Empty Home Screen

No icons, open apps by typing their name

iPhone · Free · built in

What it does

Takes apps off the Home Screen without deleting them. You open an app by swiping down and typing its name, so each one is a choice.

Cost

Free, built in.

How to set it up

Touch and hold each app › Remove App › Remove from Home Screen. Settings › Home Screen & App Library › App Library Only, so new apps stay off. In the same menu, turn off Show on Home Screen to remove the search button. To hide whole pages, touch and hold the wallpaper, tap the dots at the bottom and untick them.

How easy to get around

Easy: every app is still one swipe away in the App Library, which can't be turned off.

What people say

The setup that comes up most in long-term guides. One person keeps a blank second page to put one more swipe between them and the App Library.

Checked October 2026 · Source