App Library: I hate it

[bushman4]

Everybody knows where certain Apps are on their iPhone but with the App Library it’s different. It can go from recently added to the utility and everything is not where I would put it
It’s not something that’s intuitive or useful

 

[C DM]

Everybody knows where certain Apps are on their iPhone but with the App Library it’s different. It can go from recently added to the utility and everything is not where I would put it
It’s not something that’s intuitive or useful

You can put things where you want on regular home pages using folders if you wish, just like you could before. Nothing related to that has changed.

 

[AXone1814]

Not being able to rename and customize App Library folders is typical Apple🙄 Hopefully this feature will evolve to become more user customizable than it currently is.

It’s entire purpose is literally to be a fully automated page to organise/display all the apps on the phone. If you can customise/rename the folders then it wouldn’t be any different to a regular Home Screen set that we’ve been using for years and that you can still do now! If you want customised and namable folders you can still do that, the same way you always have.

 

[noraa]

it is not there. Is there a way to show more than 7 items in a folder in app library?

Yes, simply tap on the small grid of 4 icons (in the lower right of the category grid), that will then expand the folder and show you a list of all the apps in that category in alphabetical order.

 

[martin2345uk]

I really like the App Library EXCEPT for the fact it doesn’t show any of my Safari shortcuts that I saved to the Home Screen. Weirdly the list view does show them but not the main App Library.

 

[noraa]

And that in a nutshell is often the problem of minimum valuable product philosophy from a user perspective.

Often it lacks even the most basic functionality (on/off, renaming, moving...) which is IMO not fancy extra features, but core functionalities.

hope it won’t take long/forever for those basics to appear...

I mean those features kind of already exist with folders. The whole point of the App Library is that it automatically categorizes Apps without you having to do anything, and then in those categories, apps are listed alphabetically.

I really don’t understand the hate for the App Library. Apple isn’t forcing you to use it, it isn’t even front and center, with it being relegated to the last page of the Home Screen. If you don’t like it, just ignore that it is there.

Personally, I find it very useful. Instead of creating a folder with “miscellaneous” apps that I have to manually add rarely used apps to, I just let the App Library deal with it for me. Games, for example, I have a ton of them. With the App Library, when I download a new game, I don’t have to drag it into a games folder and manually put it into the correct alphabetical location, I just let the App Library automatically throw it into the Games category m. Furthermore, if you swipe down in the App Library, you get an alphabetical list of all installed Apps, which is incredibly useful.

That’s really the only feature I’d like, to be able to default to the alphabetical list instead of the category view.

 

[Abazigal]

I crossposted this in another thread.

Post your iOS 14 home screen layout

Man, this new Home Screen customisation has been one major time suck the entire weekend. Here’s the current one I am experimenting with. One homescreen consisting of two stacks of small widgets and 2 rows of Siri suggestions. Let’s see if iOS is smart enough to surface the relevant...

forums.macrumors.com

I have decided to embrace app library in its entirety. I am using only one home screen now for Siri suggestions and a couple of other widgets, and will basically be using suggestions and app library to locate the relevant apps to launch.

Let's see how it goes.

 

[Shanghaichica]

It doesn't look useful to me but I'll reserve judgement because I really haven't had enough time with all the new features to make a valid judgement on them.

 

[macplay]

You are so right.iOs 14 nothing really useful

 

[fisherking]

You are so right.iOs 14 nothing really useful

you need an emoji in your post; are you being genuine, or sarcastic? (how can we tell)? meanwhile, i'll help out:

 

[Stridr69]

If your phone contained 5-10 apps of unwanted bloatware what would you do? Delete it or leave it? If you couldn’t delete it would it irritate you that your £/$1000 phone was littered with crap you’ll never use?

Some people will say yes. Some will say no but an option to turn the crap off keeps everybody happy.

Samsung user's would LOVE to remove bloatware. They deal with carrier AND Sammy's garbage. Pretty much the same for all android phones(carrier bloatware) with the exception of Google's Pixl phones(yes, I have one).

 

[Bandaman]

You are so right.iOs 14 nothing really useful

You’re right, except for all the useful things it has.

