Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
How to Hide Home Screen App Pages on iPhone in iOS 14
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Come on, Apple! This is the wrong solution to a real problem. Just license or buy Z-Launcher from the Palm OS days -- or, steal your own Mac Finder and gives us a sidebar!
A customizable, nifty left-hand set of tabs -- each linked to a page of apps. You could have Books, Music, Games, Astronomy, Daily, etc. One tap and you see, right before you, your most used apps in that category. But the tabbed side-bar is always there! You end up with quick, one-tap movement between categories of apps-- no more scrolling, swiping, or popping open app folders that take over the entire screen.
You can customize the location of the tabbed side bar -- right-hand, top, bottom, whatever floats your boat. Each app page can have its own background, coloring, font, and icon count -- the coloring can optionally change the color of the tab. A spiffy, artsy, visually appealing design. If someone wants to have only 8 apps on a page, so be it. If another person wants 32, let them have it. If someone wants HUGE icons, fine. If someone wants tiny -- great.
And, while you're at it, license, buy, or steal McPhling's wonderful pop-up list of recently used and favorite apps (from the Palm OS days, too) --with optional # of each -- and, again, just a single tap gets you where you want to go. The current limited # of recent apps on the dock in iOS is just plain ridiculous.
Oh, well! Apple really needs to up its design game!
A customizable, nifty left-hand set of tabs -- each linked to a page of apps. You could have Books, Music, Games, Astronomy, Daily, etc. One tap and you see, right before you, your most used apps in that category. But the tabbed side-bar is always there! You end up with quick, one-tap movement between categories of apps-- no more scrolling, swiping, or popping open app folders that take over the entire screen.
You can customize the location of the tabbed side bar -- right-hand, top, bottom, whatever floats your boat. Each app page can have its own background, coloring, font, and icon count -- the coloring can optionally change the color of the tab. A spiffy, artsy, visually appealing design. If someone wants to have only 8 apps on a page, so be it. If another person wants 32, let them have it. If someone wants HUGE icons, fine. If someone wants tiny -- great.
And, while you're at it, license, buy, or steal McPhling's wonderful pop-up list of recently used and favorite apps (from the Palm OS days, too) --with optional # of each -- and, again, just a single tap gets you where you want to go. The current limited # of recent apps on the dock in iOS is just plain ridiculous.
Oh, well! Apple really needs to up its design game!
Answers to some questions asked:
Can you remove/disable the App Library? No, just don't keep swiping right.
Can you hide every homescreen? No, you have to have one selected.
Can the homescreens be re-arranged? No. Shame.
Why is this thing a thing? Dunno; maybe for people who have a page full of work apps they want to hide at home, or a page full of dating apps and porn links they want to hide at work.
Can you remove/disable the App Library? No, just don't keep swiping right.
Can you hide every homescreen? No, you have to have one selected.
Can the homescreens be re-arranged? No. Shame.
Why is this thing a thing? Dunno; maybe for people who have a page full of work apps they want to hide at home, or a page full of dating apps and porn links they want to hide at work.
I’d like App Library a whole lot better if we could edit the categories and what apps are in what category. It looks sleek and I like that it is hidden in that right-side area. However, like most I have long since learned to have my “most used” apps on the front page, and folders on the second. I like the Widgets, and have started using two pages for apps, and the third for the rest in folders.
If that was allowed, the stock search function wouldn’t work like it is supposed to. The apps in the App Library are categorized by how they are labeled and the App Store.
It's nice to have options like this, though I can't see it being used much.
I only have two home screen pages. The first for the most frequently used and the second has folders. These contain used but less frequently used apps, plus a few as yet unused/unfoldered new apps. I learned this system from a co-worker and it has worked very well for several years.
I only have two home screen pages. The first for the most frequently used and the second has folders. These contain used but less frequently used apps, plus a few as yet unused/unfoldered new apps. I learned this system from a co-worker and it has worked very well for several years.
I don’t see how rearranging apps in folder would mess up the search functionality. I am not suggesting renaming the apps, just the folders.
The name of the folders is tied into the search function database that Apple is using to create the folders. You can’t separate one from the other. That is why I said it would mess up the intended function.
The App Library is not another home type screen for people to modify as they see fit. That is not the purpose of the library.
So you are telling me that the folders make a difference in how search works on an iPhone, when searching for apps? I am not saying you are wrong, but that doesn’t sound right. You can search for apps in iPadOS, and it doesn’t have the App Library as implemented in iOS 14.
I am saying Apple has tied the two aspects together.
You can already do what you want to do to the App Library on your home screen. Why are you trying to turn the App Library (search data base function) into the same thing? Seems rather redundant to me.
lol - I like the look of the App Library on my iPhone, and I like that I can select most used apps without having to go into the folder. I just do not like the way apps are catgorised. Today for instance I have a folder named “Adobe”, and all the Adobe apps in it. In App Library these same apps are in Productivity and Creativity.
