To get your apps sorted quickly, you need to reset the home screen layout in your settings. Unlock your iPhone 17 and open the Settings app. Tap on General and scroll all the way to the bottom to find Transfer or Reset iPhone. Select Reset and then choose the option that says Reset Home Screen Layout. This action puts all the built-in Apple apps back in their original spots. Every app you downloaded after buying the phone will be sorted alphabetically right after them.
Tutorial – Putting Apps in Alphabetical Order on iPhone 17
Cleaning up a messy home screen can feel like organizing a messy room. When you download new games or tools, they just land wherever there is free space. This guide shows you the exact steps to tidy up your digital space instantly.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone 17 home screen.
You need to locate the icon that looks like a set of grey gears. It is usually on the first page of your home screen or in the dock at the bottom. Tap it once to open up the main menu where you control your device.
Step 2: Tap on the General tab in the menu list.
Scroll down a little bit until you see the word General. This section holds the most important controls for your phone’s system. It is usually grouped with other essential settings like Control Center and Display.
Step 3: Select Transfer or Reset iPhone at the bottom of the screen.
You will need to scroll all the way down to the very end of the General list. Do not worry about the word Transfer in the title. You are not actually moving your data to a new phone during this process.
Step 4: Tap the Reset button to see more options.
A menu will pop up from the bottom of the screen with several choices. Be careful here because you do not want to pick the wrong one. You are looking for the specific command to reorganize your icons.
Step 5: Choose Reset Home Screen Layout from the list.
This is the final button you need to press to start the sorting process. Your phone might ask you to confirm that you really want to do this. Once you confirm, the screen will flash for a second as it works.
After you finish these steps, your home screen will look brand new. The first page will only show the apps that came with the iPhone 17 when you bought it. If you swipe to the next pages, you will see all your other apps lined up from A to Z.
Tips for how to put apps in alphabetical order on iPhone 17
- Be aware that this process will delete any folders you have created.
- The App Library on the far right page already sorts apps alphabetically for you without resetting anything.
- You can move apps manually if you only want to fix a few icons.
- Take a screenshot of your current setup before resetting in case you hate the new look.
- This reset will also put the default widgets back in their original places.
Will resetting the layout delete my apps?
No, this process will not delete any of your applications or your data. It simply moves the icons around on the screen. Your save files, photos, and login information remain safe.
Why do the Apple apps come first?
The iPhone is designed to highlight its own tools before third-party apps. When you reset the layout, the system restores the factory default look. This means Mail, Safari, and Messages take the top spots.
Can I undo this action if I do not like it?
Unfortunately, there is no undo button for this specific action. Once you reset the layout, you have to manually move apps back if you want a custom order. That is why it is smart to think it over before you tap that button.
Does this affect the App Library?
The App Library stays exactly the same no matter what you do to the home screen. It is a separate feature that automatically groups your apps. You can always rely on it to find things quickly.
Will my wallpaper change when I do this?
Your wallpaper and lock screen image will stay exactly how you left them. The reset command only targets the grid of icons on top of the wallpaper. You do not need to worry about losing your favorite background picture.
Summary
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap on General.
- Select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Reset.
- Choose Reset Home Screen Layout.
Conclusion
Keeping your phone organized makes it much easier to use every day. We all download apps that we forget about, and they end up cluttering our screens. When you have pages and pages of icons, finding that one specific tool becomes a headache. Using the reset feature is like hitting a refresh button for your digital life. It takes the chaos of your recent downloads and forces them into a neat, logical line.
You might miss your old folders at first. However, the alphabetical list is very easy to navigate because you know exactly where to look. If you are looking for Instagram, you know to swipe until you see the letter I. This saves you time and stops you from scrolling aimlessly. It is a simple trick that makes the iPhone 17 feel snappy and efficient.
Remember that you are the boss of your device. You can always create new folders after the reset if you want to group things by topic again. But starting with a clean slate is often the best way to reorganize. Now that you know how to put apps in alphabetical order on iPhone 17, you can keep your screen tidy whenever it gets too messy. Enjoy the clean look of your organized phone.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.
Read his full bio here.
