How to move an icon on your iPhone
You move an icon on your iPhone by pressing and holding it until a menu appears, then dragging it to a new spot on your home screen. The process takes about three seconds and works the same way whether you want to rearrange your main home screen or move icons into folders. If you're using iOS 16 or later, you'll see a small menu pop up — just tap "Edit Home Screen" to enter edit mode, then drag the icon where you want it.
The exact steps depend on which version of iOS your phone is running, but the basic idea is the same: long press, then drag. This guide covers both the current method and the older approach, so you'll know what to do no matter which iPhone model or iOS version you have.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any icon for about one second until the menu appears, then drag it to move it anywhere on your home screen.
- On iOS 16 and newer, tap "Edit Home Screen" from the menu to enter edit mode before dragging icons around.
- You can move icons between different home screen pages by dragging them to the edge of the screen and waiting for the next page to appear.
- If an icon won't move, make sure you're not in Restrictions mode and that you're pressing and holding long enough for the menu to show.
Moving an icon on iOS 16 and newer
On newer iPhones running iOS 16 or later, the process starts with a long press. Press and hold any icon on your home screen for about one second. A menu will pop up with several options at the bottom.
Look for the option that says "Edit Home Screen" and tap it. Your home screen will now enter edit mode — you'll notice the icons start to jiggle slightly and a small minus sign appears in the corner of each icon. Now you can drag any icon to a new location. Simply press and hold the icon you want to move, then drag it to where you want it to go. When you're done moving icons, press the X button in the top left corner or swipe down to exit edit mode.
Moving an icon on iOS 15 and earlier
If your iPhone is running iOS 15 or an earlier version, the process is slightly different. Press and hold any icon on your home screen until the icons begin to jiggle and a menu appears. You don't need to tap anything — the jiggling means you're already in edit mode.
Now drag the icon to wherever you want it. You can move it to a different spot on the same screen, or drag it to the edge of the screen to move it to a different home screen page. When you're finished, press the home button (or swipe up from the bottom on newer iPhones without a home button) to exit edit mode and lock the icons in place.
Moving icons between home screen pages
If you want to move an icon to a different home screen page, the process is the same — you just drag it further. Once you're in edit mode (either by tapping "Edit Home Screen" on iOS 16+ or by long-pressing on earlier versions), press and hold the icon you want to move.
Drag it toward the right edge of your screen. When your finger gets close to the edge, the next home screen page will automatically slide into view. Keep dragging and your icon will move onto that new page. You can move icons backward through pages the same way — just drag toward the left edge. This is useful if you want to organize your apps by category and keep related icons on the same page.
Creating folders to organize icons
If you want to move multiple related icons together, you can put them in a folder instead of spreading them across your home screen. To create a folder, enter edit mode and drag one icon directly on top of another icon. They'll automatically combine into a folder, and iOS will suggest a category name based on the app types.
You can rename the folder by tapping on the name that appears. Once the folder exists, you can drag other icons into it the same way — just drag an icon on top of the folder. To move the entire folder, simply drag the folder itself to a new location, just as you would with a single icon. This keeps your home screen less cluttered and makes it easier to find apps by category.
What to do if an icon won't move
If you press and hold an icon but nothing happens, the most common reason is that you didn't hold long enough. Try again and wait for a full second or two before you start dragging. Some people naturally release too quickly, so count to two in your head while pressing.
Another possibility is that your iPhone has Restrictions turned on. Go to Settings, then Screen Time, then Content & Privacy Restrictions. If it's enabled, tap it and look for "Home Screen" — make sure it's set to "Allow Changes." If Restrictions is off and icons still won't move, try restarting your iPhone by turning it off and back on. This clears out temporary glitches that sometimes prevent edit mode from working.
Moving the dock icons at the bottom
The dock is the row of icons at the very bottom of your home screen, and you can rearrange those icons too. The process is identical to moving regular home screen icons — press and hold a dock icon, enter edit mode, and drag it to a new position within the dock. You can also drag a dock icon up onto your home screen to remove it from the dock, or drag a home screen icon down into the dock to add it there.
The dock normally holds up to four icons on standard iPhones, though larger models may hold more. If you try to add a fifth icon to a full dock, one of the existing icons will automatically move up to your home screen to make room. This is useful if you want quick access to your most-used apps without having to search for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move icons back to their original positions?
Yes. You can manually drag any icon back to where it was, or you can reset your entire home screen to the default layout. Go to Settings, then General, then Transfer or Reset, then Reset, then "Reset Home Screen Layout." This puts every app back in its original position and removes any custom folders you created.
What happens if I drag an icon off the screen?
Nothing bad — the icon stays on your home screen. You can't accidentally delete an app by dragging it. If you want to remove an app from your home screen entirely, you have to delete it through Settings or by pressing and holding it and choosing "Remove App."
Can I move multiple icons at once?
Not in a single drag motion. You have to move icons one at a time. However, if you create a folder and put multiple icons in it, you can move the entire folder at once, which is faster than moving each icon individually.
Why do my icons keep moving back to where they were?
This usually means you didn't fully exit edit mode. Make sure you press the X button, tap outside the icons, or swipe down to confirm your changes before you leave the home screen. If you switch apps before exiting edit mode, your changes may not save.
Do I need to update my iPhone to move icons?
No. Icon moving has been a feature on iPhones for many years, so it works on any iOS version. The steps are slightly different depending on your iOS version, but the feature itself is available on all iPhones.