Apple Tip #3 - The Three Screens Makeover

Why its important

I often see seniors struggling to find apps on their iPhones. I know what has happened over time, is they have downloaded apps from the App Store for weather, news, games and whatever interested them at the time. The apps end up scattered over multiple pages, so inevitably finding an app results in a lot of swiping right to left. Occasionally I come across someone who creates folders into which they similar apps e.g. weather.

This makes accessing apps so much faster and easier to do, a great productivity improvement.

This video explains my Three Screen Makeover, but everyone has their own special one based on their needs. Remember the saying 'As little as possible, as much as necessary'.

How to set up the Three Screens Makeover

A three-screen setup with your most used apps, important widgets, and the App Library is very efficient. Here's a simple, step-by-step guide for seniors to achieve this:

Understanding the Goal:

We want your iPhone to have only three screens:

1. Home Screen (Screen 1): This will have the apps you use almost all the time (95%).
2. Widget Screen (Screen 2): This will be a dedicated screen for your most helpful widgets.
3. App Library (Screen 3): This is where all your other apps will be neatly organized by Apple.

We will then hide all the other app pages so you only see these three.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Accessing "Edit Home Screen":

• Find an empty space on any of your iPhone's screens. This means a spot where there isn't an app icon.
• Tap and hold that empty space. Keep your finger pressed down for a moment.
• You'll feel a little haptic feedback (a slight vibration), and the app icons will start to wiggle. This is "jiggle mode" or "edit mode."

2. Moving Apps to Your Main Home Screen (Screen 1):

• Look at all your iPhone screens. You can swipe left and right to see them all.
• Find the apps you use most frequently. These are the ones you open almost every day.
• To move an app: Gently tap and hold the app icon until it lifts slightly from the screen.
• While still holding it, drag the app to your main Home Screen (which will likely be the first screen you see when you unlock your phone).
• Position the app where you want it on the Home Screen and then lift your finger to drop it.
• Repeat this process for all the apps you use 95% of the time. You can have multiple pages on your main Home Screen if needed, but for simplicity, try to keep it to one or two pages at most.

3. Creating Your Widget Screen (Screen 2):

• Go to your main Home Screen (Screen 1).
• Swipe left once. This should take you to your Today View, which might already have some widgets.
• If you see widgets you want to keep: Great!
• To add new widgets or rearrange them:
  • Tap and hold on an empty area of the Widget Screen until the apps and widgets start to jiggle.
  • In the top left corner, you'll see a plus (+) button. Tap it.
  • A list of available widgets will appear. Scroll through the list to find widgets you find helpful (like Weather, Calendar, Reminders, Photos, etc.).
  • Tap on a widget you like. You'll see different size options. Swipe left and right to see the different sizes.
  • Tap the "Add Widget" button at the bottom of the screen for the size you want. The widget will be added to your Widget Screen.
  • To move a widget: Tap and hold it until it lifts, then drag it to where you want it and let go.
  • To remove a widget: Tap and hold it until the quick actions menu appears, then tap "Remove Widget."¹ Or, when in jiggle mode, tap the minus (-) button in the top left corner of the widget.

4. Ensuring the App Library is Your Last Screen (Screen 3):

• The App Library is automatically the very last screen on your iPhone, all the way to the right. You don't need to do anything to set it up; it's always there.

5. Hiding Unwanted App Pages:

• Make sure you are still in "jiggle mode" (the apps are wiggling). If not, repeat Step 1.
• Look at the dots at the bottom of your screen. These dots represent all your iPhone's Home Screen pages.
• Tap on these dots. This will open a screen called "Edit Pages" with small previews of all your Home Screen pages.
• You should see checkmarks below each page preview.
• Uncheck the box below any page that you don't want to see. This will hide those pages.
• Make sure the boxes are checked only for your main Home Screen (Screen 1) and the Widget Screen (Screen 2). The App Library screen doesn't have a dot to uncheck; it will always be the last screen.
• Once you've unchecked the unwanted pages, tap "Done" in the top right corner of the "Edit Pages" screen.
• Then, tap "Done" again in the top right corner of the jiggle mode screen to finish.

Now you should have a simplified three-screen iPhone:

• Swipe right from your Home Screen to see your Widgets.
• Keep swiping right from your Widgets to reach your App Library, where all your other apps are organized.
• Swipe left from your Home Screen to go back to your Widgets.
• You won't be able to swipe to any other app pages.

Tips for Seniors:

• Take it slow: Do one step at a time.
• Don't be afraid to try: If you make a mistake, you can always move things back.
• If you get stuck: Ask a younger family member or friend for help. They'll likely be familiar with these steps.
• Practice swiping: Get comfortable swiping left and right to navigate between your three screens.

This three-screen setup should make finding and using your most important apps and information much easier!