When it comes to low vision assistive technology, my iPad is one of my most-used devices, and I use several different applications every day for accessing information in large print and audio formats. Since I’m using so many applications, it’s essential that I have them organized in a way that makes sense to me and that I can access with assistive technology or with other accessibility features enabled. Here are my tips on how to organize apps on iPad with low vision, along with an overview of iPad home screen features and how they can be arranged for low vision access.
Components of iPad home screen layout
Before I get into how I arrange my iPad home screen and options for how to organize apps on iPad, it’s helpful to know the different components of the home screen layout and options for organization, so that users can choose what option will work best for their specific vision needs.
App/Icon
In this context, an app refers to a single application installed on the iPad, and an icon can either be an app or a folder, as both take up the same amount of space on the screen.
Grid
iPad uses a grid layout, where icons are arranged in horizontal rows. By default, the grid size of the home screen displays six icons in a row, with five rows on each page in a landscape orientation (6 x 5). For a portrait orientation, five icons are displayed in a row with six rows on each page (5 x 6). Users cannot shorten the length of rows on the iPad home screen.
Pages (Home Screen)
In this context, home screen pages display icons, accommodating up to 30 icons on each page. Users can create multiple pages with as few as one icon on each page, and can also rearrange the order in which pages are displayed in iOS 14 or later. At this time, there is no option for setting custom wallpapers for individual pages.
To rearrange apps/icons on a page, long-press on an icon until it begins to jiggle, and drag it across the page to move it to a folder. Drag the icon to the edge of a page to place it on another page, or to create a new page. Tap again on the device screen to stop editing.
Folder
Folders are a collection of two or more apps that take up the space of one icon on the home screen. When opening a folder, the apps are displayed in a 4 x 4 square grid in the center of the screen, with the option to create multiple pages with as few as one app on each page. Users can customize the name of folders and rearrange/add/remove apps at any time.
To create a folder, long-press on an application icon until it begins to jiggle, and drag one icon over another to create a folder with the two apps. More apps can be added by dragging them into the folder, or removed by selecting the app and dragging it out of the folder back onto the home screen.
Dock
The dock serves as a toolbar with “pinned” applications that are always visible no matter which home screen page is open. Users can add up to 15 icons on their dock and enable the option to display recently opened/accessed applications on the dock for quick access.
Widget
Different from apps that have a consistent icon and appearance, widgets are wider and take up more space on the home screen. They can be used to display information such as the weather, time, music, or email notifications, though there are also some third-party widgets that serve purely decorative purposes. For some applications, tapping on or interacting with the widget will open the corresponding application.
App library
The app library displays all applications installed on the iPad in automatically generated folders or in a searchable A to Z list. Starting in iOS 14, users can choose whether to have an app icon visible on their home screen, or have the icon hidden from view in the App Library. If an app is removed from the home screen but not deleted from the device, it can be found in the App Library.
Related links
iPad home screen accessibility settings for low vision
To make iPad easier to see with low vision and streamline the process of locating and opening applications/icons, there are several home screen accessibility options that can make iPad icons bigger or improve how content is displayed. These can be enabled in the Settings application under the following menus:
Home Screen & App Library
- Use Large App Icons (does not affect grid size)
- Newly Downloaded Apps: option to add to home screen automatically or just App Library
- Show Suggested and Recent Apps in Dock (optional)
Accessibility
- Display & Text Size: Reduce Transparency, Increase Contrast
- Motion: Reduce Motion, Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions
Related links
- How To Make iPad Accessible for Low Vision
- Low Vision Accessibility Settings For Mac Computers
- iPhone Accessibility Settings For Occipital Stroke
- Enabling Temporary Accessibility Settings For iPad
Rearranging iPad home screen with VoiceOver
VoiceOver is Apple’s built-in screen reader for iPad, and can be used to navigate iPad with touchscreen gestures, keyboard access, or voice controls. Many of my friends who use VoiceOver full time for accessing their device also use Siri voice controls to open an application when they are connected to Wi-Fi or mobile networks by saying, “hey Siri, open (application).”
