With the addition of widgets and the App Library, Apple has made many changes to the home screen over the past few years. One change you may have missed is that it’s now possible to add multiple copies of the same app to your iPhone or iPad’s home screen.
In this short guide, we will show you how to duplicate apps on your home screen. We’ll also tell you why Apple chose to allow this feature and how to get the most out of it.
Duplicate app icons work better with focus modes
Apple’s Focus feature, the successor to Do Not Disturb Mode, lets you show and hide different Home screens depending on what activity you’re trying to focus on at any given time.
For example, if you turn on Focus on Work mode, your iPhone or iPad will only show you home screen pages that contain your work apps. Likewise, it can hide those stressful home screen pages when you turn off Work Mode.
But what about an app you use outside of work? If you hide the work-related home screen when you are not working, this app will also be hidden.
That’s why Apple allowed users to create duplicate app icons on multiple home screens. So your apps are always available, even if you show or hide certain screens in different focus modes.
It’s easy to create a copy of an app’s icon. Find the app in the App Library, then drag a new copy of it to your home screen:
- Swipe to the app library on the right edge of all your home screens.
- Look in the different folders or use the search bar to find the app you want to duplicate.
- Tap and hold on the app, then drag it to the left edge of the screen and drop it on a home screen.
- Repeat this process as many times as you want to create as many duplicates as needed.
This does not work if there is already a copy of your app on the home screen you drag it onto. You can only create one app per home screen, but you can move them all to the same home screen later.
Customize your home screen to suit your needs
There are many ways to customize the home screen of your iPhone or iPad today. Be sure to explore all the options available to you to find the configuration that best suits your personal needs.
