In the past few years, smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives. With the increasing use of mobile applications, the need for better organization and customization has also risen. Apple, being one of the leading players in the smartphone market, has always been at the forefront of providing a seamless and user-friendly experience to its customers. With the latest iOS 14 update, Apple introduced the App Library feature, allowing iPhone users to declutter and organize their apps effortlessly. So, let’s delve deeper into understanding how to customize and organize apps in the App Library in iPhone.
1. What is the App Library?
The App Library is a new feature introduced in iOS 14 that automatically categorizes and organizes all the apps installed on your iPhone. It is a separate screen that appears when you swipe left on your home screen, after all your app pages. The App Library sorts the apps into categories such as Suggestions, Recently Added, Social, Entertainment, and more, making it easier for users to find the app they are looking for.
2. How to Customize Apps in the App Library?
One of the major advantages of the App Library is that it allows users to declutter their home screen by hiding unnecessary pages and apps. This feature is particularly useful for those who have a large number of apps installed on their device. Follow these steps to customize apps in the App Library:
Step 1: Long press on any app on your home screen.
Step 2: Tap on “Edit Home Screen.”
Step 3: You will see two options at the bottom of your screen – “Add To Library” and “Delete App.”
Step 4: To remove an app from the home screen and move it to the App Library, tap on “Add To Library.”
Step 5: To delete an app completely, tap on “Delete App.”
Step 6: You can also long press and drag an app to the right edge of your screen to move multiple apps at once.
3. Organizing Apps in the App Library
The App Library automatically organizes your apps into categories based on their functionality. However, you can also customize these categories as per your preference. Follow these steps to organize apps in the App Library:
Step 1: Swipe left on your home screen to access the App Library.
Step 2: At the top of the screen, you will see a search bar and four suggested categories – Suggestions, Recently Added, and two other categories based on your most used and recently used apps.
Step 3: To add a new category, tap on “Edit” in the top right corner of the screen.
Step 4: You will see a list of all the categories. To add a category to your home screen, tap on the green plus sign next to it.
Step 5: To remove a category, tap on the red minus sign next to it.
Step 6: You can also rearrange the order of the categories as per your preference by pressing and holding the three horizontal lines next to a category and dragging it up or down.
4. Using App Library Suggestions
The App Library automatically suggests apps that it thinks you may want to use based on your usage patterns. This feature is handy for those who have a large number of apps on their device and struggle to locate the app they need. The App Library Suggestions category is also customizable. To add or remove apps from this category, follow these steps:
Step 1: Swipe left on your home screen to access the App Library.
Step 2: Scroll down to the bottom of the screen to see the App Library Suggestions category.
Step 3: Tap on “Edit” in the top right corner of the screen.
Step 4: You will see a list of suggested apps. Tap on the green plus sign next to an app to add it to the category or tap on the red minus sign to remove it.
5. Creating a Custom App Library Category
In addition to the default categories provided by Apple, you can also create your own category in the App Library. This feature is beneficial for organizing apps that do not fit into any of the existing categories. To create a custom category, follow these steps:
Step 1: Swipe left on your home screen to access the App Library.
Step 2: At the top of the screen, tap on the search bar and type the name of the app you want to add to a custom category.
Step 3: Long press on the app and select “Add to category” from the pop-up menu.
Step 4: If you already have a custom category, select it from the list, or tap on “New Folder” to create a new custom category.
Step 5: Name your custom category and click “Create.”
Step 6: Your newly created category will now appear in the App Library with the selected app.
In conclusion, the App Library in iOS 14 has significantly improved the organizing and customization capabilities of the iPhone. By following the steps mentioned above, users can declutter and organize their apps effortlessly, making their daily smartphone usage more convenient. So, take advantage of the App Library and personalize your iPhone experience to make it even more user-friendly.