App

Feature request for iOS 17: New App Library options

February 1, 2023
Jill D. Clifton

The App Library was added to the iPhone home screen as part of the iOS 14 release. The feature gives users the ability to move apps off their home screen but leave them on their device, which was previously not possible. The App Library was a big change for the iPhone back then, but Apple hasn’t made any other changes since then

With iOS 17 this year, I’m hoping Apple decides to add some additional customization options to the app library.

Feature request for iOS 17

In its current implementation, the app library does not offer any customization options. The top row has the Recently Added and Suggested app folders, and below that are folders that contain all the other apps on your iPhone. These folders are automatically generated by Apple, so you have no control over which apps go in which folders, or the order in which those folders appear.

Each of these folders also shows three large icons that you can tap right from the main App Library screen for easier access. Which icons get this treatment? That’s up to Apple, all based on some sort of Siri intelligence system.

Unsurprisingly, the intelligence system that defines the app library can be flawed and unreliable. You’ll find apps in random folders, apps you haven’t opened in months appear in the Featured folder, and more. In the current implementation, you have no way to fix these problems.

In iOS 17, I hope Apple gives me more control over the App Library in three ways. These are all basic requirements that would give users much more control over their iPhone experience.

  • Sort the order of folders in the app library
  • Customize which three apps are pinned to the top of the folders
  • Let me hide apps completely (basically make some apps only visible by searching from the home screen)
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Apple has added a number of other customization options to the iPhone home screen and lock screen over the past two years, but the app library feels very rigid. Not only can you not hide it entirely, but you also cannot customize it to your liking.

The App Library is a great feature for decluttering your iPhone’s home screen, and I hope Apple makes some improvements to it with iOS 17.

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