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Yes—iOS 18 lets you place app icons and widgets in any open position on a Home Screen page, including along the bottom or beside a wallpaper subject. “Anywhere” means anywhere the Home Screen layout allows, not arbitrary pixel-by-pixel placement on a freeform canvas. The feature arrived with iOS 18 in 2024; iOS 26 is now a newer major release.
What changed in iOS 18?
Before iOS 18, Home Screen icons generally packed together from the upper-left as you rearranged them. iOS 18 lets you leave deliberate gaps instead. Apple describes the change as allowing app icons and widgets to be placed in any open position, including at the bottom or off to the side. The apps themselves are not being moved inside the phone—their Home Screen icons are being arranged differently.
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That flexibility can help keep icons away from a face or other focal point in a wallpaper, put frequently used apps lower on the display, create visual space between groups, or make a page feel less crowded. Apple announced iOS 18 on June 10, 2024, and made it available on September 16, 2024. Apple’s release announcement describes the placement change.
How to move an app icon or widget
- Open the Home Screen page you want to change.
- Touch and hold an empty area or an app icon until the icons begin to jiggle.
- Drag the app icon or widget to an open position and release it when the layout indicates the destination.
- Tap Done.
The familiar edit-and-drag gesture remains; iOS 18 changes where items can be placed. Icons can stay separated by open spaces rather than automatically filling every position into one block. A widget occupies more of the layout than an app icon, so its size affects which positions remain open. Apple’s Home Screen customization guide documents the editing flow.
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“Anywhere” still has limits
The Home Screen is more flexible, but it is not a desktop-style canvas. Icons and widgets use the system’s layout positions; you cannot drag an icon to any exact pixel coordinate, overlap icons freely, or ignore the space a widget occupies. If a desired position is blocked, move the obstruction, choose another open position, or adjust the widget.
Keeping a designed layout can also take some manual attention. Adding an icon, removing one, changing a widget’s size, or moving items between pages may require rearranging the page again. Do not assume every gap will behave identically through every edit. If you prefer not to keep every app on a page, the App Library, folders, or separate Home Screen pages can keep the layout sparse without losing access to apps.
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- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
Change icon appearance separately
Placement and styling are related Home Screen customization options, but they are separate controls. In iOS 18, open jiggle mode, tap Edit at the top, then tap Customize. You can choose:
- Light, Dark, or Automatic appearance.
- Tinted, which applies a chosen color; iOS 18 provides color and saturation controls, including an eyedropper for sampling a wallpaper color.
- Small or Large icons. Large icons remove app-name labels, which creates a cleaner look but may make apps harder to identify at a glance.
Dark or tinted results can vary across apps. Developers can supply appearance-specific icon artwork, and Apple documents system handling for icon appearances in its app icon guidance; that does not guarantee every third-party icon will look equally polished.
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- Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
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The exact controls depend on the iOS version and language. iOS 26 is a later major release and adds a Clear icon appearance; do not expect every menu or option to be identical to iOS 18. See Apple’s iOS 26 guide for its current-version features.
Which iPhones support the iOS 18 feature?
The feature is built into iOS 18, so an iPhone must support that operating system. Apple’s compatibility list includes iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max; the iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 families and their listed variants; iPhone 16e; and iPhone SE (2nd generation or later). Check Apple’s iOS 18 compatibility guide for the full model list.
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- Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
- Up to 26 hours video playback. USB C, Supports USB 2. Face ID
Compatibility with iOS 18 does not mean every later feature is available on every compatible phone. For example, Apple Intelligence has separate hardware, software, language, and region requirements. An iPhone that cannot install iOS 18 cannot use this built-in placement feature.
If an icon will not go where you want
- Check for an obstruction: another icon or a widget may occupy the target position. Move it temporarily or resize/remove the widget.
- Confirm edit mode: touch and hold until the icons jiggle, then drag again and release once the destination is indicated.
- If Customize is missing: confirm the phone runs iOS 18 or later and use Edit → Customize from Home Screen edit mode. Later iOS versions or different interface languages may use changed labels.
- If dark or tinted icons look uneven: app artwork and appearance support vary. Try Light or Automatic if the changed icons are difficult to recognize.
When this kind of layout is useful
A few practical arrangements show the point of the feature: leave a wallpaper subject uncovered; place frequently used icons lower for easier reach; keep a first page minimal with a widget and a few apps; or use separate pages for work and personal apps. Folders and the App Library are better when compact access matters more than visual spacing. Focus modes can also show different pages for different contexts. These options complement the built-in layout controls; ordinary icon placement does not require Shortcuts or a third-party customization app.
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- Advanced dual-camera system. 48MP Main | Ultra Wide. Super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control. 4X optical zoom range
- Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
- Up to 26 hours video playback. USB C, Supports USB 2. Face ID
iOS 18 is no longer the latest major iPhone operating system: Apple released iOS 26 on September 15, 2025. The iOS 18 placement feature remains useful to readers on compatible phones running iOS 18, while readers on a newer version should follow that version’s menus. Apple’s iOS update information covers current version availability.
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