iOS 10 Tips: Prioritize app downloads on your iPhone

Let’s face it: you probably have a lot of apps on your iPhone (and only use like five of them regularly).  And those apps all need to be updated at some point.  How many need updating right now?  Not sure?  Tap the App Store app (that blue one with the A), then tap Updates in the bottom, right-hand corner.  Did your eyes just go a bit wide?

All of those will update at some point—and many times, all at the same time.  Or maybe you just got a new iPhone and need to re-download a ton of apps.  But you really can’t wait to make that Facebook post showing the world just how awesome your dinner looked, and the Facebook app is 15th in the queue.  Luckily, you can prioritize which apps download or update first.

Here’s how:

Using 3D Touch (iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 models), press on the app icon you want to download first to see the Quick Actions menu.  In the menu, tap Prioritize Download.  This will expedite the download process—ensuring it finishes first.  If you’re pressing and can’t quite seem to get the Quick Actions menu to appear, check out our blog, here to learn how to adjust the sensitivity of 3D Touch.

If you don’t have an iPhone that has 3D Touch—like an iPhone 6 or lower—you can still prioritize which apps you want to download first… but it’s going to take some speed on your part and it’s not quite as easy.

Tap on an app that shows Waiting or Loading to pause it.  Pause all the apps except the one you want to download first.  This is a roundabout way of doing the same thing.  Obviously, if you have a lot of apps in downloading or updating, this is where your nimble fingers are key.

If you want to discover more things about your iPhone 7 or iOS 10, check out our other blogs.

Enjoy!