Apps are fun to use especially when they help us with the stuff we do every day. Whether it is about social media, productivity, or language, apps make digital tasks more efficient and seamless.
You have to make sure the apps are compatible with your device. But if you are like me, who has lots of apps on my iPhone but doesn’t use all of them often, then we can declutter our phones together.
If you’re not into deleting apps on your iPhone, you can hide or offload them. Here’s a guide to making all of those functions happen.
- About iPhones
- iPhone Features
- Installing Apps On iPhones
- Organizing Apps On iPhones
- Deleting Apps On iPhones
About iPhones
The iPhone is Apple Inc.’s line of smartphones that runs Apple’s iOS mobile operating system. The first iPhone was launched on January 9, 2007, and by November 1, 2018, over 2.2 billion iPhones had been sold. With a multi-touch screen, iPhone can make calls, surf the net, take photos, play music, and access emails and text messages.
I am impressed by the upgrades Apple Inc. has done with iPhone, like bigger screen sizes, enhanced video features, accessibility features, and the ability to install third-party mobile apps.
My favorite feature is the single button on the front panel that allows me to return to the home screen. iPhone has many features that can help you save time and have fun at the same time.
If you have or had the iPhone 4, you can do video calling using either the front or back camera over Wi-Fi. You can dial a person right away through voice control. Users can create custom ringtones from songs purchased from the iTunes Store for a small additional fee.
Text Messages And Emails On iPhone
Another thing I like about iPhone is the virtual keyboard on the touchscreen. It features automatic spell checking and correction and a dictionary that can accept new words. It can also predict what you are texting and would complete it for you.
I can open my email easily on my iPhone. I can also view files like Word, PDF, Excel, and even PowerPoint presentations. Text messages appear chronologically in a mailbox format, and the messages are presented as speech bubbles under each recipient’s name.
With the messages app of iPhone, I can send and receive texts, videos, photos, and audio messages and customize them with effects and stickers.
iPhone Features
I can differentiate iPhone from Android in many ways. iPhone is easier to use, especially with its simple interface, so that’s a plus point for user experience. iPhone’s variety of add-ons also continues to surprise me, like attachable camera lenses and the App Store.
Searching for an item or feature is easier on iPhone because the left of the homepage is dedicated to that function. I find that the unique accessibility options of the iPhone help users a lot. If your iPhone has iOS 14, you may see text and voice translations of 11 different languages.
The other thing I like about my iPhone is it supports Microsoft Office 365. It is available for iPhone and iOS users with Office 365 subscription. I can open and edit files saved in Microsoft Excel, Word, or PowerPoint with this feature.
The upper portion of your iPhone is the functional applications that you often use, like a calculator, a calendar, notepad, widgets, or mini-applications designed specifically for the device. If you’re an iPhone user, you are probably familiar with Siri, an iOS’ virtual assistant that will follow your voice commands.
iPhone Security
There are built-in security features that can keep your data protected on your iPhone and in iCloud. The privacy features allow you to manage the information you want to keep private and the information you want to share.
My Apple ID allows me to access my data in iCloud and information for Apple Music, iCloud, FaceTime, and the App Store. To keep your Apple ID secure, never tell anyone your password and when you are browsing, look for the locked icon because it means the page is secure.
You may also be asked to make a two-factor authentication to protect your account. Lastly, don’t respond to any suspicious links, emails, or text messages.
Installing Apps On iPhones
I am into apps, or applications, so much, and it’s a good thing that installing them on iPhone is not complicated. From fun games to organizing work, apps can easily be accessed and used on iPhone.
The first step is to use your passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID to unlock your iPhone. Go to the App Store and look for the app that you want to download. You can use the Search tab or browse through the Today, Games, or Apps section.
Tap Get to the right of the app that you chose. Enter your passcode or use your Touch ID when you are ready to install the app. Just double-click the side button to activate Face ID and proceed with the installation if you are using an iPhone X.
Once the app starts installing, you’ll notice a small status circle to the right of the app in the App Store. When it is done, it will appear on the Home screen of your iPhone. To find the app, swipe right or left on your iPhone’s display.
Viewing Your App Store Purchase History
I can access the record of every app I downloaded or bought on my Apple ID. Having this record protects me from getting false receipts from stores I didn’t buy from. To see the history of your purchases, open the Setting app on your iPhone.
Go to your name at the top of the screen, tap on iTunes & App Store, and then tap on your Apple ID at the top of the screen. View your Apple ID, and if you scroll down, you’ll see Purchase History. You can check all the apps you downloaded there.
Organizing Apps On iPhones
I get to organize my apps through the App Library to find all the apps I downloaded and purchased. It automatically sorts your apps according to their functions. For example, my “Entertainment” folder displays all my streaming apps, like Hulu, Netflix, and Apple TV+.
My social media apps like Instagram and Twitter are all inside the folder called “Social.” The App Library presents the apps alphabetically and is similar to the Apple Watch’s “List View” mode. On the Home Screen, I can move apps around and reset the original layout if I want to.
I can drag an app to another area on the same page, the dock at the bottom of the screen, or another Home Screen page. When you are done, press the Home button or choose Done.
Creating Folders For The Apps
Sometimes, I customize how apps are organized on my Home Screen so I can easily find them. To do this, you can hold any app on the Home Screen and then choose Edit Home Screen. The app may begin to move.
To make a folder, drag an app onto another app and then transfer them into the folder. You can create more than one page of apps inside the folder. When you are done, just hit the Home button or tap Done.
Deleting Apps On iPhones
It’s easy to delete the apps you no longer use on your iPhone. Go to the Settings app, hit “General,” and then choose “About.” Your current iOS version will be placed next to “Software Version.”
Select the app you want to delete. Hold the icon down, and then choose “Remove App” in the pop-up menu. Choose “Delete App” in the next pop-up and hit “Delete” again. If you want to keep the data from that app, you can hide or offload the app instead of deleting it.
Hiding Or Offloading Apps
Hiding or offloading apps allows me to free up space on my iPhone. I can hide apps from Home Screen and retain them in my App Library. To do this, you can select the app, hold it down, and then choose “Remove App” in the pop-up.
Tap “Remove from Home Screen,” and the app will be moved from your Home Screen to your App Library.
To offload an app or delete it without removing the data, open the Settings app and then choose the “General” tab. Go to the iPhone storage, hit “Offload App,” then confirm by selecting “Offload App.”
Conclusion
Apps allow us to do almost anything, from getting in touch with a friend who is a continent away to monitoring our heartbeat. However, if you feel overwhelmed with the apps on your iPhone, you can constantly reorganize, delete, hide, or offload them.
You can always keep the ones you use more often to make things more efficient and seamless.
