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How to Enable Darker App Icons With iOS 18

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With iOS 18, iPhone users will be able to change the way their app icons look on the home screen. With the latest operating system, Apple has changed a lot of UI elements. Yes, the main focus still happens to be on Apple Intelligence, but there are a lot of customization options that you can’t ignore. For instance, there are seven different ways you can make changes to iOS 18’s Control Center.

Similarly, there’s a lot you can do with the app icons on your home screen. Apple’s iOS 18 not only allows you to place an app icon wherever you want, but it also allows you to change the way app icons appear (similar to what different launchers do to icons on Android, but in a more classy fashion). If you’re fond of a darker user interface and wish to transform all your home screen icons to their darker theme, here’s how you can do it.

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Enable Dark App Icons On iOS 18 By Following These Steps

Enable darker app icons in iOS 18
  • First, get the public beta of iOS 18 until Apple releases the stable built for everyone.
  • Press and hold an empty space on the screen.
  • Once the app icons start jiggling, hit the Edit button at the top left.
  • Select Customize from the drop-down menu.
  • In the menu that appears at the bottom of the screen, select Dark.
  • Notice how the icons on the home screen section have changed their appearance; they’re now in the Dark theme.
  • If you like how the icons look, well and good. If not, you can decide to change it back to Light.
  • Further, you can also select Automatic if you wish the apps icons to change their appearance with the system’s dark mode.

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Remember that the steps mentioned here are based on iOS 18’s public beta. There’s a chance that Apple can change some parts of the public version that will come out with the iPhone 16 in September. However, until then, this is how you can enable darker app icons in iOS 18.

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Shikhar MehrotraShikhar Mehrotra
Shikhar Mehrotra is a seasoned technology writer and reviewer with over five years of experience covering consumer tech across India and global markets. At Smartprix, he has authored more than 1,700 articles, including news stories, features, comparisons, and product reviews spanning automobiles, smartphones, chipsets, wearables, laptops, home appliances, and operating systems. Shikhar has reviewed flagship devices such as the iPhone 16, Galaxy S25+, and Sennheiser HD 505 Open-Ear headphones. He also contributes regularly to Smartprix’s growing automotive section.

With a deep understanding of both iOS and Android ecosystems, Shikhar specializes in daily tech news, how-to explainers, product comparisons, and in-depth reviews. His DSLR photography in product reviews is recognized as among the best on the team.

Before joining Smartprix, Shikhar wrote for leading publications including Forbes Advisor India, Republic World, and ScreenRant. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from Amity University, Lucknow.

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