Customize Home Screens in iPadOS 26

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Introduction

Your iPad’s Home Screen is more than just a place for apps—it’s your daily starting point. With iPadOS, Apple gives you a variety of customization tools so you can make the Home Screen look and feel just the way you like. Whether you want a darker background, simpler app layouts, or different colors, these adjustments can make your iPad easier to use and more personal.

Where to Access Customization Options

All customization options for the Home Screen are located in the Settings app. Once you open Settings, look for Home Screen & App Library. From here, you’ll see several choices that allow you to adjust how your apps appear, whether or not their names are displayed, and how the background interacts with your wallpaper.

Make the Background Darker

If your wallpaper feels too bright, you can tone it down. Apple provides a simple switch called “Darken Wallpaper”. When this is turned on, your background automatically becomes darker behind your app icons and widgets. This makes the text and icons stand out more clearly, which can help reduce eye strain. It also gives your Home Screen a cleaner and less distracting look.

Remove App Names

By default, every app icon shows its name underneath. While helpful, this can make the Home Screen look busy. In the customization settings, you’ll find an option to hide app names. When turned on, only the icons are shown. This can give your Home Screen a more minimal look—especially useful if you already recognize your apps by their icon alone.

Change the Tint of App Icons

One of the newer customization options is the ability to change the tint color of app icons. Instead of every app showing its original icon color, you can apply a single tint across all apps. For example, you might choose blue or green, and every icon will adopt that hue. You can even adjust the intensity of the tint, making it subtle or bold depending on your preference. This feature is perfect if you want a more uniform, coordinated look across your Home Screen.

Wrap Up

Customizing the Home Screen isn’t just about style—it’s also about comfort and clarity. A darker background can reduce strain, hiding app names can declutter your layout, and changing the tint of app icons can create a look that matches your personal taste. With just a few quick adjustments in the Settings app, your iPad can feel more like your own.