- Apple has made Messages apps more convenient in iOS 17
- Find out how to add and manage apps and functions
- Understand how to delete apps from Messages and iPhone
When iOS 17 was announced, one of the features Apple championed was how Message apps were improving. By tapping the plus sign in Messages, users can access five built-in apps or functions. It is possible to add up to 11 of these apps, but doing so means changing that first overlay screen into a scrolling one, reducing the speed of having the most-used apps. To manage these apps, press and hold on one of them and drag it up to the first overlay.
When you tap to use any app, the bottom third of the screen is given over to it. There is no close button, but there is a faint horizontal grab bar at the top of this section. Tap and swipe on that, and the app is gone from your screen.
Unfortunately, to delete a Messages app, you have to go to Settings on iPhone, scroll down to Messages, tap iMessage Apps, find the app you want, then tap the red delete icon and confirm. Deleting an app from here will remove it from both Messages and your iPhone. It’s not possible to keep an app on your phone and, if it has a companion Messages app, just not have that appear in your list.
It should also be easier to see what apps on the App Store come with a Messages (or an iMessage) version. Apple could do more to “gracefully” tuck them away and make this process easier for the user.
