How to Use Multiple Home Screens on iPad [2023]

The iPad can become a productivity machine if you make a few changes to it. You can change many things about your iPad to make your time with it more productive. iPadOS has come a long way since its launch. While it’s still not a desktop replacement due to some limitations, you can customize it in your own way to make it as work-friendly as possible.

In this article, we have presented a step-by-step guide to using different home screens on iPad with specific applications and widgets for each home screen. We will achieve this with the help of iPadOS focus modes and the Shortcuts application. Let us get started.

What are Focus Modes on iPadOS?

Focus Modes basically allow users to customize their devices for the activity at hand. There are several preset focus modes in iPadOS, such as Personal, Work, and Sleep, but you can also create your own focus mode with custom settings. When a focus mode is enabled, it can limit notifications and only show relevant apps on the home screen. You can choose between different options for contacts, apps, sounds, etc. that you want to use in that particular focus mode.

Focus modes can increase productivity and reduce distractions. Users can manually switch between focus modes from the Control Center or set a schedule to activate them automatically. Focus modes are available on all iPads running iPadOS 15 and later.

What is the Shortcuts App on iPadOS?

The Shortcuts app on iPadOS is a powerful automation tool that lets you create custom shortcuts for various tasks or actions on your iPad. It lets you combine multiple steps into a single shortcut, making it easier and more efficient to complete complex tasks or workflows.

With the Shortcuts app, you can automate a variety of actions on your iPad, including opening apps, sending messages, adjusting device settings, getting information from the web, controlling smart home devices, and more. The app offers a visual interface where you can create shortcuts by dragging and dropping actions. You can also customize and configure each action to suit your needs.

Shortcuts can be triggered manually from the Shortcuts app, added as quick-access icons to the iPad home screen, or assigned to Siri’s voice commands to perform them hands-free. This way, you can streamline and simplify your interactions with iPad, saving time and effort when performing repetitive or complex actions.

How to Create Different Home Screens on iPad

To get started, you need to have the Shortcuts program installed on your iPad, and your iPad should have iPadOS 15 or higher. Once you have checked all these things, just follow the steps below to create different home screens on your iPad.

1. Unlock your iPad and then long press on a blank space on the screen. This will activate the edit mode or jiggle mode.
2. Swipe to the last page here until you find a blank page.
3. Drag all the apps and widgets you want to keep to this page.                                                                                                                                                                                            
4. Create as many pages as you need, as each page will act as a different home screen.
5. Now, either tap the “Done” button in the top right corner or simply tap an empty space on the screen to exit edit mode.                                                                                                    
6. Head into the Settings app and open the Focus settings.
7. Tap the + in the top right to create a new Focus Mode.                                                                                                                                                                                                        
8. On the next screen, click Custom and then create your new focus mode by adding a name, color, and icon to it.                                                                                                  
9. Once the Focus Mode is created, you will see all the settings for that particular focus mode.                                                                                                                                            
10. In the Customize Screens option, select the page(s) you created earlier to add to this focus mode.                                                                                              
11. After that, you’ll need to open the Shortcuts app, so either search for it or open it in the App Library.                                                                                        
12. Once the Shortcuts app is open, you will see a + sign on the top. Tap on it to create a new shortcut.                                                                                                                              
13. On the next screen, search for “Set Focus” in the search bar on the right. Then tap Set Focus to create a new action.                                                                                    
14. Tap Do Not Disturb and select the focus mode you just created, then tap the Off button to change it to Until Turned Off.                                                                          
15. Then tap the area in the top left that says Set Focus and rename the shortcut to whatever you might want to call it.                                                                          
16. Click on it again, and this time select the Choose Icon to select the color and icon for the shortcut.                                                                                                          
17. Once you have done that, go back to the main screen of the Shortcuts app, and you should see your newly created shortcut.                                                                                    
18. Repeat all the steps from step 6 for each home screen you want to create.

You can either switch homescreens using the Focus Mode option in Control Center by swiping down from the top right of your iPad screen, or you can place a Shortcuts app widget on each of your homescreens to switch seamlessly. To do this, follow the steps below.

1. Press and hold an empty space on the screen. This will activate the edit mode or jiggle mode.                                                                                                                                              
2. Press the + button at the top left of the screen to open the widgets library.                                                                                                                                                              
3. Here, scroll down the left panel until you find the Shortcuts app widgets.
4. Then select the widget you want from the right menu, depending on how many shortcuts or home screens you have. Finally, press the Add Widget button to add the widget to your home screen.
5. Repeat the process to add the widget to all the Home Screens you have created for seamless switching.                                                                                                        
6. Now tap on any shortcut to activate it and access your Home Screen.

How to Create Multiple Home Screens on iPadOS

This is an easy and efficient way to use the iPad without being distracted while working or enjoying yourself. Using the Shortcuts app saves us a lot of time when performing tasks that involve multiple steps. And adding the widget to all home screens saves one more step, swiping down to access the control center.

All of this together makes the iPad much more efficient and fun to use. The iPad is a great tool when used properly, but most people do not know how. Leave your suggestions and questions about iPadOS below.

FAQs about Creating Multiple Home Screens on iPad

How many home screens can I create on my iPad?

The number of Home screens you can create on your iPad depends on the model and version of iOS or iPadOS you are using. You can create up to 15 homescreens on an iPad. Each homescreen can contain multiple app icons, folders, and widgets.

Can I customize the layout and arrangement of app icons on each home screen?

Yes, you can customize the layout and arrangement of app icons on each home screen. In Edit Home Screen" mode, you can tap and hold an app icon until it starts to wiggle. From there, you can move the app icons to rearrange them within the same screen or move them to a different screen. You can also create folders to group multiple app icons together by dragging one app icon onto another. This way you can organize your apps by categories or personal preferences.

How do I delete a home screen on my iPad?

You cannot directly delete a home screen on an iPad. However, you can remove all app icons and widgets from a Home screen to make it blank. Once all icons and widgets are removed, the Home screen is no longer accessible unless you add app icons or widgets back to it. If you want to simplify the layout of your Home screen, you can move all the app icons to a single screen and leave the other screens blank.

Can I set a specific home screen as my primary/default home screen?

On an iPad, you cannot set a specific Home screen as the primary or default Home screen. The leftmost Home screen (the first screen when swiping from right to left) is considered the "main" Home screen," but there is no way to change that designation. However, you can rearrange the home screens to position your most frequently used applications on the first screen, making it the main screen.

Can I change the wallpaper/background image for each home screen?

No, you cannot change the wallpaper or background image for each home screen on your iPad. You can only keep separate wallpapers for the Home Screen and the Lock Screen. To do the same, go to the "Settings" app, select "Wallpaper," and select either "Choose a New Wallpaper" or "Choose a New Dynamic Wallpaper." From there, you can select a new image from your photo library, Apple's preloaded wallpapers, or download new wallpapers. After selecting a wallpaper, you can choose to set it for the "Home Screen," "Lock Screen," or both.