What Is the iPhone App Library and How Do I Use It?

These categories include Social, Entertainment, Utilities, Productivity, and more. Our world‑class distribution platforms reach over 1.5 billion devices worldwide, allowing users to buy and download apps without lags. When you download a universal app on one device, it automatically appears on your other devices.

• You can also search for apps with Spotlight by dragging down from your Home screen, which avoids using the App Library at all.
• Next to the Suggestions folder, there’s also a Recently Added folder, which shows the apps you most recently installed on your iPhone.
• When you download a universal app on one device, it automatically appears on your other devices.
• If that happens, tap and hold on it, then drag it to the left of the screen to go to your Home Screen.

Touch and hold the app, then tap Add to Home Screen (available only if the app isn’t already on the Home Screen). When you download new apps from the App Store, you can add them to the Home Screen and App Library, or to App Library only. Next, we’ll explain both how to move apps from the App Library back to a Home Screen, and how to delete apps from the App Library and the rest of your iPhone completely. You can also search for apps with Spotlight by dragging down from your Home screen, which avoids using the App Library at all. If you still can’t find the app you’re looking for, tap the search bar at the top of the App Library to search for it.

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The main reason Apple introduced the App Library is so you don’t need to have every app on one of your Home Screens anymore. You can remove apps from your Home Screen and still find them in the App Library whenever you need them. Tap in the search bar at the top of the App Library to search for an app by name or view all the apps on your iPhone in an alphabetical list. The iPhone App Library sorts all the apps on your device into smart folders. System-level protections prevent an app from accessing data from other apps without your explicit permission.

• For non-iPhone users who own an iPad, the App Library introduced with iPadOS 15 might be brand new.
• Tap the Today tab and read about influential developers and game creators, learn a few tips and tricks, or see how apps are changing how people work, play and live.
• Like when an app uses Face ID or Touch ID for secure access — while keeping the underlying authentication data from your face or fingerprint private.
• The App Library is a new page on your iPhone’s Home Screen that holds each and every app on your device.
• IPadOS 15 introduced the App Library to the iPad, meaning you can get all the same goodies and benefits that the iPhone App library brings to the table.

It provides easy access to apps that you use often and ones that you’ve recently downloaded. Additionally, it houses your apps in handy category folders and provides a search feature. If a category in App Library has a few small app icons, you can tap them to expand the category and see all the apps in it. If a category has a few small app icons, you can tap them to expand the category and see all the apps in it. For some reason, not every app offers this option in the popup menu.

Apps can’t pull your data from other apps.

Apps that have the larger icon sizes are directly tappable because they are the most frequently used apps in that category. You can, however, see all apps by tapping on the smaller 4×4 grid in the main category folder if visible. If there are no smaller icons visible, then it means that there are no further apps in that category. If you have an app on your screen that you’d like to move into the Library, press and hold the app icon. You’ll see the App Library immediately, full of pre-populated categories like Productivity or Games.

• In addition to its effective organization of your apps, a huge benefit of the App Library is that it allows you to minimize the number of apps that you keep on your Home Screen.
• And a big part of those experiences is ensuring that the apps we offer are held to the highest standards for privacy, security and content.
• The App Library is an all-new way in iOS 14 to store your apps without needing them to appear on the Home Screen.
• The apps you use most are near the top of the screen and at the top level of their categories, so you can easily locate and open them.

But the App Store is more than just a storefront — it’s an innova­tive destination focused on bringing you amazing experiences. And a big part of those experiences is ensuring that the apps we offer are held to the highest standards for privacy, security and content. Because we offer nearly 2 million apps — and we want you to feel good about using every single one of them. Apple hasn’t changed the Home Screen on iOS since the introduction of the original iPhone–it has remained relatively the same throughout 13 major releases. If you want to place an app from the Library onto your Home Screen, it’s easy. In iOS 15, if you don’t want downloaded apps to appear on your Home Screen, you can switch on an option in Settings to ensure they only appear in the App Library.

Every day, moderators review worldwide App Store charts for quality and accuracy.

