Jiggle Mode is the app rearrangement function on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and on the Launchpad on Mac. It is sometimes also called “wiggle mode” and below you can see where it originated and how to use it.
The origin of Apple Jiggle Mode
Jiggle mode first debuted on the iPhone in iPhone OS 1.13 in 2008. It arrived as part of a major update that allowed iPhone users to rearrange their home screens for the first time. Two years later, Apple filed a U.S. patent (US 8,423,911 B2, granted in 2013) on Home screen reorganizing techniques . In the patent application, Apple described jiggle mode in detail and in the best possible way.
For example, as shown in FIG. 5B, the eligible objects of the user interface move as if they were floating on water.
Since its release in 2008, jiggle mode has been included in every version of iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. On the Mac, jiggle mode debuted on Launchpad in 2011 as part of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. Apple tvOS uses a different kind of jiggle mode (which first appeared in the Apple TV 6.1 system update) where only the app jiggles, not the entire app screen.
How to enable Jiggle Mode on iPhone or iPad
On an iPhone or iPad, jiggle mode is the default method for rearranging icons on the home screen. In newer versions of iOS and iPadOS, the same is true for widgets. Here's how to enable jiggle mode on the home screen:
- iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 or later versions: Press and hold on an empty spot on the home screen that does not contain icons. Alternatively, press and hold an app icon and then select the “Edit Home Screen” from the menu that appears.
- iOS 12 and iPadOS 12 or earlier versions: Press and hold an app icon until the icons start to wiggle.
While in jiggle mode, you can rearrange the order of icons on your home screen. You can also drag apps to or from the Dock. If you drop an icon on top of another, a folder. To remove an icon, tap the tiny “X” button in the corner of the icon. In iOS 14 and later, you can also use jiggle mode to add or rearrange widgets on your home screen.
