iOS 18 brings a wave of new customization options. Tinted app icons may have got the headlines, but the overhauled Control Center is probably the one that will change how you use your device the most, offering far more flexibility than ever before. It’s like a dashboard of handy shortcut buttons you can tailor to your own needs. Here’s how you can enjoy a more personal Control Center tailored precisely to your needs.
Note: This guide previews upcoming features. iOS 18 is due for release September 2024, with a public beta in July.
Customized controls
Start by swiping down from the top-right corner of your screen to open Control Center. You’ll notice it now spreads across multiple pages you can move between by swiping up or down. By default, you’ll see Favorites, Music, and Connectivity pages that group related controls together, and a blank page at the bottom for you to add your own.
First, let’s move things around. Long-press anywhere (or tap the + button) to enter edit mode. Here, you can rearrange controls by dragging them into your preferred positions, much like you would with apps and widgets on the Home Screen. Easy!
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Computer, enhance
But that’s not all: grab the curved handle found on most controls and drag it to increase or decrease its size. This can help you give prominence to an important control or make space for more info. Some controls, like Now Playing, have many different configurations depending on the size you make them – including a ‘full page’ view with room for album art and playback controls.
Add controls and pages
While in edit mode, press Add a Control to open the new Controls Gallery, where you can search for specific controls or browse through available options. There are more than 80 controls to choose from, including Voice Memo, Text Size, Speak Screen, Background Sounds, Guided Access, and many more.
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Additionally, iOS 18 allows you to create multiple Control Center pages, enabling you to organize controls by functionality. To add a new page, tap the dotted circle icon on the right side in edit mode, giving you a fresh page to populate with your chosen controls.
Pro tip: pick up a control with a long-press and swipe up or down with your other hand to quickly move it to another page.
Settings app
One final note. Because everything is now adjusted within Control Center itself, you no longer have to dig into the Settings app to add new controls. But one useful tidbit remains under Settings > Control Center. Here, you’ll find Access Within Apps, which lets you choose whether the top-right swipe gesture will open Control Center no matter what you’re doing. Turn it off, and you’ll need to be on the Home Screen to access Control Center.