Icon Mosaic › Guides

How to put your iPhone apps in alphabetical order

If you find apps by name, an alphabetical Home Screen is the easiest to search by eye. The iPhone does not have a sort button, but there are two ways to get there.

Updated October 4, 2026

Method 1: Reset your Home Screen layout

Resetting the Home Screen layout puts Apple's built-in apps back where they were when the phone was new, and lines up all of the other apps you have installed in alphabetical order after them.

1. Open Settings and tap General.
2. Scroll to the bottom and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
3. Tap Reset, then Reset Home Screen Layout, and confirm.

This does not delete any apps or data. It only moves icons.

What the reset trick costs you

• Your folders are gone. Every folder you made is removed, and its apps are spread out alphabetically with the rest.
• Your widgets and custom pages are reset. You will have to set up any widgets and widget stacks again.
• Apple's apps come first. Your first page and dock go back to Apple's default layout, so the alphabetical order only starts after them.
• It does not stay sorted. New apps go into the next empty spot, not their alphabetical place, so you will need to tidy up again later.

Method 2: Sort by hand

If you only want one page or one folder in order, sorting by hand is quick. Start jiggle mode and drag the apps into order, starting with the one closest to A. The multi-app dragging trick helps if several apps need to move together. iOS cannot sort the apps inside a folder, so folders always need to be done by hand.

Method 3: Sort from A to Z with Icon Mosaic

Icon Mosaic sorts your apps alphabetically on your Mac and lets you choose exactly what gets sorted, so nothing is lost along the way.

1. Connect your iPhone and press Organize, then choose Arrange from A to Z.
2. Choose all of your pages, a single page, or only the apps you selected.
3. By default your folders, widgets and dock stay exactly where they are, and only the loose apps are sorted. If you want every app in one long alphabetical list, turn on Take apps out of their folders first.
4. Check the result and press Apply to iPhone. A backup of your current layout is saved first, so you can always go back.

You can also right-click any single page and choose Sort A–Z to sort just that page. Sorting from A to Z is free in Icon Mosaic.

Common questions

Is there a way to sort iPhone apps alphabetically?

There is no sort button, but Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout arranges your downloaded apps alphabetically after Apple's built-in apps. It also removes your folders. Icon Mosaic can sort from A to Z without removing them.

Does Reset Home Screen Layout delete apps?

No. It does not delete any apps or data. It only moves icons, removes the folders you made, and resets your widgets.

Can I alphabetize the apps inside a folder?

Not on the iPhone itself. You can drag them into order by hand.