If you’re trying to find the Game Center app on your iPhone or iPad and coming up short, you’re not alone. While Game Center used to be a standalone app in older versions of iOS, it’s now integrated into your device’s Settings and shows up within individual games that support it. The good news? All the features you remember, like achievements, leaderboards, and friend invites, are still around.
In this article, we’ll show you how to access Game Center on iPhone and iPad, manage your Game Center friends, and control invites and privacy settings.
Table of contents
How to Access Game Center on iPhone or iPad
Even though the Game Center app is no longer visible, it hasn’t been removed from iOS. Here’s how to access it:
Step 1: Open the Settings App
Game Center now lives inside your iPhone or iPad’s Settings. Scroll down and tap on Game Center.
Step 2: Sign In With Your Apple ID (If Prompted)
If you haven’t used Game Center in a while, you might be prompted to sign in with your Apple ID. This step links your progress, achievements, and friends list.
Step 3: View Your Profile and Friends
Inside the Game Center settings page, you’ll see your nickname, avatar, and friend list. You can also edit your profile, change who can see you, and manage who can send you invites.
Step 4: Access Game Center Inside Games
Many popular games use Game Center to show leaderboards, achievements, and multiplayer matchmaking. These features appear inside the game itself, not as part of a separate app.
Step 5: (Optional) Add a Shortcut
While you can’t restore the old icon, you can create a shortcut using the Shortcuts app or access it quickly through Siri Suggestions or Spotlight Search.
Tips for Managing Game Center
Here are a few handy tips to help you get the most out of Game Center on iOS 17 or later:
- Add or Remove Friends
- Go to Settings > Game Center > Friends
- Tap the + to send an invite link
- Swipe left on a friend to remove them
- Control Friend Requests
- Turn off automatic friend requests under Settings > Game Center > Nearby Players
- Toggle “Allow Invites” to control who can send you requests
- Sync Across Devices
- Use the same Apple ID on all your devices
- Game Center progress and friends will sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac
- Disable Game Center
- If you don’t want to use it, simply go to Settings > Game Center and toggle it off
Frequently Asked Questions
Open the Settings app and scroll down to tap Game Center. This is where you can view your profile, friends, and settings.
Apple removed the standalone Game Center app in iOS 10. It’s now fully integrated into Settings and games that support it.
There’s no way to reinstall the old app. But you can use the Shortcuts app to create a direct link to Game Center settings or search for it via Siri.
It’s located in Settings > Game Center on both iPhone and iPad.
You can’t. Apple discontinued the Game Center app, but its features are still active inside the Settings app and compatible games.
Go to Settings > Game Center > Friends. Tap the plus button to invite new friends or swipe to delete.
Yes! Game Center is available in Settings > Game Center on both iPhone and iPad running modern versions of iOS or iPadOS.
Summary
- Game Center is still part of iOS/iPadOS, just not as a standalone app
- Access it through Settings > Game Center
- View and manage your nickname, avatar, and friends
- Game Center features like leaderboards appear inside supported games
- Add friends, control invites, or turn it off entirely from Settings
Conclusion
While the app itself is no longer available, all the core features are still built into iOS and iPadOS. Whether you’re looking to track high scores, add friends, or tweak privacy settings, Game Center is still alive and well, just in a new place. Head over to Settings > Game Center and take a look around.