How To Remove App Labels And Create A Cleaner iPhone Home Screen
Your iPhone Home Screen can become crowded quickly. A few messaging apps, banking tools, shopping services, transport apps and work shortcuts can turn several pages of icons into a visual wall. Removing the text beneath each icon gives the screen a simpler appearance and makes room for a more deliberate layout.
Apple added a built-in way to hide app names with the iOS 18 Home Screen customisation controls. The setting is easy to miss because it is connected to icon size rather than a separate “hide labels” switch. Choosing large icons removes the labels underneath apps while keeping the apps fully functional.
This guide explains how to remove iPhone app labels, what changes when you enlarge the icons, and how to arrange a practical Home Screen for daily use in Australia. It also covers the limitations, accessibility considerations and alternatives for people who want a more customised minimalist setup.
What Removing App Labels Actually Does
On an iPhone running iOS 18 or a later version, choosing the Large icon size removes the names shown below app icons. The icons become visibly bigger, and the Home Screen has a cleaner, less text-heavy appearance. The change applies to app icons across the Home Screen pages, rather than requiring you to edit each app individually.
This setting does not uninstall anything or hide apps from your iPhone. Apps remain available through the Home Screen, App Library, Spotlight search and Siri. Notifications continue to appear as badges unless you turn those off separately. Widgets also remain in place, although the larger icons may affect how much space is available around them.
The main trade-off is recognition. A label such as “CommBank”, “Maps” or “Messages” can help you identify an app immediately, especially if several icons use similar colours. With labels removed, you will rely more on the app symbol, its position and your memory. This is usually quick to learn for frequently used apps, but less familiar tools may take longer to find.
The change is useful for people who prefer a cleaner screen, use a small number of key apps or want their wallpaper to stand out. It can also suit a minimalist setup in a busy city routine, whether you are checking a Transperth connection in Perth, an Opal balance in Sydney or a Myki-related app in Melbourne.
Check Your iPhone Before Changing The Layout
The large-icon option is part of iOS 18. To check your software version, open Settings, tap General, then Software Update. If an update is available, connect your iPhone to power or make sure it has enough battery, use a reliable Wi-Fi connection and allow time for the installation.
iOS 18 supports many recent iPhone models, including the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone SE second generation and newer models. The exact update experience can vary according to the iPhone model and available storage. If your device cannot run iOS 18, the standard Home Screen controls will not provide the same system-wide label removal option.
Before making a large change, it is sensible to note where your essential apps are located. This matters if you use your iPhone for two-factor authentication, mobile banking or digital identity services. Australian users may have apps for myGov, Medicare, a state transport network, a local council, a health fund or a major bank spread across different pages.
You can also take a screenshot of your current Home Screen before rearranging it. This gives you a visual reference if the new layout feels awkward. Your apps and data will not be deleted when you change icon size, but a screenshot can save time when rebuilding a familiar arrangement.
Hide Labels With The Built-In iOS Setting
Start on the Home Screen, then touch and hold an empty area until the app icons begin to move. You can also press and hold the Home Screen wallpaper rather than an icon. When the editing controls appear, tap Edit in the upper-left corner and select Customise.
A panel will appear with choices for icon appearance and size. Choose Large. The app icons will expand, and the text labels underneath them will disappear. Tap outside the panel or press the Home button area, depending on your iPhone model, to finish editing.
The setting can be changed later without affecting your apps. To bring labels back, repeat the same process and choose Small instead of Large. The small setting restores the usual icon size and the names below the icons.
This approach is preferable to creating individual shortcuts with custom icons. Shortcut-based methods can produce a label-free look on older iOS versions, but they may add extra setup, create duplicate icons or behave differently when an app is opened. The iOS 18 setting is built into the system and requires no extra app.
If you use an iPhone 15, iPhone 16 or another recent model purchased through the Australian market, the steps are the same as for an iPhone bought overseas. Apple’s Home Screen customisation is controlled by iOS rather than by the mobile carrier, so Telstra, Optus and Vodafone customers do not receive different label settings.
