Unable to move or organize apps after iOS 26 update on iPhone 16 Pro

q3p123 wrote:

I have a brand new phone and the latest update. This is a REAL problem, not users imaginations. I know the iPhone inside and out. Clearly, you are either not understanding exactly what the problem we are all describing here is, or your device and/or iOS are not exactly the same and the most up to date as possible. In one of my other replys, I describe the issue in great detail. The work around listed here does work, but that doesn’t get to the root of the issue. It does need to be corrected.

Please don't presume to assume what I know. I've been on this forum, just about every day for over 15 years. I'm beyond well versed in most things operationally with iPhone.

Said simply:

1. My iPhones are updated to the same iOS 26.3.1 every other iPhone on iOS 26.3.1 is updated to. My iPads are updated to the same iPadOS 26.3.1 every other iPad on on iPadOS 26.3.1 is updated to.
2. On none of my devices do I have any issues in any way shape or form organizing apps, moving apps, or putting them in folders, using the same method we have used for years to organize apps.

Again, why you believe you need to argue your point with me is pointless. I, like you and every other person on this forum is a user. No one here posting or reading is with Apple. If you are having issues and I have no reason to believe you aren't having issues, you need to stop belaboring your point with me and contact Apple directly for help.

q3p123 wrote:

Did that. I sent a report to Apple. Maybe they are working to adress the issue. Who knows, but I’m sure others must have reported it also. Of course you are right, this is just a user to user forum, where users go to comiserate. Maybe that calls into question its value, but I wouldn’t be so sure no Apple developers read it. If I worked on Apple system software, I would be keeping abreast of what the masses are saying. 😎

Hello~ This is not a place to go to commiserate and be assured many people are helped each day here. This is a technical forum and I am also a well versed volunteer here each day …so calling into question the value of this site is offensive and disrespectful.

~Katana-San~

Wait a minute lobsterghost1. This problem appears to be widespread. I have it and I know people who also have it and from the looks of this forum there are many others as well.

My Apple devices and software have been really suffering since the Fall 2025 upgrades. I hope they can find a way back to having the highest standards in the industry.

Rrwcm wrote:

Wait a minute lobsterghost1. This problem appears to be widespread. I have it and I know people who also have it and from the looks of this forum there are many others as well.

My Apple devices and software have been really suffering since the Fall 2025 upgrades. I hope they can find a way back to having the highest standards in the industry.

I'm sorry to see you have an issue with this. No one I know does. And if this was really widespread, this forum would be flooded with complaints, yet it's not. And the tech press would be all over this, yet they're not. Keep in mind there are, according to Apple and Tim Cook, approximately 2.5 Billion Apple users out there. The number of people posting an issue moving apps here on this forum, the most highly visited forum in the work for all things iPhone are statistically beyond tiny in comparison to how many users there are.

That said, you should let Apple know you're having an issue as they certainly won't know from you posting here. Feedback can be shared with Apple here --> Feedback - iPhone - Apple

I totally agree with you about this moving apps problem. I have 140 folders on 11 pages all named with subjects. I have the folders alphabetized on the pages. Contained inside these folders are 1530 different “apps”. Of course, a bunch of those are sites that I have saved using Safari.

..I have posted some workarounds on moving apps and folders, but it takes a lot of time to do each one individually. I do not want to have to reset the homepage as support suggests and then have to redo every folder and their contents.

..This all started with iOS26 and has never been solved since.

..In addition, I am not pleased with the photo app because of the 26,000 photos that I have contained there. So I’ve been using a different paid for app that allows me to create folders inside of folders by subject and even to name each individual photo if I want to. This app is also backed up to the cloud so that I don’t lose that set up. Then I can freely delete photos that I don’t need to have displayed in the Photos app anymore.

.. yes, I agree, probably the majority are not tech tech savvy enough to have more than one or two pages full of apps and not use any folders. But let’s help those of us who really use our phones for the memory capacity they are designed for. 🤠

I’ve spoken with Apple’s senior support team at least ten times. Half have told me that many people are having this problem and some have even had access to my Home Screen and told me that the problem was normal. The inconsistency is enough for me to surmise they are aware this is an issue. And since you pointed out this is a user forum, and not many people are having this issue, curious how you know how many people are having this problem?

Wooodpecka wrote:

I’ve spoken with Apple’s senior support team at least ten times. Half have told me that many people are having this problem and some have even had access to my Home Screen and told me that the problem was normal. The inconsistency is enough for me to surmise they are aware this is an issue. And since you pointed out this is a user forum, and not many people are having this issue, curious how you know how many people are having this problem?

