Custom App Icons on Home Screen No Longer Route Through Shortcuts App in iOS 14.3 Beta 2

[MacRumors]

Apple in iOS 14.3 is streamlining the Home Screen customization process by simplifying the way that app shortcuts work. With the launch of iOS 14, users quickly discovered that Shortcuts could be used to replace traditional app icons to create an entirely customized Home Screen look.

Unfortunately, while these Home Screens created with Shortcuts looked fantastic, the experience was less than ideal because launching an app through shortcuts required the Shortcuts app to open briefly, slowing the app opening process. In iOS 14.3 beta 2, that's no longer the case because shortcuts no longer have to route through the Shortcuts app.

As Reddit users discovered after installing yesterday's beta, launching an app through Shortcuts on the Home Screen in iOS 14.3 pops up a banner at the top of the display, but the full Shortcuts app no longer opens, so there's less of a delay when using a custom icon to launch apps.

The simplification of the shortcut opening process from the Home Screen will be a welcome change for those who have opted to customize their Home Screens with a whole set of custom icons, as the experience is much more similar to opening a standard app without Shortcuts.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1329117789232230401

For those interested in adding custom icons to their Home Screen through the Shortcuts app, make sure to check out our how to.

Apple has seeded two betas of iOS 14.3 at this time, and it's likely that the update will see an official release in December. Those who want to try out the Shortcut feature now can do so through Apple's public beta option.

Article Link: Custom App Icons on Home Screen No Longer Route Through Shortcuts App in iOS 14.3 Beta 2

 

[silentdevotion]

Hopefully customization will be a big focus in IOS 15.

 

[Mr. Awesome]

I never would’ve thought Apple would do this, but now that they have I want to make some custom icons.

 

[Perry Barhydt]

no more delay, yah!

 

[rjohnstone]

I still fail to see why the OS can't handle a shortcut (alias) directly.

 

[dannyyankou]

Wow I'm actually surprised Apple made this change lol. They're doing a better job listening lately.

 

[EmotionalSnow]

I still fail to see why the OS can't handle a shortcut (alias) directly.

Who said it can’t?

 

[alexjholland]

Still 'feels' messy to me.

Any developer can add extra icons to their iOS app for us to choose from.

And let's fact it, most of us just want a black/grey version.

Telegram, Bear, and many others offer built-in alternate icons.

If your app has no alternate icons in 2020 then you look old.

Just like developers who failed to add dark mode, a couple of years back.

(And if you don't have dark mode in 2020, you really are past it).

* Sidenote, don't be like 1Pass and offer two near-identical icons.

 

[contacos]

When I first read it I was sure they actually blocked it! Call me surprised

 

[pizzzle]

They should allow the option to remove the banner.

 

[sw1tcher]

Hopefully customization stability and quality will be a big focus in IOS 15.

Fixed.

 

[MJBCA]

When I first read it I was sure they actually blocked it! Call me surprised

Same here!!!

 

[azentropy]

Nice... might have to go back on the beta profile. I removed it as I didn't want to create any issues with migrating over to the iPhone 12 mini. Years ago I had my one of my iPhones on beta and get a new iPhone and couldn't migrate because of it.

 

[Vidd]

I still wouldn't put up with that banner coming down.

 

[ben428]

I am not particularly interested in customizing icons but it I would like to be able to save shortcuts for common actions to the home screen—and it doesn't make sense that they will open directly from widgets but not from the home screen. The banner is an improvement over the current interruption but why not allow a shortcut to just open?

And in iOS 15 there should be a 1 x 1 widget size.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I don’t use this feature but, it is nice to see Apple streamlined the process.

 

[madsylar]

They should just let us use custom folder icons, like android since 10 years ago.

 

[bigpoppa]

Finally I can fix that gawdawful red Music icon.

 

[nyuszika7h]

You can use Icon Themer to get rid of the banner and make it fully seamless. Even works for system apps since iOS 14.3 beta 1.

 

[Okasian]

These pseudo-symlinks for me, made iOS interesting again.

Especially since a lot of developers and their taste (or lack thereof) for iconography made me move a lot of essential Apps off my home-screen due to the garish design choices. (I see what you’re doing Flexibits.)

This is a welcome change.

 

[now i see it]

Letting us make custom icons makes using the iPhone fun again. The circa iOS 7 flat neon icons got wearisome by iOS 8

 

[cupcakes2000]

Good news this. I sense big change afoot at Apple.

 

[cknibbs]

All I want is a simple way to disable app text below each icon. I’m well aware of what each app is!

 

[dumastudetto]

I agree the banner needs to go when that particular type of shortcut is used. It’s a step forwards, but would still really annoy me. I would also like the long press shortcuts and badges to work, but that’s probably an iOS 15 kind of thing.

 

[iDento]

Someone at Apple is bullying Sir. Johnny.