How to use iPhone app library in iOS 14

A major new change that comes with iOS 14 alongside the Home screen widgets is the iPhone app library. The feature offers a new way to manage the many apps you have with auto-generated categories, a new alphabetical view, the ability to hide app pages, and more. Read on for a handy overview of using the new iPhone app library in iOS 14.

If you haven't seen or experienced them before, the new iOS 14 Home screen widgets and App Library combine to bring the biggest iOS UI overhaul since launch.


What is the Application Library?

While the Home screen widgets offer an updated user interface with customizable widgets of various sizes, the App Library has some nice options to organize and simplify the way you access apps with generated categories / folders. automatically, the ability to hide application pages, a new way to manage downloads, an alphabetical list of applications, etc. The app library can be found at the end of your last iPhone app page.

Note: iOS 14 is currently only available as a developer version, with the first public beta scheduled for late July.


How to use iPhone app library in iOS 14

Access the application library

  1. Go to your last page of applications
  2. Swipe right to left once more
  3. You will now see the app library with auto-generated app categories

Using the Application Library

  • You can tap an individual app to open it
  • Use the search bar at the top to find apps
  • Tap the four small sets of apps in the lower right corner of a category to see all the apps in that app library folder
  • Scroll down from the top of the app library to see an alphabetical list of all apps
  • Interestingly enough, I failed to launch the app library with Siri

How to Use iPhone iOS 14 App Library - Walkthrough 1

How to Use iPhone iOS 14 App Library - Walkthrough 2 Using Alphabetical List by Swiping Down from Top of Your Screen

Hiding iPhone app pages

If you like the idea of ​​relying more on the iPhone app library, you can hide the pages of your apps. This allows faster access to the application library.

  1. Long press on a blank area of ​​your home screen or on any app page
  2. Once in edit mode, tap the app page dot icons at the bottom middle of your screen
  3. Uncheck the app pages you want to hide
  4. Tap Done in the top right corner

How to Use iOS 14 iPhone App Library Walkthrough App Pages

You can view your app pages at any time by reversing the above steps.

Manage the application library

Once you have edited the app pages, you will see an alert that new downloads will appear in the Recently Added section of the App Library. For now, the default is that new app downloads also appear on your home screen / app page, but you can change that in the Settings app.

If you want new downloads to appear only in the iPhone app library and not appear on the home screen or on an app's page, go to Settings> Home screen and tap "Library applications only ”.

There is also an option to get a notification badge to "Show in app library" if you want reminders and a shortcut.

How to Send New iPhone Downloads to the App Library

Find out more

  • Long press a category name or black space in the app library to remove apps
  • Long press an individual app in the app library to add it to your home screen
  • As of now, there is no way to rename the auto-created app library categories or rearrange them (hope this could happen in an update)
  • You can still use folders on your home screen or on app pages as well as app library categories / folders, they are separate

What do you think of the iPhone app library? Useful and valuable or do you think you won't end up using it? Are there any changes you'd like to see ahead of the public release? Share your ideas in the comments below!

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