iOS 14 introduced a few new features that users have wanted to have for the longest time. These include home screen widgets, compact UI for incoming calls, Siri, etc. are included. A dedicated app screen on the iPhone was also one of the missing features. That changed with the release of iOS 14, which eventually gave birth to the App Library. What is Application Library on iPhone and how to use it? Find the answer in this post.
This post covers where is App Library, what is App Library in new iOS version, and various tips for using and organizing apps in App Library.
Let’s get to know App Library on iOS.
How to Access App Library on iPhone
The App Library is only available on iPhones running iOS 14 and higher. The first time you update to iOS 14+, you won’t see any difference on the home screen. This is ‘Where is the Application Library?’ It might make you wonder. On the right of the last home screen you will find the Application Library. You can swipe from the last home screen on the right to reveal the App Library screen.
Note: App Library is not available on iPad. Shown only on iPhone.
What is Application Library?
Previously, all installed apps would be available on your iPhone’s home screen. Even if you can create folders, this will still mess up the home screen. To keep the home screen clean, Apple introduced the App Library, which contains all the apps installed on your iPhone.
App Library is a new home screen page that automatically categorizes all installed apps on your iPhone into different folders. Productivity, Utilities, Social, Entertainment, Games, etc. in the Application Library. You will find categories.
Your installed apps can now be in two places – home screen and App Library. You can choose the apps you want to put on the home screen. The rest of the apps will remain in the App Library. Think there is a way to hide apps from home screen without uninstalling them. If you’re coming from an Android phone, iPhone’s App Library is similar to Android’s app drawer. But it looks and works a little differently.
Top 10 Tips for Using the App Library to Organize Apps
Let’s check out the various ways and tips to use the Application Library.
1. Launch Apps from App Library
When you open the Application Library, you will find all installed applications neatly arranged in square shaped boxes. Each folder consists of 4 application icons. However, if there are more than 4 apps in a folder, there will be 3 large app icons and a four app icons on the bottom right.
Tapping the large app icons will launch the app. However, if you tap on the small set of four icons, this will expand the folder and show all the apps. Tap any app to launch it.
2. How to Use Suggestions and Recents in the App Library
At the top of the App Library, you have two cleverly organized folders: Suggestions and Recently added.
The Suggestions box shows apps that Siri thinks you might need based on the time of day, location, and other usage features. The suggestions box gets smarter over time based on how you use your phone. Next to Suggestions are Recently Added, which contains the apps you’ve recently added.
Note: Both folders are created automatically and will keep changing based on your usage.
3. Search for Apps in the App Library
Besides Spotlight search, you can now search and find apps directly from the App Library. This will come in handy when you have trouble finding the right app in the App Library.
While on the Application Library screen, tap the search bar at the top. Alternatively, swipe down from the top of the screen on the App Library screen to view the full list of apps.
Type the name of the application you are looking for. Alternatively, use the letters on the right to scroll through the alphabetical list of all apps, or tap a letter to see all apps starting with that letter.
4. Move Apps from App Library to Home Screen
To get an app from the App Library to the home screen, tap and hold the app icon until you see the menu. Select Add to home screen. Alternatively, tap and hold the app and drag it from the App Library to the home screen.
Note: If an app is already on the home screen, you won’t see the Add to home screen option.
When you add an app to the home screen from the App Library, it does not remove the app from the App Library. The application will remain in the Application Library. Basically, all the apps added to the home screen are also available in the App Library.
5. Move Apps from Home Screen to App Library
Technically, all your installed apps are already available in the App Library. So you cannot move apps from home screen to App Library. But you can uninstall apps from the home screen. This will only remove the app from the home screen and keep it in the App Library unless you uninstall it. Basically, if you don’t want an app icon to appear on the home screen, you have to remove it from there.
To do this, tap and hold the app icon on the iPhone’s home screen. Select Uninstall app from the menu. Another drop-down menu will appear. Select Remove from Home Screen. This will remove the app icon from the home screen but keep it in the App Library.
Fly: Tapping Delete instead of Uninstall from the home screen will remove the app from your phone.
6. Add Apps to App Library Only
By default, any new app installed on your iPhone will appear in both places i.e. the App Library and the home screen. However, you can change this behavior and avoid cluttering your home screen by forcing new apps to stay in the App Library only. This way iOS will not add new apps to home screen. You will need to manually move them from the App Library to the home screen as shown above.
To enable this feature, go to iPhone Settings > Home screen. Select Application Library only.
Fly: On the home screen settings page, you can enable notification badges for the App Library.
7. Quickly Open Application Library
If you have several home screen pages, you have to scroll through them all to get to the App Library. What you can do is remove the extra pages. This way, you will only have to swipe once to open the App Library.
Touch and hold any app icon on the home screen to remove home screen pages. Once the phone is in shake mode, tap on the tiny page indicator icons at the bottom. Then iOS will take you to the Edit pages screen. Here uncheck the pages you want to hide.
Note: Hiding pages does not delete the layout on those pages. If you enable pages again in the future, iPhone will keep the layout.
8. Delete App from App Library
When you delete an app from the App Library, the app is removed from your phone. You can no longer access it from both the home screen and the App Library. It is not possible to just remove or hide the application from the Application Library.
Tap and hold the app icon to remove the app from the App Library. Select Delete app.
9. Rearrange Apps in the App Library
Well, without sugaring my words, let me make this clear. As of now, you cannot manually edit apps within the App Library. Everything is created and organized automatically by your iPhone. Be it folders or apps inside. You cannot move apps from one folder to another in the App Library. Similarly, you cannot rename or rearrange folders.
Note: You can still create folders on the home screen and manually organize the apps inside.
10. Hide Application Library
Currently, it is not possible to get rid of or turn off App Library from your iPhone. If you don’t like it, you don’t need to use it. Ignore this and avoid swiping to the right of the last home screen.
Needs More Control
Currently, the Application Library is somewhat unintuitive to use, as Apple determines everything automatically. A user has little control over the Application Library. We hope there will be changes in the future as Apple lets you customize the Application Library.
Next: Worried about the privacy on your iPhone? Check out 11 privacy features available on iPhones from the next link.
