We all have websites that we visit frequently. Typically, we would bookmark these sites so we can access them without typing in the web address every time. However, you can quickly and easily access your favorite websites by adding a website icon directly on the iPhone or iPad Home screen.
If a frequently used website is saved as a bookmark, you need to open Safari, open the Bookmarks menu, locate the bookmark in the list, and tap the bookmark for the website to load. While this is not a difficult process, having an icon on the Home screen will automatically open the website with one tap of the icon. No need to go searching through a list of bookmarks.
Add a Website Icon
To add a website icon on the Home screen, open Safari and navigate to the website. In this example, we will create a website icon for the iAnswerGuy website. (After all, shouldn’t everyone have the iAnswerGuy at their fingertips?)
When the page has finished loading, select the Share button at the bottom center of the iPhone screen. The Share button is shaped like a square with an arrow coming out of the top.
On the iPad, the Share button is located in the top bar.
A menu will appear providing several options for how you would like to share the web page. Scroll down and select the item labeled “Add to Home Screen”.
Another screen will appear where you can choose a name for the Home screen icon. Either keep the default name provided or type another name you prefer. When you are ready, tap the Add button in the top right corner to create the icon on the Home screen.
Position the Icon On-screen
The icon can be repositioned on the screen similar to any other app. Just tap and hold the icon until a small menu appears and select Edit Home Screen. All the apps will start to wiggle. Now drag the icon to the location you want. The icon can even be inserted in the quick-launch bar at the bottom of the screen, so it can be easily accessed no matter what Home screen you are viewing. If the quick-launch bar already contains four icons, one must be removed before a new one can be added. Tap on the screen in an area without an app (or press the Home button if your device has one) to exit the configuration mode (stop the apps from wiggling).
The next time you want to visit the website, simply tap the icon and the website will appear.
Multiple Website Icons
If you add website icons for several different websites, you can create a folder to store everything in one place. Tap and hold one icon to enter the configuration mode and drag the icon on top of another icon. A folder will be created containing the two icons. Add additional icons by dragging them onto the folder. The folder can even be placed in the quick-launch bar at the bottom of the screen.