Arrange A Minimal Home Screen That Still Works
Once labels are hidden, reconsider the position of each icon. Put the apps you open most often in the easiest areas to reach, usually the lower half of the display. This is particularly useful on larger iPhone models, where reaching the top row with one hand can be uncomfortable while walking through a Brisbane station or carrying shopping in Adelaide.
A practical first page might include Phone, Messages, Camera, Maps, Mail, Calendar and your preferred browser. You can place banking, password manager and authentication apps in a consistent row or folder. If you use mobile payments frequently, keep Wallet accessible in the Dock or remember that it can be opened quickly with the side-button shortcut.
Folders remain available when app labels are removed. To create one, touch and hold an app, drag it over another app and release it. The folder name will still be visible, so use short names such as “Work”, “Travel”, “Money” or “Media”. You can keep the first page focused on everyday tasks and move less frequently used apps to a second page or the App Library.
Widgets can provide information without requiring labels. A weather widget may be useful before a commute in Canberra, while a calendar or reminders widget can reduce the need to open several apps. Avoid filling every gap with widgets, though. Large icons already consume more space, and a crowded combination of widgets and icons can look busier than the original layout.
You can also remove apps from the Home Screen without deleting them. Touch and hold an app, tap Remove App, then choose Remove from Home Screen. The app stays in the App Library. This is useful for services you need occasionally, such as an airline app, a one-off event app or a retailer’s Australian shopping app.
Understand The Trade-Offs And Alternatives
The label-free layout is primarily a visual change. It does not improve battery life, increase storage or make apps open faster. Large icons may make the screen easier to scan for some people, but they also reduce the number of icons that fit on each page. If you previously had many apps visible at once, you may need additional pages or more folders.
People with vision difficulties may find larger icons easier to identify, while removing labels may make some apps harder to distinguish. iPhone accessibility features such as Display & Brightness settings, Display Zoom, Bold Text and increased text size can be adjusted separately. Test the layout for a few days before deciding whether it is comfortable.
If you want a clean screen but still need labels, use small icons and remove unnecessary apps from the first page. Another option is to create a page containing only a few large widgets and keep your apps in the App Library. You can move between Home Screen pages by swiping, or search for an app by pulling down on the Home Screen and typing its name.
Focus modes offer another layer of control. A Personal, Work or Sleep Focus can show different Home Screen pages at different times. For example, a Work Focus could display email, Teams, Calendar and a VPN app, while a Personal Focus could show Messages, Camera, Maps and entertainment apps. This can be more useful than trying to fit every part of your life onto one permanent screen.
The Shortcuts app can also open apps from custom widgets or personalised icons, but it is a more involved method. It may be suitable for decorative themes, yet it introduces extra maintenance when apps change or shortcuts are edited. For most iPhone owners, iOS 18’s Large icon setting gives the cleanest result with the fewest complications.
| Approach | App labels | Best for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS 18 Large icons | Hidden across the Home Screen | A simple, built-in minimalist layout | Fewer icons fit on each page |
| iOS 18 Small icons | Visible | Fast recognition and maximum screen capacity | More text and visual clutter |
| App Library only | Hidden from the main Home Screen | Keeping the first page extremely clear | Frequent apps take extra steps to reach |
| Folders with small icons | Visible in folders | Grouping banking, travel or work apps | Folder names still add visual text |
| Custom Shortcuts setup | Can be hidden or customised | Decorative themes and personalised icons | More setup and ongoing maintenance |
After changing the setting, use the Home Screen as you normally would rather than judging it immediately. Notice whether you can find your bank, transport and communication apps without hesitation. If you keep opening the wrong icon, move related apps into a recognisable pattern or restore labels for a better balance of appearance and speed.
A sensible Australian setup might place your transport, maps and weather tools together, keep banking and authentication apps in a private folder, and leave shopping or restaurant apps in the App Library. Your layout should reflect the services you actually use, whether that means a Brisbane Go Card app, a Sydney transport tool, a Melbourne travel app or frequent access to your local bank.
Removing labels is a small change, yet it can make an iPhone feel more personal and less cluttered. Update to iOS 18, open the Home Screen customisation menu, choose Large icons and then arrange the remaining space around the apps and widgets that matter most. Give yourself a few days to build visual familiarity, and switch back to Small icons whenever quick text recognition is more valuable than a cleaner appearance.