To rearrange apps with VoiceOver, follow these instructions copied from the Apple support page:
Option #1: Drag and Drop
Tap an icon on the Home Screen, then double-tap and hold your finger on the screen until you hear three rising tones. The item’s relative location is described as you drag. Lift your finger when the icon is in its new location. Drag an icon to the edge of the screen to move it to another Home Screen.
When you’re finished, tap Done, then double-tap.
Option #2: Move Actions
Tap an app, then swipe down to hear available actions. When you hear “Edit Mode,” double-tap to start arranging apps. Find the app you want to move, then swipe down to the Move action and double-tap. Move the VoiceOver cursor to the new destination for the app, then choose from the available actions: Cancel Move, Create New Folder, Add to Folder, Move Before, or Move After.
When you’re finished, tap Done, then double-tap.
Related links
Should I use folders, pages, or a mix of both?
When it comes to organizing an iPad with low vision, users can choose from having their applications organized in folders, across pages, or with a mix of both strategies. It’s worth noting that icons are the same size regardless of if they are displayed in a folder or on a page, and that an application cannot exist in more than one place, such as in both on a home screen page and inside a folder or inside of two folders.
iPad folders for low vision
Benefits of iPad folders for low vision access include:
- When a folder is opened, the display is centered on the screen with no other applications around it.
- Applications are arranged in a 4 x 4 square grid (16 applications per page) regardless of portrait or landscape orientation
- Users can have multiple pages inside of one folder
- Applications can be organized according to user preference, as folders are not automatically created/organized
Drawbacks to iPad folders for low vision access include:
- Folder names can be hard to read on home screen
- Applications can only be added to one folder
- There is no way to create sub-folders for applications
iPad home screen pages for low vision
Benefits of iPad home screen pages for low vision access include:
- Larger grid size can accommodate up to 30 icons on one page, extending to the edge of the screen
- Users can add widgets, folders, and applications to the home screen pages
- Home screen pages display device wallpaper
- Dock is visible across all home screen pages
Drawbacks to iPad home screen pages for low vision include:
- Larger grid size extends to the edge of the screen, which may be challenging for users with visual field deficits or that are sensitive to visual clutter
- If the device is switched from landscape to portrait orientation, the application rows switch from displaying 6 apps to 5 apps, making it more challenging to arrange by row
- Device wallpaper may affect ability to see icons for users with contrast and/or color deficiencies
Using folders and home screen pages for low vision
Benefits of using both iPad folders and home screen pages for low vision access include:
- Frequently used applications have their own icon on the grid, instead of being placed into a folder
- Users can arrange folders across multiple pages, or place all folders on one page
- For users with visual field deficits, multiple pages can provide an option for prioritizing content at the top of the screen
- Widgets can be incorporated onto different pages
Drawbacks to using both folders and home screen pages to arrange applications include:
- Applications can either be added inside of a folder or onto a page, there is no option to show the same application in multiple places (except for the App Library)
- Like folder names, app names are displayed with a small font size and may be harder to read
- It may be challenging to see which apps are inside of a specific folder due to smaller icon size, though icons are displayed at full size once the folder is opened.
Related links
- Choosing Device Wallpapers and Backgrounds With Low Vision
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
Ideas for organizing iPad applications into folders
I personally love organizing my iPad applications into folders, as I find it easier to navigate the 4 x 4 grid size displayed in the center of my screen compared to the wider size of the home screen pages. Many of my friends have also preferred to use folders since they hold devices close to their face and prefer the narrower folder view as it fits into their field of vision. Here are a few ideas for how to organize apps by folder, including ideas for folder categories and arranging folders.
Adding emoji labels
One of my friends prefers to use Emoji for labeling their app folders, as they use the colored emoji as a visual aid for identifying what folder they want to open. For example, they have a music note emoji for music and dance applications and a fire emoji for school-related apps. All of their folders are located on one screen/page on their iPad.
