One of the most notable design changes in iOS 17 this year is to the Messages app. Apple has revamped the interface and moved access to iMessage apps and shortcuts to a new pop-up menu. Here we take a closer look at these changes with a trick that gives you one-tap access to the photo picker.
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How to customize the new iMessage app’s interface
This change to Messages was controversial in the early betas of iOS 17, and Apple made several changes to the interface throughout the beta testing process. Still, despite the beta tweaks, we’re finding people are baffled by these interface changes now that iOS 17 is available to everyone.
iOS 17 has a new “+” plus button next to text fields. Tapping this will bring up a full-screen pop-up menu that gives you access to the iMessage app, as well as the Photos app picker for sending images. The interface displays some quick access icons by default, and every iMessage app you install displays an “More” option.
The first tip for adapting to this new interface in iOS 17 is to reorganize the display order of these apps. Here’s how to do it:
- Tap the ā+ā icon to see a list of messaging apps
- Long press on an app to drag it up or down in the list of options
This also works for apps in the ‘More’ section of the interface, so you can easily move apps to and from the hidden ‘More’ list.
Hidden tricks to access photo picker
But one of the most common complaints I’ve seen about iOS 17’s new Messages interface is that it requires a little extra work to access the Photos app picker. This is the most used iMessage app for the majority of people.
Did you know there is a hidden trick to access the photo picker with one tap? Just long press the “+” icon and the photo interface will appear automatically. There’s no need to access the new full-screen interface at all.
What do you think about the revamped iMessage app interface in iOS 17? Have you adapted to the changes or do you prefer the old design? Let us know in the comments.
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