How to Change the Color of iPhone Apps: What Actually Works in 2026

You’ve been staring at that same grid of icons for years. Honestly, the standard iOS look is fine, but it gets old. Fast. Maybe you want a minimalist monochrome vibe, or perhaps you're trying to match your home screen to a specific aesthetic you saw on social media.

Whatever the reason, the good news is that Apple finally stopped being so precious about their design language. Changing the color of iPhone apps used to require a messy workaround with the Shortcuts app that broke notification badges. Now? It’s basically built into the system.

But it’s not just one button. There are a few different ways to do this depending on how "custom" you want to get.

🔗 Read more: Google Assistant Call Screening: How to Actually Stop the Spam for Good

The iOS 18 and iOS 26 Way: Native Icon Tinting

If you are running iOS 18 or the newer iOS 26, you have the easiest method sitting right at your fingertips. Apple introduced a feature called "Tinted" icons. It’s a total game-changer because it applies a color wash to every single icon on your screen—even third-party ones.

Here is how you actually do it:

1. Go to your Home Screen and find a patch of empty space.
2. Long-press that space until your apps start doing that little "jiggle" dance.
3. Tap the Edit button in the top-left corner.
4. Select Customize from the menu that pops up at the bottom.
5. You’ll see a new panel. Tap Tinted.

This is where it gets cool. Your iPhone will suggest a color based on your wallpaper, but you don't have to stick with it. There are two sliders. The top one changes the hue (the actual color), and the bottom one changes the intensity.

Pro tip: See that little eyedropper tool in the corner of the customization panel? Tap that. You can then drag a circle over any part of your wallpaper to perfectly match your app colors to your background. It makes the whole phone look incredibly cohesive.

When Tinting Isn’t Enough: The Shortcuts Method

While the native tinting is fast, it’s a bit... monolithic. It changes every icon to the same color. If you want your Instagram to be pink but your Messages to be a specific shade of mint green, you’re going to need the Shortcuts app.

I’ll be real with you: this takes time. You’re essentially creating a "alias" or a redirect for every app.

1. Open the Shortcuts app (it’s pre-installed).
2. Hit the + icon in the top right.
3. Tap Add Action and search for Open App.
4. Tap the word "App" in the search result and choose the app you want to customize (like TikTok or Photos).
5. Tap the little downward arrow at the top of the screen next to the shortcut name and select Add to Home Screen.
6. This is the crucial part. Tap the icon next to the name. You can now choose a photo from your library.

You’ve probably seen "Aesthetic Icon Packs" for sale online. This is how you use them. You download those images to your Photos app, then select them here.

The catch? Shortcuts don't show those little red notification bubbles (badges). If you’re someone who needs to see exactly how many unread emails you have at a glance, this method might drive you crazy.

The Liquid Glass Trend in iOS 26

Since we’re currently in 2026, we have to talk about the "Clear" or "Liquid Glass" icons that came with the iOS 26 update. It’s the latest evolution of the "tinted" look. Instead of just a flat color wash, it makes your app icons translucent.

To turn this on, follow the same steps as the tinting method (Long press > Edit > Customize), but look for the Clear option. It’s perfect if you have a really detailed wallpaper that you don't want to hide behind solid blocks of color. It gives the apps a frosted glass look that feels very futuristic.

Third-Party Apps: Are They Worth It?

Apps like ScreenKit or Brass have been around for a while. They basically automate the Shortcuts process I mentioned earlier. Honestly, they’re a bit of a mixed bag.

👉 See also: How a Date of Birth Truth Table Works for Age Verification and Logic Design

On one hand, they save you the manual labor of setting up fifty different shortcuts. They offer "one-click" installs for entire themes. On the other hand, many of them require a subscription or a one-time fee of around $10 to $40 for the "pro" features.

If you want a professional-looking setup in five minutes, paying for an app is fine. But if you have a specific vision and an hour to kill, doing it yourself with Shortcuts gives you way more control.

Dealing with the "Dark Mode" Problem

A common frustration is when you change your app colors but they look "off" once the sun goes down. In the customization menu (where you find Tinted and Clear), there’s an Automatic button.

Always keep this selected.

It tells the iPhone to shift the brightness and tone of your custom colors based on the time of day. Without it, a bright neon green icon set might look like a blinding flashlight in a dark room at 11 PM.

Actionable Steps to Refresh Your Layout

If you're feeling overwhelmed, don't try to change everything at once. Start small.

• Try the Eyedropper: Use the native iOS tinting tool with the eyedropper to match your icons to just one color in your wallpaper. It’s a 30-second fix that immediately makes the phone feel new.
• The "Hide" Trick: If you use the Shortcuts method, don't delete the original apps. Just "Remove from Home Screen" so they stay in your App Library. If you delete the app, the shortcut won't work.
• Check Your Version: Make sure you’re actually updated. You can’t get the native tinting features on anything older than iOS 18. Go to Settings > General > Software Update just to be sure.

Customizing your phone is supposed to be fun, not a chore. If you spend three hours on a layout and hate it the next day, just go back into the Customize menu and hit Default. Everything goes back to normal instantly.

Now that you know how to handle the icons, you might want to look into "Widgy" or other advanced widget tools to really round out the look.