 

[Fatyank]

I’ve found iOS14 to be a great upgrade even the App Library (to a degree). I do not use the App Library. I choose to ignore it. C DM brings up several good points about the App Libary. Most important is if you don’t like it don’t use it!!! I am a very organized person so th library is painful for me. You can’t place apps in the folders you want, in the order you want, rename the folders or hide the built in apps that you can’t delete. I simply choose to stay with the way I had my home screens before. 3 screens (Everyday, Business, Miscellaneous). I created folders but also left some app icons on their own because I use them so much. They are organized the way I want them not alphabetically. I’ve put a few widgets on the Today View screen but don’t really use it that much. If I need to search for an app, I just pull down on the screen and I have a search page.
I do miss having a blank (no icons) screen. Before the update I used the first homescreen as a photo screen. My wallpaper is a family photo and I was able to move all icons on each page over to the next page on the right. Basically shifted everything to the right and left the first screen free of icons but still had my family photo. That has changed or I’m doing something wrong. I have a screen now that has one icon on it so I still have my family photo. I use the camera icon because it blends best with the photo background. I know there is a Photo widget. I use it on my Today View screen. it’s nice but randomly selects from all my photos so. not the same thing. I’ve also created my own stack.
so. If you like the App Library then use it. If you don’t then don’t use it.

UPDATE: I just took a few minutes and moved all my icons over one page and I have my blank (Excpt for wallpaper) Homescreen again. Happy Days!!!!!!

 

[mpavilion]

I don’t use it or particularly like the “categories” implementation – but I never see it, and would not have known it was there if I didn’t know to look for it.

I think Apple had to add it (in some form), now that you can remove apps from your homescreen – your entire library of apps needs to be visible somewhere – and if they provided the option to toggle it off, and the user does that, they’d need to also pop up a warning that your hidden apps are now being dumped back onto your homescreen, turn off the option to hide apps, etc.

(Sorry if this point has been made, it’s a long thread )

 

[Debi Martocci]

The whole app library thing is so (bleep)ing stupid. I don't install any third party apps and the excess apps I don't use I just put in a folder marked "extras". I understand some people find it useful but for (bleep) sake Apple give us an option to turn it off.🤬

 

[Ansath]

The whole app library thing is so (bleep)ing stupid. I don't install any third party apps and the excess apps I don't use I just put in a folder marked "extras". I understand some people find it useful but for (bleep) sake Apple give us an option to turn it off.🤬

Another person that seems to be ok either the Today View screen, but not the App Library. Got to love the hypocrisy. 🤣

 

[murad_fourth]

Another person that seems to be ok either the Today View screen, but not the App Library. Got to love the hypocrisy. 🤣

Today View is fine. But App Library is stupid. Bye for now.

 

[ericg301]

found another reason not to like it - safari home screen bookmarks don't appear anywhere in the app library.

but they remain in my self-made folders.

 

[mpavilion]

found another reason not to like it - safari home screen bookmarks don't appear anywhere in the app library.

but they remain in my self-made folders.

well, no surprise there... they’re not apps!

 

[C DM]

The whole app library thing is so (bleep)ing stupid. I don't install any third party apps and the excess apps I don't use I just put in a folder marked "extras". I understand some people find it useful but for (bleep) sake Apple give us an option to turn it off.🤬

You can still have that same folder and use things the same way you used them before.

 

[Ansath]

Today View is fine. But App Library is stupid. Bye for now.

Why is Today View fine, but App Library is not? For those that have no need for them, both are screens you could accidentally swipe to, that you can't disable......

Or you just hypocritical?
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You can still have that same folder and use things the same way you used them before.

It's funny how many people act like that iOS 14 takes this away from them.

 

[mpavilion]

I think what may be tripping some people up is that they’re thinking of it as an alternate homescreen or something. It is, quite literally, your “app library.” It’s like the app drawer on android, only less conveniently located and organized (LOL). You don’t have to ever use or see it, if you’re comfortable with how you organize your homescreen.

 

[fisherking]

I think what may be tripping some people up is that they’re thinking of it as an alternate homescreen or something. It is, quite literally, your “app library.” It’s like the app drawer on android, only less conveniently located and organized (LOL). You don’t have to ever use or see it, if you’re comfortable with how you organize your homescreen.

well, this is the macrumors forum, where people like to complain (endlessly) about things they can't control, or change. and just accepting that the app library is there and you don't have to use it... is too easy.

 

[ericg301]

well, no surprise there... they’re not apps!

clearly. but apple positions it as a way to replace your existing screens and folders. but if my handful of safari bookmarks dont appear, then i cant remove my homescreens

 

[mpavilion]

apple positions it as a way to replace your existing screens and folders.

Guess I’ll have to respectfully disagree here...