Homescreens, fall 2024
New phones and the next version of iOS are coming next week. I’m not planning to upgrade my hardware, but I will likely install iOS 18 soon after its release. The new OS has additional customization options for the lock and home screens, so here’s how mine are set up before I start tinkering.
Lock screen
I use the weather background for my lock screen. I like that it’s dynamic, and it looks especially cool when there’s lightning.
I keep the date and current weather conditions above the clock. I hardly ever remember what day it is, so it’s nice having that info at a glance.
In the widgets section are Fantastical, Drafts quick entry and fitness. I don’t use these very often—I pick up my phone and habitually swipe to unlock before I even register they’re there.
Home screen
I’m a one-home screen guy. I can pull down to search or swipe over to the App Library for access to anything else.
On top is a medium (2x4) smart stack. It contains Fantastical, Photos and Omnifocus.
Below that is a small (2x2) smart stack with weather and fitness widgets.
I have four apps that are always available: Phone, camera, messages and photos. These are ones that I want quickly accessible.
Below that is a medium (2x4) siri suggestions widget. It’s freaky how this almost always contains the app I’m looking for when I pick up my phone.
In the dock, I keep Safari, Omnifocus, Drafts and Obsidian.
Today view
Today view is still a thing. I keep the battery widget, some ways to quickly start audio and the Oblique Strategies widgets here.
Other notes
I don’t show battery percentage in status bar. I don’t need to know the battery is 53% charged, “about half” is close enough.
My home screen background is schematics from Basic Apple Guy. I used the Apple Frames shortcuts by MacStories on the screenshots.