Luke knows he spends more time on Twitter than he probably should, so feel free to follow him or give him a shout on social media @LukeFilipowicz. If you don’t want to dig through categories, you can always search in the App Library. While technically, all of your apps are in the App Library already, if you want an app to only appear in the Library rather than your Home Screen, here’s how you do that. With iOS 14 and later, there are new ways to find and organise the apps on your iPhone.

• You can change where newly downloaded apps appear on your iPad, and show or hide the notifications that you see in the App Library.
• You’ve likely already noticed the large search box at the top of the App Library.
• You can remove apps from your Home Screen and still find them in the App Library whenever you need them.
• Your account is protected by two‑factor authentication, ensuring that the only person who can access your account is you — even if someone else knows your password.

Hide pages, rearrange pages, or move apps to the dochub pdf editor app—you can organize your iPad Home Screen to fit the way you work. If you choose to keep apps in the Library rather than on your Home Screen, you might want to enable the Notification Badges so that you don’t miss any visual alerts. As previously mentioned, because the App Library holds all of your iPad apps, you don’t have to keep them on your Home Screens. This lets you declutter your screens, especially when you have apps that you don’t use often. That being said, you should know how to move apps into and out of the App Library. You’ve likely already noticed the large search box at the top of the App Library.

Use the App Library and Home Screen to organize your iPad apps

With this simple tweak, you can have all of your new apps go straight to the App Library without going to your Home Screen, too. On the right side, under Newly Downloaded Apps, tap either «Add to Home Screen» or «App Library Only.» For non-iPhone users who own an iPad, the App Library introduced with iPadOS 15 might be brand new. Here’s everything you need to know about the App Library on iPad.

• For example, you can gather together your favorite apps on one Home Screen page, and then make that your first Home Screen page.
• If you choose to keep apps in the Library rather than on your Home Screen, you might want to enable the Notification Badges so that you don’t miss any visual alerts.
• It’s a great way to automatically keep your apps organized and it even lets you remove apps from your Home Screen that you don’t use very often.
• If you want to place an app from the Library onto your Home Screen, it’s easy.
• Finally, tap an app icon in the App Library to launch it, or tap the small app icons to open a folder.

App Library shows your apps organized into categories, such as Productivity & Finance, Creativity, and Information & Reading. The apps you use most are near the top of the screen and at the top level of their categories, so you can easily locate and open them. App Library shows your apps organized into categories, such as Creativity, Social, and Entertainment. We strongly support all points of view being represented on the App Store. Every app has an assigned age rating, so parents can determine what is appropriate for their children. Original stories by our editorial team bring you everything from exclusive world premieres to behind-the-scenes interviews.

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From your Home Screen, swipe your finger to the left until you see the App Library. When you hide a Home screen page, it will no longer appear on your Home screen. You can create and customize any number of Home screen pages to fit your lifestyle and then hide them out of the way until you need them. All apps are still on your iPhone and accessible from your App Library.

Find out how to use the App Library and organise your Home Screen. With the extra Home Screen pages hidden, you can go from the first page of the Home Screen to App Library (and back) with only one or two swipes.

How Do I Change the App Library Folders?

You can add an app in App Library to the Home Screen, unless it’s already there. Dan has worked closely with Apple devices for well over a decade, from producing music in Logic Pro for a BSc in Sound Technology to managing iPhone and Mac repairs at an Apple Store. This doesn’t delete the app from your iPhone—it’s still available in the App Library—but it does remove it from the Home Screen to free up visual space. At the top of the App Library, you’ll also see a folder of Suggestions. These are apps that your iPhone thinks you might want to use, based on your typical activities around the current time.

• You can, however, see all apps by tapping on the smaller 4×4 grid in the main category folder if visible.
• Then use the App Library to find apps that are hidden on different pages quickly.
• You can optionally tap and hold on the app icon and tap the option for Add To Home Screen (Figure C).

If that happens, tap and hold on it, then drag it to the left of the screen to go to your Home Screen. Finally, tap an app icon in the ir thermometer app to launch it, or tap the small app icons to open a folder. With thousands of apps added to the App Store every week, there’s always something new to check out. To help you discover the apps, stories and games you’re sure to love, our team of full-time editors offer personalised suggestions based on your preferences and previous purchases. You can change where newly downloaded apps appear on your iPad, and show or hide the notifications that you see in the App Library.

