Control Center could get far easier to customize with iOS 18

The iOS Control Center on an iPhone
Control Center in iOS (Image credit: Apple)

According to all the leaks so far, iOS 18 is going to be a huge upgrade for Apple’s smartphone operating system, including an AI upgrade for Siri, an AI App Store, improved customization for the home screen, and – according to the latest leak – possibly improved customization for the Control Center too.

MacRumors claims that “multiple sources familiar with the matter” have said that Apple has tested a redesigned Control Center, which lets you more easily customize the layout. Though the site adds a note of caution, saying that “we have not confirmed if this change has been finalized for the update.”

Still, if this change is included, it will reportedly allow you to use a drag-and-drop system to directly reorganize at least some of the controls. That sounds a lot like how the iPhone home screen can be reorganized.

A slicker system

This would mark a big change from the current system, which requires you to go into the main settings screen to reorganize Control Center, and from there you can only add, remove, and reorder the smaller controls at the bottom, such as the flashlight and timer.

You can additionally choose to hide or show smart home controls, but the entire top half of Control Center isn’t customizable at all.

Now, it’s not clear whether this change would mean you have control over the layout of all the icons, or still mostly just the small ones at the bottom, but even in the latter case, a drag-and-drop system that you can use directly from Control Center would be a lot faster and more intuitive than having to dig into a sub-menu to change the layout.

So this is a change that we’re hoping to see, and ideally it will also include the ability to leave blank spaces, rows, and columns between the various Control Center controls if desired. This ability is rumored to be coming to the home screen, so it would make sense for Apple to apply it consistently across the device.

We should find out soon, as iOS 18 is expected to be unveiled on June 10, at WWDC 2024. The first beta will probably land around then too, but we’re unlikely to see the finished release before September, around the same time as the iPhone 16 line launches.

You might also like

TOPICS

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

Read more
iPhone Home Screen
iOS 19 is set to usher in a major redesign – here are 4 things being tipped for the upcoming overhaul
iOS 18 Control Center
iOS 19: the 3 biggest rumors so far, and what I want to see
Apple's Craig Federighi demonstrates the iPhone Mirroring feature of macOS Sequoia at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.
Report: iOS 19 and macOS 16 could mark their biggest design overhaul in years – and we have one request
Apple's Craig Federighi presenting customization options in iOS 18 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.
iOS 19: new features, a new design, and everything you need to know
iOS 18 Control Center
iOS 18.4: 5 new features to expect, including Ambient Music and Photos filtering
An iPhone running iOS 18 on a purple and blue background
iOS 18.4 could launch soon with a major upgrade to your iPhone’s notifications
Latest in iOS
An iPhone running iOS 18 on a purple and blue background
iOS 18.4 could launch soon with a major upgrade to your iPhone’s notifications
Apple's Craig Federighi presenting customization options in iOS 18 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.
iOS 19: new features, a new design, and everything you need to know
The Mail app running on iOS, with categories shown on-screen.
How to turn off Mail categories on iPhone, or customize them to your needs
iPhone Home Screen
iOS 19 is set to usher in a major redesign – here are 4 things being tipped for the upcoming overhaul
Three iPhones on a green and blue background showing trails on Apple Maps
iOS 18.4 will give your iPhone a much-needed maps upgrade – but only if you're in the EU
iOS 18 Control Center
iOS 19: the 3 biggest rumors so far, and what I want to see
Latest in News
Open AI
OpenAI unveiled image generation for 4o – here's everything you need to know about the ChatGPT upgrade
Apple WWDC 2025 announced
Apple just announced WWDC 2025 starts on June 9, and we'll all be watching the opening event
Hornet swings their weapon in mid air
Hollow Knight: Silksong gets new Steam metadata changes, convincing everyone and their mother that the game is finally releasing this year
OpenAI logo
OpenAI just launched a free ChatGPT bible that will help you master the AI chatbot and Sora
NetSuite EVP Evan Goldberg at SuiteConnect London 2025
"It's our job to deliver constant innovation” - NetSuite head on why it wants to be the operating system for your whole business
Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1 launches in early April, adding new monsters and some of the best-looking armor sets I need to add to my collection