Unlock the Hidden Potential of Your iPhone: Revolutionary Organization Tips You Need to Try

Launch Apps Quickly with Spotlight or Siri Instead

Are your apps neatly arranged within individual folders on your iPhone Home screen? It's time to consider an alternative approach. Here, we present you with some valuable pointers to help you streamline your app organization without compromising on efficiency.

If you typically unlock your iPhone, search for a folder, tap on it, and search for the specific app you wish to launch, there is a more efficient method to be aware of. Spotlight, the built-in search feature on your device, is perfect for swiftly launching applications.

To make use of Spotlight, simply unlock your iPhone and swipe downward on the home screen to uncover the search box. From there, begin typing your search query and the keyboard will appear automatically. As you type, various apps will be displayed. All you need to do is tap on the desired app's icon and you're good to go.

The app icon will appear as soon as you start typing its name. Using this feature more often will make your searches more accurate. For instance, if you have two apps with similar starting letters, the one you frequently utilize will be suggested more frequently as well.

This is particularly useful for applications that are not significant enough to be placed on your primary home screen but are still used occasionally. Furthermore, you can utilize the Spotlight search to look for various other items such as Settings menus, contacts, Notes, and more. There are numerous impressive features in Spotlight search that you might not even know about!

On the other hand, if you prefer giving voice commands to your phone, you can simply instruct Siri to "Launch App Name" instead.

Trust Siri to Find the App You Want

To enhance your app searching experience, consider giving Siri Suggestions a try. Similar to using Spotlight, Siri can learn from your routines and recommend apps based on factors such as time, date, and location. Simply ensure that you have enabled the "Show Suggestions" option in the "Siri & Search" settings, specifically under the "Before Searching" section.

Now, as you swipe down on your home screen, you'll come across a panel of apps positioned at the top of the screen under the "Siri Suggestions" title. If you desire to see more options, simply tap on "Show More" and the panel will expand, revealing a selection of eight suggested apps. These apps have been curated by Siri, taking into account your personal habits and preferences.

Carefully Curate Your Main Home Screen

In addition, you will come across various suggested activities, such as tuning in to a particular podcast or planning a route to a frequently visited place. These suggestions are not necessarily apps that you frequently utilize, but rather apps that Siri considers pertinent to your current activities.

Content: Folders are not an efficient method for organizing frequently used apps. If you find yourself constantly navigating through folders to access an app, it's time to remove it from the folder and place it on your main Home screen. The most convenient location for accessing apps is the first or primary Home screen.

By placing an app on your first Home screen, you can easily access it with a simple swipe and tap. It's important to regularly review the apps on your home screen, determining which ones you use frequently and which ones you no longer need.

Swap out those that are not being used, including even the well-meaning mindfulness and meditation apps, and replace them with apps that require more swipes and taps instead.

Arrange your first home screen with the apps you frequently use, avoiding the need to search or swipe. Include important apps like banking, preferred Mail client, entertainment such as podcasting or music apps, and daily news sources.

Do not feel obliged to keep Apple's own apps if you don't use them frequently. If you don't download many apps, consider removing the App Store. You can access all these features using Spotlight instead. In fact, you can even search the App Store directly from Spotlight by entering your query and clicking the "Search App Store" button at the bottom of the screen.

Having fewer Home screens is always better, especially if you use your device’s App Library.

The App Library Sorts Apps for You Anyway

The App Library is located at the end of your home screen list and automatically organizes your apps into categories. This feature allows you to have a clutter-free experience, as apps are sorted based on the developer's categorization. To access it, swipe left until you reach a tiled list of app categories.

Your device will group apps into useful categories such as "Information & Reading" and "Travel," among others. The top three apps in each category, determined by your usage, will be displayed. To view the complete list, simply tap on the fourth icon, which resembles a collection of smaller icons.

The App Library offers a more convenient way of viewing your apps, as it provides a scrollable list instead of the limited display of nine apps at a time found in folders. Unlike folders, apps are not duplicated across multiple categories, and you cannot relocate an app from one category to another. Additionally, the App Library includes a "Suggestions" section, similar to Siri Suggestions, as well as a "Recently Added" section, which proves useful for quickly locating an app that has just been installed.

If you swipe up on this screen you will see an alphabetized list of apps that currently reside on your device. Use the letters to the right of the list to quickly jump around.

Widgets are a Better Use of Your Screen Space

Widgets are a great addition to apps where they are available. They come in different sizes, such as 1x4, 2x2, or 2x4, and can be placed on your home screen to display useful information. Some widgets are meant to add a touch of joy to your day, like the Photos widget, while others provide practical functionality, eliminating the need to open an entire app, such as weather widgets.

Widgets are often considered a more efficient utilization of space on your home screen compared to folders. This is particularly true for weather apps, Shortcuts widgets, Calendar widgets, and even to-do list widgets. Apple has already announced that widgets will become even more intelligent in iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS 17, allowing for increased interaction on the home screen or Mac desktop, such as the ability to mark items off a list.

The Today screen, accessible by swiping right from your primary Home screen, offers the convenience of adding widgets. By utilizing widgets to access your apps, you can avoid using valuable space on your Home screen. To make changes to your Home or Today screen, easily tap and hold an icon or existing widget, and select "Edit Home Screen" from the menu that pops up.

Delete Apps if You Have to Browse Folders

Keeping too much stuff can be a common pitfall for many of us. This includes things like excessive email clutter, neglected files in your Downloads folder (shouldn't you be clearing that out?), and rarely used or even forgotten apps. Surprisingly, I recently discovered old Apple Arcade games on my iPhone, even though I haven't had an active subscription for over 18 months. It's easy for these apps to find their way into neatly organized folders, only to be subsequently ignored.

There's a valid point in favor of using folders to easily locate apps that may have slipped your mind. However, the opposing viewpoint argues that if you have to search for forgotten apps, it might be wiser to delete them altogether. While not an absolute rule, it's worth contemplating if your Home screen is cluttered with numerous pages of folders.

Head to iPhone Storage in the General section of Settings. Wait for the list to load, and you'll see the "Last Used" date for each app, which can provide interesting insights. Swipe left on an app to "Offload" it, preserving user data, or "Delete" it to remove everything.

iPhone Folders Kinda Suck

iPhone folders have improved since their introduction in the iOS 4 update, but they are now less essential than before. With the option to remove app icons directly from the iPhone Home screen, folders are no longer necessary for concealing apps such as Stocks or FaceTime.

Additionally, the App Library offers a comprehensive organization system. Spotlight has always been convenient, but the device's ability to learn from user behavior enhances its effectiveness. Unlike folders, which can only display nine apps in a 3x3 configuration and occupy the entire screen, navigating a folder filled with numerous apps requires extensive scrolling.

Creating an iPhone folder unintentionally is extremely simple, and getting rid of a folder is troublesome as you have to remove all the apps inside it first.

However, it should be noted that folders still serve a purpose in iOS (as well as iPadOS). There are valid arguments for specific interests or apps that demand a more detailed organization within different app genres.

For instance, individuals who enjoy creating music on their iPhone may prefer to have distinct folders for their drum machines and synthesizers. On the other hand, avid mobile game enthusiasts may choose to keep their devices more orderly by creating separate folders or organizing their apps based on their current preferences, such as having a designated folder titled "Now Playing" for their favorite games.

Consider treating folders as an archive or collection rather than a practical means of accessing applications. It is advisable to utilize Spotlight or Siri regularly and be selective with the apps you keep on your Home screen. This will help you save time searching for items and increase your productivity while using apps. If you are interested in organizing your iPhone apps further, feel free to explore additional tips.