I don't know how many people are having this issue. But this thread was opened on the largest forum in the world for all things iPhone on September 20th, 2025. It is now April 11, 2026 and there are not many people complaining about this issue. There are about 2.5 Billion users out there. It doesn't take rocket science to figure out that if an issue was affecting lots of people, this forum and this thread would be flooded with people complaining, yet it's not. If this was a large issue, the tech press would be all over this, yet, they're not.

That doesn't mean you don 't have an issue. But the issue cannot be an issue affecting the majority of users. I can move apps on all devices, updated to the current iOS release of iOS 26.4.1. I know many who are on iOS 26.4.1 and none of them are having issues moving or organizing apps. This is simply not a huge issue affecting the masses.

j0r0b0 wrote:

I am now using iOS 26.4.2. Moving icons is still continuing to be a problem. Congratulations to the programmers.!!!

Moving apps around the screen is still a challenge and it takes a long time.

I don’t think anything has been done to improve the situation yet since last September when iOS 26 came out.

Maybe our new leader in Apple will be able to force them to solve this problem.

So here is my easiest solution to Moving icons as of today:

1- Where’s your finger hold down on an app until everything starts to jiggle on the screen.

2- Then place your finger on the that you want to move. Yet comfortable relax and keep that finger held on there for probably 30 seconds until the icon gets ready to allow you to move it.

3- Slowly slide the icon toward the bottom of the screen portion of the screen just above your area, where the three or four apps are setting and move the icon halfway on off of the screen to the left or right, depending upon which page you want the icon to move to.

4- As you notice, everything is still jiggling on the screen, which is good eventually, if you have multiple pages, it will slide to the next page. As soon as that happens, slide your finger with the icon up to that next page that you want without letting go and hold it over one of the folders where you want to put it. This is assuming you want to put it in a folder. If not, just hold it into the area where you want to put it and make sure that you’re holding it exactly where an icon should be placed not just any old random spot.

5- If you are just putting the App on a page all by Itself, hold it there for at least 20 seconds before letting go of the app. Wait patiently and eventually it will end up staying in that place.

6- If you are putting the app inside a folder, hold it exactly in the center of that folder so you can barely see any border around the folder. Wait patiently until you see the folder start to expand. Then slide the app into the location in the folder where you want it making sure that it is in the exact position where apps would be put. Hold it there for at least 20 seconds and then you can let go. It will finally accept that spot and assign it in that folder.

7- patience is required and you need to spend a lot of time moving apps on your screens. Don’t push too hard on the screen it just makes it harder for you to continuously hold the app and move it around because your finger gets tired of holding it there.

8- it seems the more apps you have on your phone, The more time it takes to move apps because it has to use a lot of memory, figuring out what everything looks like where it’s at, and how you could move the apps around on the screen. I guess it’s kind of like taking a trigonometry exam and having to calculate everything one step at a time.

😁

Everything you've described is exactly how it works, so I'm not sure what it is you expect Apple to fix here? And it has worked this way on just about every iPhone I've owned over the last several years and I get the newest iPhone yearly. Simply said, moving apps is a slow deliberate process.

Ps: Not that anything will change with a process which is working as expected, the current iOS is 26.5.2. If you are using 26.4.2, you need to update your iPhone to benefit from important security updates.

sidesey wrote:

It should not take up to 10 seconds to redraw app icons or folders. It used to be instant, or unnoticeable anyway. it’s a fundamental floor with iOS 26.

Sorry, but people often remember things differently from previous versions. It was no different in iOS 18, 17, 16, etc.

I am having the same problem on my iPad, not being able to move apps or widgets out of files or into files or to other pages or even to another spot on the same page no matter what I do. I took my iPad in to the Apple Store and let them try to do it and they couldn’t either. What do you suggest I do when your own employees can’t help me?

I feel the same way about not wanting to update anymore, but doesn’t that put your iPad or iPhone at risk from security reaches are hacking? That’s what heard, so it’s kind of like you ****** if you do and ****** if you don’t-it just doesn’t matter.

I hope they fix this. It’s been since September last year that I received my iPhone 17 air And I still have the same problem in moving apps. I usually plan on at least four minutes every time I want to move an app and I have to be careful so I don’t slip my finger off while I’m holding it there waiting for everything to set properly. 🥲

Yep. Great difficulty moving apps. I’ve never regretted updating the ‘ol iPhone in the past. However this time, wish I hadn’t, and it’s bc of this difficulty

Thta's annoyinbg, it used to be one handed, but thank you that worked.

The operating system (26.0.1) on my iPad Pro freezes completely every time I try to move an app.