Auto-Populate iPhone Home Screen With Your Most Used Apps

[MacRumors]

Do you find yourself frequently scrolling through multiple Home Screen pages on your iPhone to get to the apps you access most often? If so, chances are you've already filled up the first page with some of your favorite apps. But what if you could automatically make all of your most-used apps appear on page one? With the Siri Suggestions widget, you can.

The Siri Suggestions widget intelligently recommends apps based on your usage patterns. By populating your Home Screen with multiple instances of this widget, you can ensure that the apps you need most are always just a tap away. Read on to learn how it's done.

1. With your iPhone unlocked, swipe to a Home Screen page with at least two free rows available.
2. Press and hold the empty space on the Home Screen until the apps start to jiggle.
3. Tap the "+" button in the top-left corner of the screen to access the widget gallery.
4. Search for "Siri Suggestions" in the widget gallery or scroll through the list to find it.
5. Tap the Siri Suggestions widget option, then choose the first option showing two rows of apps by tapping Add Widget.
   
   
   
   Drag the widget to a fresh new page containing no other apps.
6. Add another instance of the Siri Suggestions widget by tapping the "+" button in the top-left corner of the screen again, then selecting it in the widget gallery, just like you did for the first one.
7. Add a third Siri Suggestions widget in the same way.
   
   
   
   Next, tap the row of dots representing your ‌Home Screen‌ pages.
8. In the ‌Home Screen‌ grid that appears, touch and drag the page of widgets you just made and move it so that it's the first Home Screen page (the one you see when you unlock your iPhone). The others will move to make way in response to your drag action.
   Tap Done in the top-right corner of the screen when you're happy with the new arrangement, then tap Done again to exit jiggle mode.
   
   

Don't worry if the widgets first show the same suggested apps as each other – this will correct itself when you swipe away from the page and return to it. That's all there is to it. By following the above steps, you will have quick access to your most-used apps, even if your habits change, ensuring your Home Screen is both dynamic and tailored to your needs.

Article Link: Auto-Populate iPhone Home Screen With Your Most Used Apps

 

[Apple Mac Daz]

No thx I arrange my apps thats convenient for me, having it auto change would be confusing when you don’t know where your apps are

 

[addamas]

And it will work like Siri Face on Apple Watch? Nope

Apple algorithms have problem to subtract 2-3 hours from wake up alarm to get charging on hold for enough time so I don’t trust it with even this task.

 

[tweaknmod]

This isn’t for me, but that’s only because I tried to minimize the number of apps. I have my phone.

For people who have lots and lots of apps, I could see this being very helpful.

Cool guide!

 

[FrenziedEngi]

Destroy muscle memory with these 8 simple steps!

Static layout for most used apps seems best.

Swipe down and search for everything else. Every time I see someone hunting around for an app on their phone I tell them “swipe down…search”. It’s very quick and easy after you know about the action.

 

[Radeon85]

Looks like an absolute mess to me, I have 325 apps all organised into 21 folders over 1.5 screens and it looks far cleaner than that.

If you want to quickly access your most used apps, then just pull the screen down to show the top 8 siri suggestions.

 

[vegetassj4]

I have mine set to make random suggestions. This way I am sure to use all of the useless apps I have downlaoded over the years. oooooh...Pocket Frogs....

 

[anthony131]

I’m fraught with anxiety just thinking about this.

Moving a predictable interface around unpredictably is defined as poor user experience.

As much as I love the animation of App Drawer and wish they’d implement the animation on the Home Screen, its decision making for me makes it one of the worst features on iOS. “AI” should never be making these decisions when it comes to a user interface.

 

[JosephAW]

Didn’t know you could use this widget more than once. Will have to give it a try. Have over 140 apps that I use regularly and might be a better way than searching for an app to launch or clicking and swiping several times just to launch the app.

Update: it works!

 

[Abazigal]

I have been using this setup since widgets came to iOS with iOS 14? 1 stack of 3 medium widgets, plus two rows of Siri widgets. Hide everything else (meaning only 1 homescreen) and if I want to find some other app, either spotlight or App Library.

There does seem to be some intelligence here. For example, Siri will know when I am at a supermarket and surface the loyalty app I use to earn points and make payment. It’s not very consistent though.

 

[C_Topher]

Some “most-used” apps I intentionally keep off my home screen so I use them less (social media).

 

[tomchr9]

Just provide an option for a simple alphabetically list of installed apps - similar to Contacts. Get rid of the current useless App Library Icon overview.

Edit: Clarification. The App Library icon overview should be replaced with a simple list. No need to first swipe left, then swipe down.

 

[Sirious]

Its a nice idea to change things up!

 

[zobby]

I have a section of Siri suggestions and really believe that it is influenced by app developers. The amount of time LinkedIn appears in the suggestions when I never ever use it makes me think this.

 

[billyknapper]

Just provide option for an alphabetically list of installed apps - similar to Contacts - instead of current useless App Library.

But the App Library *is* an alphabetical list?

If you just have 1 Home Screen then it's a quick swipe left + swipe down to get exactly what you're after.

 

[peneaux]

I’m always impressed by such articles. I would never imagine it was such thing. I’m not gonna use it but cool nonetheless.

The tip I’m using is decreasing white colors from the screen to make it easier on the eyes.

 

[antiprotest]

Wow what a mess! But do what works for you I guess.

 

[CarAnalogy]

The Home Screen is bad enough when I decide I want to remove or move one app and the entire Home Screen shuffles around like a sokoban puzzle.

Since they’re finally fixing that in 18 maybe I’ll try this on a second page.

Siri already can be set to do this when swiping down to search. I find that more useful. Usually the app is already there, but if not it’s just a few taps away.

 

[MikeTheBohunk]

Algorithmically suggested/re-shuffled apps is why I hate the App Library with passion. I sure don't need more of this mess on my homescreen…

 

[CharlesShaw]

Life already has enough surprises, thanks.

 

[QuarterSwede]

Destroy muscle memory with these 8 simple steps!

Static layout for most used apps seems best.

Swipe down and search for everything else. Every time I see someone hunting around for an app on their phone I tell them “swipe down…search”. It’s very quick and easy after you know about the action.

This is the way.

 

[KeithBN]

I didn’t realise you could use multiple Siri widgets like this and they’d work together - might have some fun experimenting!

I’m thinking my most used apps dedicated on front page for easy access, then a page of these widgets on 2nd page would be useful (then all apps on folders and pages beyond)

 

[nymphe]

I think I'm one of the few poeple who is going to use that. Thank you very much, I'll try that.

I'm usually using Spotlight and usually the app I'm looking is directly below the searchbox, so I'm optimistic

 

[segfaultdotorg]

Ugh, no! It causes me anxiety if I don't have at least one empty slot on each page of the home screen.

 

[ChrisMac47]

What would Steve Jobs say? I'm sure it would not be printable. Life's too short to waste time doing all this.