Apple Quietly Tweaked the iOS App Store App – Here's What's Changed

[MacRumors]

No, you aren't going crazy – Apple has quietly made a backend change to the App Store app in iOS that switches the location of the Updates tab and renames it to make it more prominent.

In the App Store app, you can see the change by tapping your profile picture in the top-right corner. The "Apps & Purchase History" tab used to be at the top the list, but it has switched places with "Updates," which is now called "App Updates."

The change was made by Apple without issuing a software update and is evident on both iOS 26.4.1 and the iOS 26.5 beta.

There's actually a faster way to access the App Updates page in iOS 26.4 that was recently highlighted by Daring Fireball's John Gruber: Simply long-press on the App Store app on your Home Screen and you can jump straight to it from the contextual menu.

Article Link: Apple Quietly Tweaked the iOS App Store App – Here's What's Changed

 

[teh_hunterer]

No, you aren't going crazy

Who thought they were going crazy?

 

[kotaKat]

And yet they had to make it an extra menu-tap away anyways to check for updates, which is really kinda annoying in the first place...

... as an aside, I really wish there was a goddamn setting to just give me app updates as they come in. I'm tired of checking for updates and finding out Apple was holding my phone back from updates 3-4 days ago from some apps.

 

[Eddy Munn]

Wouldn’t that be a front end change?

 

[Abazigal]

Oh, I have a shortcut on my phone and iPad which I tap every morning to access the app updates page. 😛

 

[mansplains]

Who thought they were going crazy?

Crazy? I was crazy once. They locked me in a room. A rubber room! A rubber room with rats, and rats make me crazy. Crazy?

 

[neuropsychguy]

I noticed this yesterday. It’s good having updates in a labeled menu now and at the top is better than in the middle of of that list.

 

[W2u7Yw4HaD]

I've always used the long press method.. But I have to say, I wish they had a feature like with TestFlight where it updates right away when its power.. I usually update at least once or more a day.. We can't even make a shortcut to do this action.. I would just prefer the option to update straight away when I charge it..

 

[W2u7Yw4HaD]

Oh, I have a shortcut on my phone and iPad which I tap every morning to access the app updates page. 😛

I always wanted that, but shortcuts didn't provide that link..I'll see if I can make it..

 

[TheIntruder]

Here's how to make a Shortcut that jumps directly to the Updates page.

 

[Abazigal]

I always wanted that, but shortcuts didn't provide that link..I'll see if I can make it..

I used this.

Shortcuts Archive

www.macstories.net

 

[DrJR]

It appears to be more aggressive about keeping apps auto updated too. My OCD is still not relieved

 

[bondr006]

Oh, I have a shortcut on my phone and iPad which I tap every morning to access the app updates page. 😛

I just long press the App Store icon to get a dropdown context menu…

 

[McWetty]

And yet they had to make it an extra menu-tap away anyways to check for updates, which is really kinda annoying in the first place...

... as an aside, I really wish there was a goddamn setting to just give me app updates as they come in. I'm tired of checking for updates and finding out Apple was holding my phone back from updates 3-4 days ago from some apps.

True story: I reported this extra tap on the beta feedback app and they responded “working as intended” and closed my ticket. I guess I’ll take the long press on the App Store icon as an olive branch. I’m still a little salty that Updates was removed from the bottom bar a decade ago.

 

[mikethebigo]

Noticed this too. It’s better at the top.

 

[svish]

Very minor change. Don’t think I would have paid attention. Anyway good to know.

 

[Abazigal]

I just long press the App Store icon to get a dropdown context menu…

View attachment 2622937

One unfortunate side effect of your Home Screen consisting of 2 x Siri suggestion widgets is that you can no longer access long-press options.

 

[jayducharme]

I never knew about the long-press option. That’s quite handy.

 

[oxfordrunner]

Also, when will App auto updates ever work? I feel like no matter what time of day, charging or not, I can always manually refresh and discover a lot of updates need to be downloaded.

 

[tkermit]

Wouldn’t that be a front end change?

The page content or at least its menu items are apparently generated by Apple's backend

 

[christian.terra]

And now app icons show up as square in the App Store lol they can’t change something without breaking another nowadays.

 

[dg1974]

I've always used Screen Time restriction to disable "account" modification (Settings -> Screen Time -> Restriction -> Account).
In that way you cannot modify any settings related to Apple ID etc.
With that restriction in the "App Store" app you could only access to the "Updates" section.
Since 26.4 instead in the "App Store" app you have full unrestricted access to the account.
I've tried to disable->re-enable the restriction in Screen Time with no luck.
I hope this is a bug and not a "feature".

 

[LucM1974]

Speaking of App updates: can one disable the blue dot next to updated apps? Sorry, but it is my biggest pet peeve ☺️

 

[orbital~debris]

Speaking of App updates: can one disable the blue dot next to updated apps? Sorry, but it is my biggest pet peeve ☺️

I don't think so, but perhaps if/when this changes Apple may also pay attention to how much it stands out (🕶️) when running with tinted app icons in a muted colour.

 

[JonnyBlaze]

I've always used the long press method..

TIL… oh do I feel like I’m winning now, saves me three taps a day!