Organizing by school subject
For a student who uses apps for specific subjects such as math, science, and music, labeling folders by subject name is helpful for locating the apps that will be needed for a specific class. One of the students I worked with also had an “everything” folder for apps they could use across multiple subjects, such as their notetaking and eReading apps.
Arranging by verb/task
A different friend uses their iPad folders to sort applications by specific tasks, such as banking, shopping, and reading, a process they referred to as “organizing by verb” and action items. They either memorize the layout of the folders, use the colors of applications to identify each folder, or read labels out loud with VoiceOver.
When my friends and I lived in dorms, we also had separate folders for apps specific to living on-campus, such as the dining hall, food delivery, and university-specific applications.
Grouping apps by developer
I have several applications on my iPad that are used for Google and Microsoft products, so I have folders that separate applications by platform or developer. Right now, I have separate folders for Apple, Google, and Microsoft applications that are labeled with the developer’s name and an accompanying emoji on the end.
Related links
- Emoji and Low Vision
- Five Apps That Help Students With Low Vision In The Classroom
- Mainstream eReader Apps and Low Vision Accessibility
- Choosing An iPad Keyboard For Low Vision
Ideas for arranging iPad applications on home screen
Prefer to arrange iPad applications or icons across multiple pages on the home screen? Arranging across multiple pages may provide a more comfortable viewing experience for users that don’t need (or want) to have everything in the center of the screen, or that dislike the appearance of folders when using an inverted display. Here are some more ideas for organizing the iPad home screen with low vision and displaying apps on the larger grid size.
Organize by time of day
One of my college friends would arrange their iPad applications across multiple pages, sorting them by the time of day they are likely to use them. One page contained “morning” applications such as traffic updates and applications that they would need for morning classes, another page was for afternoon classes and apps they would use later in the day, and the last page was reserved for evening applications or entertainment. Keeping social media icons separated helped them to avoid the temptation of opening them during the school day.
Organize by frequency
Another friend would arrange applications based on how often they use them. Applications on the dock were used multiple times a day (such as the phone), the first page was apps used at least twice a day, the next page was apps used multiple times a week, the third page was apps that are used less often, and the fourth page was apps that were rarely used. My friend preferred to have a page of rarely used apps over removing them from the home screen entirely because they didn’t like the list view of the App Library.
Organize alphabetically
Want to arrange iPad applications in alphabetical order? While some default applications from Apple may not be arranged in alphabetical order automatically, there is an easy way to arrange all downloaded applications in alphabetical order across pages
- Open Settings
- Under the General tab, select Transfer or Reset iPad
- Select Reset
- From the Reset menu, select Reset Home Screen Layout to reset the home screen to the factory defaults, showing installed applications in alphabetical order.
Organize by colors or patterns
I worked with a student who relied on color for labeling and conveying information, and had difficulty with locating and opening icons that had similar colors. Instead of organizing applications by color (e.g. all red icons in a row), we made sure to arrange icons in a way that identical colors were not placed close together. For another student, we arranged icons in a consistent color pattern, alternating colors based on their preference, as they preferred to access apps visually instead of using VoiceOver to read titles out loud.
Related links
- High Contrast and Low Vision
- Smartphone Apps For Orientation and Mobility
- Helpful Ways To Bookmark Websites For Low Vision Users
More tips on organizing iPad apps with low vision
- Want to create custom icons for iPad applications? Check out How To Create Custom iOS Icons and Custom Home Screen Designs
- Looking for ideas on what to install? Browse App Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes (veroniiiica.com)
- While the grid sizes are a bit different, these tips can also be used to organize an iPhone home screen. I don’t have an iPhone, but I share tips for how to customize an Android home screen in How To Create A Custom Android Home Screen With Microsoft Launcher
- For more iPad and Apple posts, read Apple and iOS Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes (veroniiiica.com)
Published May 28, 2019. Updated August 2024