New Settings Icons and Headers in iOS 15

Apple's iOS 15 update introduced a noticeable visual redesign to the Settings app, transitioning to modern rounded inset cards and introducing new icons for revamped features. This article breaks down the visual iconography additions and header redesigns introduced to the system settings hierarchy in iOS 15, including the Focus mode glyphs, iCloud+ management assets, and updated category pickers.

The Focus Category Icon

The most prominent category addition in the root Settings menu was Focus, which replaced the standalone "Do Not Disturb" panel.

  • Main Menu Glyph: A vibrant purple square featuring a multi-mode icon (combining status symbols) replaced the classic purple crescent moon icon on the main list.
  • Header & Profile Glyphs: Inside the Focus settings category, Apple added distinct visual headers and individual icon selections for specific modes, including Sleep (teal bed), Work (cyan briefcase), Personal (purple person), and Fitness (green runner).

iCloud+ and Account Header Icons

Within the Apple ID settings pane, iOS 15 introduced visual updates to highlight new iCloud+ subscription features:

  • Private Relay: A new icon depicting a shield crossed with network lines was added under the iCloud category header.
  • Hide My Email: An envelope icon with a directional arrow was added as a distinct category item.
  • Legacy Contact: Under the Password & Security category, a new visual contact/key icon was added for digital legacy setup.

Safari Tab Layout Visual Pickers

Inside Settings > Safari, Apple added graphical layout icons directly into the category options. Instead of simple text checkboxes, iOS 15 incorporated visual preview icons:

  • Tab Bar: An icon showing an iPhone with the address bar positioned at the bottom.
  • Single Tab: An icon showing the traditional address bar anchored at the top.

Notifications: Scheduled Summary Header

Inside Settings > Notifications, a new section header and graphical icon were introduced for Scheduled Summary. This feature received a dedicated visual header displaying an illustrated clock and overlapping notification tiles to visually demonstrate how bundled alerts appear to users.

Transfer or Reset iPhone

At the bottom of Settings > General, the legacy "Reset" category was replaced by Transfer or Reset iPhone. This section received a new setup header featuring an animated-style icon depicting two iPhones transferring data, alongside a dedicated temporary iCloud backup progress indicator.

Rounded Inset Category Headers

Beyond individual feature icons, iOS 15 changed how category headers visually interact with menu icons. The operating system transitioned the entire Settings interface to the insetGrouped table style. This reformatted all section headers into cleaner, centered blocks floating on a light gray background, giving the standard 29x29 point settings glyphs sharper contrast and distinct visual separation between functional categories.