iOS 14: How to Use the App Library on iPhone - MacRumors
Skip to Content

iOS 14: How to Use the App Library on iPhone

by

In iOS 14, Apple introduced some big changes to the Home Screen, including new widgets and an App Library. The latter feature is designed to organize large collections of apps and make them easier to access. Keep reading to learn how it works.

app library
The App Library offers a new way to manage your apps by using automatically generated app categories and a new searchable alphabetical list view. It may not be immediately obvious how to find the App Library, but that's because it lives beyond the last screen of apps.

How to Access the iOS App Library

  1. On the ‌Home Screen‌ of your iPhone, swipe left to your last screen of apps.
  2. Swipe left once more to bring up the App Library.

app library

How to Use the App Library

With the App Library open, you'll see two columns containing auto-generated categories of apps. You can tap an individual app to open it, or tap the group of four smaller app icons to reveal all the apps in that category.

app library

To delete individual apps, you can long press on a category name or a blank space to enable jiggle mode, then tap the small x in the corner of the app you want to remove. To add an app to your ‌Home Screen‌, long press on it and select Add to Home Screen.

How to Use the App Library List View

The App Library also incorporates a list view that you can use to find apps installed on your device.

  1. Tap the App Library search bar at the top of the screen. Alternately, swipe down on the screen.
  2. Type in the name of an app to filter the alphabetical list, or scroll down through the list with your finger to find what you're looking for. You can also swipe up and down the letters of the alphabet on the right of the screen for faster navigation through the list.
  3. Tap an app to launch it.

app library

If you like using the App Library, you can hide pages of apps on your ‌Home Screen‌ to get to it in fewer swipes. Click here to learn how.

Related Forum: iOS 14

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple's Next Era Begins September 1

Thursday May 7, 2026 10:36 am PDT by
Apple recently announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down as CEO later this year, after 15 years of leading the company. Effective September 1, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus will become the company's next CEO, while Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board of directors. In his new role, Apple said Cook will assist with "certain aspects" of the company,...
Instagram Feature 2

PSA: Instagram Encrypted Messaging Ends on Friday, May 8

Tuesday May 5, 2026 8:24 am PDT by
Instagram will remove end-to-end encryption for direct messages between users from May 8, 2026. When the date comes around, Meta will potentially be able to see the contents of all messages between users on the social media platform. Encrypting messages has been an optional feature in Instagram since 2023, but in March of this year the social media platform quietly updated a help page to say ...
Apple Event Logo

Apple Just Released a New Accessory

Monday May 4, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today released a new Pride Edition Sport Loop for the Apple Watch. The band features a rainbow design with 11 colors of woven nylon yarns. The new Pride Edition Sport Loop is available to order now on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 40mm, 42mm, and 46mm sizes, and it will be available at Apple Store locations starting later this week. In the U.S., the band costs $49. There...