For the first time since, well, ever, Apple brings an Android-style app drawer to the iPhone home screen with iOS 14. But, of course, Apple has brought its own twist. Here’s how the new app library on iPhone works.
You will find the application library on your last home page
If you’re tired of browsing home screen pages nonstop, Apple has good news for you in the form of the new App Library.
Rolling out in fall 2020 with iOS 14, the app library will automatically be added to your iPhone whether you want to use it or not. You can continue to use your home screens as they are. However, if you swipe to the last page on your handset, you’ll find the new App Library section.
Soon: What’s new in iOS 14 (and iPadOS 14, watchOS 7, AirPods, more)
Here you will see a grid of automatically organized folders, categorized according to Apple’s algorithms. The first is for suggested apps, and the second shows apps you recently installed.
In all folders other than “Suggestions”, the first three icons appear prominently. Unfortunately, you cannot choose these apps manually. Tap a larger icon to open this app, while selecting the cluster expands the group.
Slide your finger up to exit grid view and return to the app library. (You cannot swipe left to close this screen.)
Swiping down from the App Library page opens Find mode. You can also tap the search bar at the top of the menu.
Here you will see a list of all the apps installed on your iPhone, listed in alphabetical order. You can use the A to Z cursor from the right edge of the screen to jump to a particular letter if you know the name of the app you’re looking for.
If you search the app library, results will be generated only from installed apps. You cannot search for an app in the App Store and install it, as you can with Spotlight Search.
Soon: How to Customize Spotlight Search on iPhone and iPad
You can also hide your home screen pages
If you like to use the app library, the first thing you should do is hide any excess home screen pages that separate you from it. If you’re like us, you might like to try new apps, only to forget about them a few weeks later. This is how you end up with over half a dozen pages on your iPhone.
Once you’ve updated to iOS 14, you can press and hold any empty space to enter Apple’s Jiggle Mode. At the bottom of the screen, tap the page marker – the circular icon with a number of dots representing the number of open pages on your phone.
This will now show you a new preview screen with all of your pages. To hide pages you no longer use or want to see, simply uncheck the box below its thumbnail. We recommend that you hide everything except the first (and maybe second) page for quick access to the app library.
New apps go straight to the app library
As soon as you change the home screen pages, you will receive an alert that all newly downloaded apps will now appear in the app library. This is a good thing because even when you download a new app, it won’t keep adding new pages to your home screen.
If you want to restore this functionality, go to Settings> Home screen and choose the “Add to Home screen” option. When you are in the “Settings” menu, you can also enable or disable notification badges for apps in the app library.
There’s more to the iOS 14 home screen
The iPhone home screen is clearly one of the biggest changes in iOS 14, and the app library is only part of the equation. Apple also brought home screen widgets, and although they are not interactive, this is another step in the right direction.
We’re still in the first developer beta round here, however. Apple may change some features and interface elements before iOS 14 is released later this year.
