Finding every setting on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac can be challenging. That’s why Control Center exists to offer quick access to a number of features that may be otherwise buried in a device’s menus. From this array of buttons, you can access and change Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirDrop, brightness, volume, and Focus mode. You can also access music controls, dark mode, and screen mirroring options. And there are other features you can add or remove as needed.For many years, Control Center was limited to one screen on your iPhone and iPad. If you wanted to change the controls, you’d also have to dive into the phone’s settings. With iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, you can set up multiple screens and tweak them directly from Control Center itself. Here’s how to use and customize it on all your devices.Access Control Center in iOS 18To access Control Center, swipe down from the top right of the screen on your iPhone or iPad. If you’re running iOS 18 or iPadOS 18, Control Center is now separated into three screens instead of one. The first screen displays the core controls, while subsequent screens display the audio player and connectivity options. Swipe up or down to move from one screen to another, or tap one of the three icons on the right to jump to a specific one.
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Customize Control Center in iOS 18
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You can move any of the existing controls on the first screen. Tap the plus (+) icon in the upper-left corner to move to edit mode. The controls will then sport a border around them with the familiar minus (-) sign at the top. Drag and drop each control to a new location until you’ve reorganized them as you see fit.
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Some controls display a gray curved handle in the lower right, which means you can resize the control’s icon. Drag the handle with your finger and move it up, down, or diagonally. Release it when the icon is the size you want. You can directly delete a control you no longer need by tapping the minus (-) sign for the icon you wish to remove. The icon disappears, and the surrounding icons should move to fill the gap.
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You can add a control to any screen with available space. Pick a screen with empty space at the bottom and tap the plus (+) icon. Tap Add a Control at the bottom of the screen. You can then browse through the available controls until you find the right setting. You can also find a control by name through the Search field at the top. Tap the control, and it appears in the available space where you can move or resize it.
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If the three existing screens are filled, you can create additional screens to store even more. If you’re completely out of room, swipe down to the last screen in Control Center, tap the plus (+) icon, and then tap Add a Control. Find the control you wish to add and tap that control to make it appear on a new Control Center screen. You can create as many as 15 screens this way.Power Off From Control Center
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One cool trick now offered through Control Center is the ability to shut down your phone. When you launch Control Center in iOS 18 or iPadOS 18, a power button now appears in the upper-right corner of the screen. Tap it, and you’ll be taken to the familiar Power Off screen. Move the icon on the slider to the right, and your phone or tablet will shut down.Use Control Center on an Older Version of iOS or iPadOSNot running iOS 18 yet? Apple’s newest mobile OS is currently available as a public beta but it won’t formally launch until September. If you’re on iOS 17, you’ll swipe down from the top right of the screen to open Control Center (though some older devices require you to swipe up from the bottom), which will remain on a single screen with various built-in options that can’t be removed. Certain controls are available only on specific devices. For instance, the Personal Hotspot and Cellular Data controls are available only on iPhones and iPads with a cellular connection. Each icon in Control Center works like any other app on your device: Tap it to turn a function on or off. Press down on a control, and it either expands or presents a menu with more options. There are also a variety of optional controls you can add or remove at any time.
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If you hold down on Airplane Mode, AirDrop, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Cellular, or Personal Hotspot, the entire section grows larger so you can more easily see and control any of its options.
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Press down on the AirDrop icon to turn off the ability to receive content, allow content from contacts only, or allow content from everyone. Long-press the Wi-Fi icon to choose from a list of nearby wireless networks. Press down on the Bluetooth icon to connect a Bluetooth device.
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You can use the Brightness slider to lighten or darken the screen. Hold down on the bar to gain options for Dark Mode, Night Shift mode, and True Tone (if available). You can also use the Volume slider to raise or lower the sound.
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Hold down the Music icon, and a window pops up with options to play, pause, move ahead, move back, and adjust the volume of your current song. You can also access iTunes or your last music-streaming app. If you have an Apple TV, you can pipe the music to the TV.
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Hold down the Focus icon to access any of the different modes, such as Do Not Disturb, Work, Sleep, Eating, and Driving. Tap a specific mode to turn it on. Tap the ellipsis icon for any mode, and you can then decide whether to turn it on for an hour, until this evening, or until you leave your current location.Tap Settings for a particular mode to go to its settings screen, where you can choose to receive notifications from specific people or apps while the mode is in effect, customize your screen for that mode, and set up a specific schedule for the mode
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Hold down the screen mirroring icon to display your device’s screen on a nearby Apple TV. Tap the Rotation Lock icon to determine whether or not you want your screen orientation to change when you rotate your device.
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Customize Control Center in SettingsTo customize Control Center on your iPhone or iPad, head to Settings > Control Center. To be able to use Control Center while in an app, make sure Access Within App is enabled. You can now decide which controls you want in Control Center. Existing controls appear in the Included Controls section, while available controls appear in the More Controls Section.
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Optional controls that you can add include Accessibility Shortcuts, Alarm, Apple TV Remote, Calculator, Camera, Dark Mode, Flashlight, Guided Access, Hearing, Keyboard Brightness, Low Power Mode, Magnifier, Music Recognition, Notes, Quick Note, QR Code Reader, Screen Recording, Silent Mode, Sound Recognition, Stopwatch, Text Size, Timer, Voice Memos, and Wallet. (Note that some of these options are only available for iPhone users and will not show up if you’re on an iPad.)You can add a setting to Control Center by tapping the plus (+) icon next to it in the list. That control then moves to the Included Controls section. Some controls you might find useful to add include Alarm, Flashlight, Camera, Dark Mode, Timer, Voice Memos, and Wallet.
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To remove items from Control Center, look for them in the Included Controls section. Tap the minus (-) icon, then tap Remove. That control then moves back to the More Controls section.
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You can also change the order in which the controls appear in the Control Center. Just drag a control by its hamburger icon and move it up or down in the list.
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How to Use and Customize Control Center on a MacApple has also included a version of Control Center in macOS since the release of Big Sur in 2020. To open Control Center on a Mac, click the Control Center icon on the menu bar (the one next to the date and time). By default, you’ll see controls for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirDrop, Focus, Stage Manager, Screen Mirroring, Display, Sound, and Music.
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Click on any of the controls to access or activate the feature. Click on Wi-Fi to show your current Wi-Fi network and a list of nearby connections. Pick Bluetooth to display nearby Bluetooth devices. Choose AirDrop to turn the feature on or off.
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To customize Control Center on your Mac, open System Settings and select Control Center. Scroll down to the section for Other Modules and turn on the switch next to Show in Control Center for any modules that you want to see when you click the Control Center icon.
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About Lance Whitney
Contributor
I’ve been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I’ve written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for CNET as one of the site’s East Coast reporters. I’ve also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.
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