How to customize your iPhone Home Screen
Introduction
The iPhone home screen can be customized using a picture as the wallpaper since iOS 4. This allows you to customized the wallpaper with a photo.
This was a use case I found lacking on the iOS end as compared to the Android end.
In Android, the home screen is made up of 2 distinct portions— an area you placed widgets,shortcuts in (where you can customized the wallpaper) and an app drawer where you can find all installed apps. You can customize the wallpaper in the first area where you place your widget.
In iOS, the home screen is the app drawer in that sense. It isn’t ideal for customizing the wallpaper with a picture with something in focus (eg, your pet dog or child) as it will be blocked by your app
However, this can be done using an app called Wallpaper Liberator.
Wallpaper Liberator creates icons that mimic the photo/wallpaper at placement which you want to replace. All you need is to replace the newly created icons with the current ones.
No matter if you want to let you photo or wallpaper be the center of attraction on your iPhone’s screen. Or you just want the have the freedom to place the app icons to your preferred location. Wallpaper Liberator is the only app that allows user to have precise control over how the screen should look like. This simple yet fully functional application will provide you with the tools you need to let the wallpaper shines by itself.
The only thing that is restricting you is your creativity!
Note: This app is working well with iOS 9 on the following devices:
- iPhone 5/5s/SE
- iPhone 6/6s in standard display
- iPhone 6 Plus/ 6s Plus in standard and zoom display
Preconditions before using Wallpaper Liberator
There is 2 pre-conditions that must be fulfilled first before using the app:
1. Turn on Reduce Motion
Go to Settings app->General->Accessibility->Reduce Motion -> Ensure it is on (Green)
2. Create Screenshot of home screen
Go to your home screen and tap on any app and on it until it wriggle
Swipe to the last page and then press the home and power button together
Using Wallpaper Liberator
- Select the screenshot as the image for the wallpaper
- Tap on any icon that you would like to replace.
- Safari will be opened.
- Tap the centre button at the bottom
- Tap Add to Home Screen
- Repeat for all the icons you would like to replace (step 2 to 5)
- Tap and hold any app icon on the home screen until they wiggle
- Position the filler icons in places you wish to use it
You can look at the video below on how to use the app
Finally…
iOS customisation might not be as flexible as Android but it can be achieved using alternate means. Wallpaper Liberator provides a great and simple way to allow you to showcase your wallpaper without blocking your images. This allow you to get creative and make your iPhone truly yours.
Wallpaper Liberator can be downloaded from:
https://itunes.apple.com/sg/app/wallpaper-liberator/id433922039?mt=8