports Control Center integration. If it does not, you can still open the app normally from your home screen.

What happens if I remove a control and then want it back?

Go back to Settings, Control Center, Customize Controls, and tap the green plus sign next to the item again. It will reappear in your Control Center. You can add and remove the same control as many times as you want.

Does customizing Control Center use more battery?

No. Adding or removing controls does not affect battery life. The only controls that drain battery are ones that are actively running — for example, Screen Recording uses more power while it is recording, but adding the button itself does not.

Can I have different Control Centers on my lock screen and home screen?

No. Control Center is the same whether you access it from the lock screen or the home screen. The controls and their order are identical in both places.