My first few pages are meticulously arranged, then beyond that is a mishmash of things i haven’t gotten around to fully trying (and either discarding or accepting and putting in a proper place in the first few pages). The new facility will probably be helpful for those. I expect there’s quite a few people who don’t put in any organization effort beyond the first screen. The hiding / summarizing feature may be wildly helpful for them.
I guess the App Library's categorisation will improve as app developers correctly categorise their apps. Is that how it works? Do app writers get to choose (within reason) the category for their app when they release it to the app store?
I have a 2020 SE, which is only lacking tap to wake but has the sensors the new phones have. There honestly is no reason it couldn't have tap to wake, but it has raise to wake.
[automerge]1594130071[/automerge]
I am thinking if you want to hide something, but in the future may want to bring it back. Instead of having to recreate the page/folders it is "saved".
I guess less clutter and hiding of pages is ok... It seems kind of strange people get annoyed by the number to "dots" these days. It's not like the pages are viable, unless you swipe. And accidental swipper left or right could be a very low % anyway.
maybe, i'm just being picky.
maybe, i'm just being picky.
I had no idea people wanted to hide apps they deliberately put on their phone. Ya learn something every day.
Maybe someone has a homescreen full of workout apps, and will (when 3rd party ones come out) have widgets from them on that screen too. Why have them there all the time on the days you're not working out?
As a random example.
Why is the space for the app page dots now so big?
I understand that the majority of users use just their main home screen and would like to hide all the others (and use the app library instead) but if you do this then there is just this huge space where the dots used to be.
You could fit another whole row of apps there. This is the prime space on the main home screen where it is easiest for your finger to tap into your most desired apps - big steps backwards functionally and design wise looks like a cavern of space for nothing?!
I understand that the majority of users use just their main home screen and would like to hide all the others (and use the app library instead) but if you do this then there is just this huge space where the dots used to be.
You could fit another whole row of apps there. This is the prime space on the main home screen where it is easiest for your finger to tap into your most desired apps - big steps backwards functionally and design wise looks like a cavern of space for nothing?!
Does anyone have a problem with hidden pages disappearing after some time, making it impossible to unhide them, or is it just me? I’ve tried searching for any reports of this, but, apparently, I’m the only one having it so far. 😑
With so many apps available for iPhone on the App Store, it doesn't take long before you download so many that managing them can start to get a bit tiresome and unwieldy. Having multiple pages of apps extending off the initial Home Screen can be a burden, especially if you like to organize what you can see on the screen into any sort of meaningful order.
Fortunately, in iOS 14 and later, Apple allows you to hide individual pages of apps from sight. This not only gives your iPhone a tidier look and feel, but it also serves to bring the App Library closer to your initial Home Screen, making it that much easier to access using fewer swipes.
How to Hide iPhone App Pages on the Home Screen
- Long press on a blank area of the Home Screen or any additional page of apps.
- Once in jiggle mode, tap the app page dot icons just above the Dock at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap to uncheck any app pages that you want to hide.
- Tap Done in the top-right corner of the screen to finish.
- Tap Done in the top-right corner to exit out of jiggle mode.
To reinstate any app pages you hid using this method, simply follow the steps again, but in step 3, check the app pages you want to unhide instead.
Article Link: How to Hide Home Screen App Pages on iPhone in iOS 14
Hi,
With so many apps available for iPhone on the App Store, it doesn't take long before you download so many that managing them can start to get a bit tiresome and unwieldy. Having multiple pages of apps extending off the initial Home Screen can be a burden, especially if you like to organize what you can see on the screen into any sort of meaningful order.
Fortunately, in iOS 14 and later, Apple allows you to hide individual pages of apps from sight. This not only gives your iPhone a tidier look and feel, but it also serves to bring the App Library closer to your initial Home Screen, making it that much easier to access using fewer swipes.
How to Hide iPhone App Pages on the Home Screen
- Long press on a blank area of the Home Screen or any additional page of apps.
- Once in jiggle mode, tap the app page dot icons just above the Dock at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap to uncheck any app pages that you want to hide.
- Tap Done in the top-right corner of the screen to finish.
- Tap Done in the top-right corner to exit out of jiggle mode.
To reinstate any app pages you hid using this method, simply follow the steps again, but in step 3, check the app pages you want to unhide instead.
Article Link: How to Hide Home Screen App Pages on iPhone in iOS 14
New to forums, sorry if posted in wrong place. Just had a new iPad and I’ve sorted my homepage and want to hide my second page. Put it into jiggle mode but the dots don’t highlight and if I press them it just moves to the second page, it works fine on my iPhone but no idea why on the iPad. Any ideas. I’m running iOS 14.7. Thanks Barry.