Apple released iOS 14 on Sept. 16, which included a new home screen setup and app library. Consumers can use new widgets for weather, astronomy, calendar and so many more. With these widgets, you can customize them to your liking and make your phone personalized to you. The update has been a success and although some people are hesitant to download it, it makes your phone experience more personal.

Below are the steps to personalize your homescreen. 

First thing is you’re going to update your phone to iOS 14. After your phone is updated you’re going to need to download some apps; Widgetsmith, Photo Widget: Simple and Color Widgets. 

Shortcuts is an application that should already be on your phone. Once your update is complete, this will be one of the main things you’re going to be using. This is how to make your apps customized and aesthetically pleasing. 

Before you start, I would pick or download some of your favorite pictures. These will become the face of your apps. Once you’ve done that, you’re gonna open Shortcuts and press the + (create Shortcuts). 

Then press the “add action” button and search “open app.” Press “choose” and pick which app you want to customize. Then press the three little dots in the upper right corner and press “add to homescreen.” Click the icon and choose which picture you want the app to be and name it.

Now to get the widgets, you’re going to go to Widgetsmith. Once you’re there, choose if you want to place a small, medium or large widget. 

In the small widgets, you can pick a photo from your library and put it on your homescreen. To do this, you pick “add small widget” in Widgetsmith. Click one and go to “custom” and choose “photo” and go to “selected photo” and choose your desired picture. 

To get it on your homescreen, you hold down on the phone screen and select the + in the upper left corner. Scroll down to Widgetsmith and select the small widget you just created. 

This is how you create each widget. I only did the apps I use daily. Even though it takes some time to do, it’s definitely a fun new feature. I suggest starting with a popular widget to add for fun which is the lunar phases. To get this, you go on Widgetsmith and scroll to “medium widget” and choose “add medium widget.” Click it and scroll down to “Astronomy” and select “Moon Phase.” Then add to your home screen.