How to Manage and Hide iMessage Apps on iPhone and iPad in iOS 11

BY Khamosh Pathak

Published 10 Sep 2017

iOS 11 iMessage Apps featured

With iOS 11, Apple has redesigned the iMessage app drawer. It now shows up as a ticker at the bottom of the conversation. It’s now easier to scroll between apps and to pick and use an app from a sea of different iMessage apps. But if you have too many apps, the horizontal scrolling can get frustrating.

Just like the redesigned drawer, the entire system for managing iMessage apps has been changed. You can now add iMessage apps as Favorites. They’ll always show up at the top of the list. And it’s only the favorite apps that you can reorder. The mechanism for hiding apps is also a bit different. Here’s how the new system works.

How to Add iMessage Apps to Favorites

Favorites show up at the top of the iMessage app drawer.

Step 1: In the Messages app, go to an iMessage conversation.

Step 2: Below the keyboard, you’ll find a ticker of iMessage apps. They’ll show up in the form of rounded rectangles. Swipe horizontally on this ticker till you hit the end.

iOS 11 iMessage App drawer More button

Step 3: Tap on the Menu button that’s at the end of the ticker.

Step 4: Tap on Edit from the top-right corner.

iOS 11 iMessage Apps rearrange hide 1

Step 5: From this screen, you’ll see there are two sections for apps. To add an app to Favorites, tap on the green Plus button next to it.

iOS 11 imessage apps rearrange hide 7

To remove an app from Favorites, swipe left on the app name and select Remove from Favorites.

iOS 11 iMessage Apps rearrange hide 2

How to Rearrange Favorite iMessage Apps

You can only reorder favorite iMessage apps.

Step 1: Tap on the Menu button at the end of the iMessage app drawer.

iOS 11 iMessage App drawer More button

Step 2: Tap on Edit.

iOS 11 iMessage Apps rearrange hide 1

Step 3: In the Favorites section, you’ll now see that each app title has a handle icon in the far right corner. Tap and hold on the handle and swipe up or down to move it. Release your finger to dock the app in position.

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Do this for all the apps that you wish to move. Tap on Done to exit.

How to Hide iMessage Apps from App Drawer

Step 1: From the iMessage app drawer, tap on the Menu button at the end of the ticker.

Step 2: Tap on Edit.

iOS 11 iMessage Apps rearrange hide 1

Step 3: If the app you want to disable is in Favorites, swipe left on the app icon and select Remove from Favorites.

iOS 11 iMessage Apps rearrange hide 2

Step 4: In the bottom section, you’ll see that the apps have a toggle on the right edge. Tap on the toggle to hide the corresponding app.

iOS 11 iMessage Apps rearrange hide 3

Which iMessage Apps Do You Use?

Now that Apple Pay is coming to iMessage, I think we’ll all be using iMessage apps more often. Do you use any particular iMessage apps frequently? A favorite sticker pack perhaps? Share with us in the comments below.