In iOS 10, Apple introduced the Messages App Store, allowing users to jump into miniature versions of their favorite apps so they could do things like choose a movie time, send their location, pay a friend, give a recommendation from Apple Music, and attach stickers. With the launch of iOS 11, the app drawer and selection experience of Messages apps have been streamlined, and this guide will walk you through the fastest way to access your favorite apps, organize them, and add more from the Messages App Store.

Navigating the New App Drawer in Messages

how to messenger app drawer 1

  1. Open Messages.
  2. Choose a contact to text.
  3. At the bottom of the screen sits the new app drawer, and you can tap one to bring it up or scroll to dive deeper into your collection.

From here, apps within Messages function essentially the same as they did in iOS 10: the bottom half of the screen represents the app, which you can interact with and send content into the upper half section of the screen in the form of an iMessage. A small chevron sitting just below the text entry field can be tapped to expand the Messages app to full screen, and tapped again to reduce it.

If you ever accidentally leave the app by tapping the text field, simply tap the App Store icon to the left of the text field. Conversely, if you're inside of a Messages app and want to make it and the app drawer disappear, tap the same App Store icon to the left of the text field (it'll be blue when the app drawer is open) to make the app disappear (returning the icon to gray).

Editing the New App Drawer in Messages

how to messenger app drawer 2

  1. Navigate to the app drawer in Messages.
  2. Scroll the drawer all the way to the right and tap the ellipses, or "More," icon.
  3. Tap "Edit."
  4. On the right side, choose any installed app you want or don't want in your Messages app drawer by tapping the green toggles.
  5. On the left side, tap the green "+" icon next to any app you want as a favorite.
  6. Tap "Done."

Now that your app drawer is fully customized, your favorites will appear on the far left side of the drawer, and any other apps you have toggled on will appear after your favorites. Any time you want to search for more, you can tap the blue App Store icon sitting to the left of your favorites to visit the Messages App Store. There are numerous standalone Messages apps, but many popular apps have also been updated over the past year to include Messages support.

For this reason, it's easy for your app drawer to become crowded, making the deeper editing and favoriting options in iOS 11 a welcome addition. If you'd rather not see the app drawer, tap on the gray App Store icon at the left of the Messages text box to hide it from view.

Related Forum: iOS 11

Top Rated Comments

ck2875 Avatar
97 months ago
('https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/messages-app-drawer-ios-11/')

With the launch of iOS 11, the app drawer and selection experience of Messages apps have been streamlined, and this guide will walk you through the fastest way to access your favorite apps, organize them, and add more from the Messages App Store.

You left off the most important part: Tap the gray App Store icon to hide the app drawer.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nr123*123 Avatar
97 months ago
How do you disable this stupid thing?

I’m a grown up. I text people. I don’t need everything to be shared or “connected”.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aforty Avatar
97 months ago
This thing is still really buggy. I edited the apps available and when I was done I couldn't press "Done." I had to force quit the app. I've noticed some other weirdness that makes iOS 11 still feel very much beta to me.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mainomega Avatar
97 months ago
You left off the most important part: Tap the gray App Store icon to hide the app drawer.
I can’t believe I didn’t figure that out and I’ve been using the beta.

THANK YOU !!! honestly, I search the setting and I figures you couldn’t turn it off cuz they wanted to you to buy those stupid stickers. Thank you again. MR needs a post with just this info for us who aren’t in middle school.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Westside guy Avatar
97 months ago
You left off the most important part: Tap the gray App Store icon to hide the app drawer.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Prof. Avatar
97 months ago
You left off the most important part: Tap the gray App Store icon to hide the app drawer.
I was so happy when I found this out.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

What to Expect From the 'Apple Launch' Next Week

Thursday February 13, 2025 11:48 am PST by
Apple has yet to announce any new devices this year, but that could change starting next week. Apple CEO Tim Cook today said to "get ready" for a "launch" on Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," said Cook, in a social media post. The post includes an #AppleLaunch hashtag, along with a short video featuring an animated Apple logo inside of a circle....
Apple Maps 2024

Apple Maps Might Start Showing Ads

Sunday February 16, 2025 7:22 am PST by
Apple is "exploring" the idea of showing search ads in the Apple Maps app, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Back in 2022, Gurman said software engineering was "already underway" to display ads in the Apple Maps app, but Apple did not move forward with the idea at the time. Today, he said Apple is "giving this notion more thought" again. This time around, he said Apple has yet to...
Tim Cook Apple Park

10+ Announcements Apple Could Have Rolled Into a February Event

Saturday February 15, 2025 8:00 am PST by
Apple appears to have enough upcoming product announcements to justify a full event this month, yet all signs indicate these reveals will be handled through a series of press releases instead. There are a multitude of rumors from reliable sources about specific announcements in the coming weeks, so here's everything that Apple could have feasibly included in a hypothetical February event: ...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro With All-New Camera Bar Design Allegedly Revealed

Thursday February 13, 2025 5:49 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro will feature three rear cameras arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but the cameras will be housed in an all-new rectangular camera bar with rounded corners, according to YouTube channel Front Page Tech. iPhone 17 Pro camera design render created by Asher for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser said the camera ...
m2 pro mac mini

Apple is Now Selling a Refurbished Mac Mini for Just $319 (!)

Saturday February 15, 2025 9:58 am PST by
A few days ago, we reported that Apple's refurbished Mac mini pricing had a problem, and it appears that Apple has taken note. Apple was offering a refurbished Mac mini with the M2 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $559, which was $50 more than a refurbished Mac mini with the M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. All other key specifications were equal. That's no longer...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: Apple Teases Its Next Major Product Launch

Friday February 14, 2025 9:38 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the imminent Apple product "launch" that is widely expected to be the fourth-generation iPhone SE. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos In a social media post on Thursday, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of...