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And if you upgrade to a new device, your apps go with you — no need to re-download as long as your apps stay up to date. Each app is required to ask for your permission so you can choose what data to share. The first time a third‑party app wants to access your information — like your location, contacts, calendars or photos — you receive an alert. We also ensure that apps are denied access to certain sensitive data on your device, are unable to modify your device or OS, and are prohibited from obtaining complete access to your data. Our comprehensive search feature offers suggestions and helpful hints, and provides results with inline video previews, editorial stories, tips and tricks, and lists. With this setting disabled, the notification badges on any app icon in the <--more--> will be hidden.

• The first time a third‑party app wants to access your information — like your location, contacts, calendars or photos — you receive an alert.
• After rearranging your Home Screens, you might decide you want to move an app out of the App Library and back to your Home Screen.
• Tap inside the search box or swipe down on the screen with your finger.
• To do this, tap and hold on a blank space of the Home Screen to enter Jiggle mode.
• From your Home Screen, swipe your finger to the left until you see the App Library.
• Touch and hold the app, then tap Add to Home Screen (available only if the app isn’t already on the Home Screen).

App Store purchases are safe and simple, so you can start playing, gaming, reading — or just doing — straightaway. Create a secure account with your preferred payment method on file and it’s easily accessible across your devices and the web. Your account is protected by two‑factor authentication, ensuring that the only person who can access your account is you — even if someone else knows your password. And more than 250,000 apps tap into the advanced technologies of Touch ID and Face ID built into your devices, giving you an additional layer of security. When you tap one of the larger app icons, your iPhone automatically opens that app instead of opening the folder.

Change where new apps are downloaded to

IPadOS 15 introduced the App Library to the iPad, meaning you can get all the same goodies and benefits that the iPhone App library brings to the table. The good news is the App Library functionality in PadOS 15 is identical to the iPhone, meaning all the steps listed above. If you have multiple Home Screen pages, you can change their order. For example, you can gather together your favorite apps on one Home Screen page, and then make that your first Home Screen page. When you remove a page from your Home Screen, the apps will still appear in the App Library. If you have multiple Home Screen pages, you change their order.

• From more videos to rankings and reviews, there are loads of ways to help you pick the app that’s right for you.
• For some reason, not every app offers this option in the popup menu.
• While technically, all of your apps are in the App Library already, if you want an app to only appear in the Library rather than your Home Screen, here’s how you do that.
• Our world‑class distribution platforms reach over 1.5 billion devices worldwide, allowing users to buy and download apps without lags.
• Visit Apple Support online or use the Apple Support app to request a refund for App Store purchases.

From your Home Screen, swipe left until you see the App Library. For example, your social media apps may be sorted into a Social category. The apps that you use most frequently will be reordered automatically based on usage. When you install new apps, they’ll be added to your App Library, but you can change where new apps are downloaded to.

Get the details on every app.

Once you’re in the App Library, you can launch apps directly from their categories or even expand the types to see all of the apps. Just swipe to the left to move to your last page of apps or widgets, then swipe one more time. The App Library was only introduced to the iPhone in iOS 14, but it’s become one of the most important parts of the iPhone Home Screen. If you don’t know, the App Library is a way to organize your apps that allows you to get away from the ever-expanding pages of apps that you may have had before. Then use the App Library to find apps that are hidden on different pages quickly.

• The App Library was only introduced to the iPhone in iOS 14, but it’s become one of the most important parts of the iPhone Home Screen.
• The good news is the App Library functionality in PadOS 15 is identical to the iPhone, meaning all the steps listed above.
• Once you arrive in the App Library, you’ll see the aforementioned folders.
• Then you can use the App Library to quickly find apps hidden on different pages.
• This doesn’t delete the app from your iPhone—it’s still available in the App Library—but it does remove it from the Home Screen to free up visual space.

We ensure that apps come from known sources, are free of known malware, and haven’t been tampered with at the time of installation or launch. Then you can use the App Library to quickly find apps hidden on different pages. When you install new apps, they’re added to your App Library automatically, and you can change whether new apps also appear on your Home Screen.