Adding the WhatsApp icon to your home screen is a quick and easy way to access the messaging app instantly. Here are a few simple steps to put the WhatsApp icon on your Android or iOS home screen.
What is the WhatsApp Home Screen Shortcut?
The WhatsApp home screen shortcut allows you to launch the WhatsApp app immediately from your home screen, without having to search through your list of apps. It creates a direct shortcut icon that works just like any other app icon on your home screen pages.
This is useful for frequent WhatsApp users who want quick one-tap access to the messaging platform to send chats and check new messages. Having the icon on your home screen means you don’t have to swipe through multiple screens to find the WhatsApp app.
Benefits of Adding a WhatsApp Shortcut Icon
There are a few advantages to adding a home screen shortcut for WhatsApp:
- Saves time – Launching WhatsApp directly from your home screen is faster than searching through your apps.
- Easy access – The icon is visible on your home screen for quick one-tap opening of WhatsApp.
- Convenience – You don’t have to swipe through your home screens to find the WhatsApp app.
- Familiarity – Easy to identify WhatsApp icon lets you instantly recognize the app.
With the WhatsApp icon in a prominent position on your home screen, you can cut down the time taken to open the messaging app each time. Frequent WhatsApp users will benefit the most from this handy shortcut.
How to Add WhatsApp Icon to Android Home Screen
Adding the WhatsApp shortcut to your Android home screen only takes a couple of seconds. Just follow these steps:
- Open the WhatsApp app on your Android phone.
- Tap the More Options icon (3 vertical dots at top-right).
- Select ‘Add to Home screen’ from the menu.
- A dialog will pop up – tap ‘Add’ to confirm.
- This adds the WhatsApp icon shortcut to your home screen.
You can now simply tap the WhatsApp icon on your home screen anytime to directly launch the app. The icon will resemble the standard WhatsApp logo and name.
Customizing the WhatsApp Shortcut Icon
If you want to use a custom icon image instead of the standard WhatsApp logo for your home screen shortcut, follow these steps:
- Long press on any blank space on your home screen.
- Tap on ‘Widgets’ option.
- Look for the ‘Shortcuts’ widget and tap on it.
- Search for ‘WhatsApp’ from the list.
- Tap the pencil icon next to the WhatsApp shortcut.
- Tap on the WhatsApp icon image to change it.
- Select any image from your phone to use as a custom WhatsApp shortcut icon.
- Tap ‘Ok’ to confirm the changes.
This will set a custom WhatsApp icon image for the shortcut on your Android home screen. You can choose any photo or picture for a more personalized look.
Adding WhatsApp Shortcut to iPhone Home Screen
iOS users can also pin a WhatsApp shortcut icon to their iPhone’s home screen. Just follow these simple steps:
- Open WhatsApp on your iPhone.
- Tap on the More Options icon (3 dots at bottom right).
- Scroll down and tap on ‘Add to Home Screen’.
- A popup will appear – tap ‘Add’ to confirm.
- This will add the WhatsApp shortcut to your home screen.
Now you will have a WhatsApp icon on your iPhone’s home screen for instant one-tap access to the messaging app.
Custom WhatsApp Icons on iPhone
To set a custom WhatsApp icon on your iPhone home screen:
- Locate the WhatsApp shortcut icon on your home screen.
- Long press the icon until it starts jiggling.
- Tap the small ‘x’ at the top left to remove the current WhatsApp icon.
- Search for ‘Shortcuts’ app on your iPhone and open it.
- Tap the ‘+’ icon to create a new shortcut.
- Search for ‘WhatsApp’ from the list.
- Tap the WhatsApp icon image to change it.
- Select a photo from your phone to use as custom icon.
- Tap ‘Add’ at the top right to save the shortcut.
- This will add a WhatsApp shortcut with your custom icon to your home screen.
By following these steps, you can set any image or picture as the icon for WhatsApp on your iPhone’s home screen for quick access.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp Shortcut Issues
In some cases, you may encounter minor issues when trying to add a WhatsApp shortcut to your home screen. Here are some troubleshooting tips:
Shortcut Not Appearing
If the WhatsApp shortcut icon is not showing up on your home screen after following the steps above, try these fixes:
- Check if you have enough space on your home screen to add the icon.
- Try closing WhatsApp completely and starting over.
- Restart your phone and try adding the shortcut again.
- Check if WhatsApp has access permissions to modify your home screen.
- Make sure WhatsApp is the latest version from the app store.
App Not Opening
If tapping the WhatsApp shortcut icon does nothing, try troubleshooting with these steps:
- Double check if WhatsApp is installed on your phone.
- Force close WhatsApp and clear cache before retrying.
- Check for any pending WhatsApp updates to install.
- Restart your phone once and test the shortcut again.
- Delete the shortcut and re-add it from WhatsApp.
Duplicate Icons
If you end up with two WhatsApp icons after adding the shortcut, it’s easy to remove the duplicate:
- Long press on the duplicate WhatsApp icon.
- Tap on the ‘Remove’ or ‘Delete’ option.
- This will delete the extra shortcut icon.
Only one WhatsApp home screen shortcut is needed, so remember to remove any extras.
Adding WhatsApp Web Shortcut
Along with the main WhatsApp app icon, you can also add a separate shortcut for launching WhatsApp Web. Follow these instructions:
On Android
- Long press on empty space on home screen.
- Tap on ‘Widgets’ option.
- Find ‘Shortcuts’ widget and tap it.
- Search for ‘WhatsApp Web’ from list.
- Tap on WhatsApp Web shortcut to add it.
On iPhone
- Open Shortcuts app on your iPhone.
- Tap ‘+’ icon to create new shortcut.
- In search bar type ‘Open WhatsApp Web’.
- Tap on the suggested shortcut.
- Tap ‘Add Shortcut’ to add it to home screen.
This will add a separate WhatsApp Web shortcut so you can easily launch the web version of WhatsApp from your phone’s home screen.
Conclusion
Adding a WhatsApp shortcut icon to your Android or iPhone home screen only takes seconds. With the WhatsApp icon in a prominent position on your home screen, you can launch the messaging app instantly with one tap.
Customizing the icon makes it easier to identify WhatsApp from other app icons for quick access. Troubleshooting tips can help resolve any minor issues with adding the shortcut.
Having the WhatsApp icon on your home screen saves time and provides convenient one-tap access to your WhatsApp messages and chats.
| Platform | How to Add WhatsApp Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Android |
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| iPhone |
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With just a few taps, you can conveniently add a WhatsApp shortcut to your phone’s home screen for fast access to the messaging app anytime.