iOS 18 brought a revamped Control Center with resizable controls and multiple pages. However, the new Connectivity control has left many users frustrated. The 2x2 widget, which most prefer, now includes an AirDrop icon that many find unnecessary. While the Connectivity widget itself can’t be customized, there’s a clever workaround to get your preferred icons back in the Control Center.
This method allows you to place individual connectivity icons directly in the Control Center. For Airplane Mode, Cellular Data, and Bluetooth, it’s straightforward since standalone controls already exist. Wi-Fi requires a bit more effort using a Shortcut, but don’t worry – we’ll walk you through it.
Method 1: Using existing controls and a Shortcut for Wi-Fi
-
Start by adding the Wi-Fi shortcut to your Shortcuts app. You can create it yourself or use this pre-made shortcut that toggles Wi-Fi on and off. Open the link on your iPhone.
-
In the Shortcuts app, tap ‘Add Shortcut’ to include it in your collection.
-
Access the Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of your iPhone screen.
-
To enter customization mode, tap and hold an empty space or hit the ‘+’ icon in the top-left corner.
-
At the bottom, tap the ‘Add a Control’ button.
-
Search for ‘Connectivity’ to find the existing controls. Add the ones you want individually.
-
For Wi-Fi, use the search function to look for ‘Shortcuts’. Choose ‘Shortcut’ from the results.
-
In the menu that appears, tap ‘Choose’.
-
From your shortcut list, select ‘Wi-Fi’.
-
Exit the shortcut selection menu and use the handle in the bottom right corner to resize the Wi-Fi control to a small icon.
- You should now have four small icons for Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Cellular. Feel free to arrange them as you prefer – in a line or a square to mimic the Connectivity widget.
Important considerations:
- The Wi-Fi shortcut icon won’t change color to indicate its status, unlike the native controls.
- Long-pressing the Wi-Fi shortcut icon won’t allow you to switch networks.
- The other controls will function normally, as they would in the Connectivity widget.
We can hope that future updates from Apple will introduce a native Wi-Fi icon or allow reordering of icons within the Connectivity widget. Until then, this workaround offers a practical solution for those who prefer individual connectivity controls in their iOS 18 Control Center.