Your iPhone’s home screen can quickly become cluttered with apps and games, especially if you’re a frequent user of services like Apple Arcade. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution to declutter your home screen and maintain a tidy interface: utilizing the App Library feature introduced with iOS 14 in 2020.
The App Library categorizes your iPhone’s apps into various sections, such as Social and Entertainment, effectively keeping them off your home screen. However, it’s important to note that your iPhone automatically organizes these categories, and you can’t manually rearrange the apps within them.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to hide apps from your iPhone’s home screen and access the App Library:
Hiding Apps on Your iPhone:
- Tap and hold the app you wish to hide on your home screen until a menu appears.
- Select “Remove App.”
- Choose “Remove from Home Screen.”
Now, the app will no longer be visible on your home screen but remains accessible in your App Library. You can repeat these steps to hide multiple apps quickly.
Accessing Your Hidden Apps:
- To find a hidden app quickly, tap “Search” near the bottom of your home screen to use the Spotlight search feature. Type in the name of the app, and it should appear above the search bar.
- Alternatively, swipe right on your home screen until you reach the App Library. Here, you can explore different app categories or use the search bar to find specific apps.
If you ever wish to add a hidden app back to your home screen, navigate to the App Library, tap and hold the app, then select “Add to Home Screen.”
Alternative Method: Organizing Apps in Folders: If you prefer to keep your apps visible but organized, you can create folders on your home screen. This allows you to group similar apps together while maintaining easy access.
Creating Folders on Your Home Screen:
- Tap and hold an app on your home screen until the icons begin to jiggle.
- Drag one app onto another to create a folder. You can name the folder and add more apps to it as desired.
By leveraging folders, you can tidy up your home screen without hiding apps in the App Library, providing more control over your app organization.
