Apple officially released iOS 26 on September 15th, bringing the new Liquid Glass design to iPhones along with other updates. In the Liquid Glass design, the update allows users to make app icons semi-transparent, expanding the home screen customization options that Apple introduced in iOS 18.
With iOS 18 (released in 2024), Apple has for the first time allowed users to customize the home screen, a major and long-awaited change. Users can remove app labels, change icon colors, arrange apps in various ways, and even create background effects with icons, making the iPhone more personalized.
In this article, let's explore how to set transparent app icons on iOS 26 , allowing users to easily customize their home screen to make it interesting and unique in their own style.
How to change app icon colors on iOS 26
- Press and hold the home screen to enter shake mode.
- Press Edit and select Customize .
- Select the overlay icon in the bottom right corner of the menu.
Here, users can also drag the gradient bar to select a color or use the Eyedropper icon to choose a color from the background. All app icons will change according to the color the user has chosen.
Transparent app icon option on iOS 26
Users will find the Transparency option in the Customize menu . When enabled, all icons on the home screen will be semi-transparent, and this applies to icons in Settings and other menus as well.
How to make icons dark in iOS 26
- Enter Custom mode as shown above.
- Select the dark icon in the middle of the bottom menu.
- This mode helps save battery power by reducing screen brightness.
The icons for Apple apps (Messages, Safari, etc.) and some third-party apps (YouTube, Bluesky) will have a dark, almost black background. Other apps like Instagram and Snapchat will remain unchanged.
How to arrange apps on the iOS 26 home screen
- Enter shake mode by pressing and holding an empty space on the screen .
- Drag the app to the desired location.
Users can place the app at the bottom of the screen, create a frame around the wallpaper, or group it to one side (for example, the right side if the user is right-handed).
However, it's important to note that the app grid still exists, so icons cannot be stacked on top of each other. Additionally, if you zoom in on an app, there will be a significant gap between the dock and the bottom row, but you can't add more apps there either.