A helpful trick that fixes a more annoying issue in iOS 17 messages

The iOS 17 update brought big changes to the iPhone, including new applications and features such as the StandBy feature and the Journal application. But the smaller tweak that caused some users to grumble is the redesigned message menu. Apple has hidden everything behind the plus button, replacing separate buttons for photos and apps. But it seemed acceptable to others and made a lot of sense, given the increased number of built-in features and limited space in the old menu. They even prefer the larger vertical menu over the cramped banner that existed before.

However, if you find the new menu system cumbersome and complicates the process of navigating messages, there is some positive news. Apple has implemented a feature that allows customization of the additional menu, allowing you to prioritize your most frequently used functions for easy access with just one click. Below, we'll walk you through the process of customizing the menu to suit your preferences.

How to rearrange the list of new iOS messages

To arrange the list of new messages in the iOS 17 update, you can do the following:

◉ In the conversation thread, press the + button.

◉ Now, simply tap and hold on the app or feature, drag it, and drop it where you want.

◉ Press More and repeat the same process to get secondary features.

And if you want to rearrange the secondary features, you can! Simply tap “More” and repeat step two for any features you want to rearrange.

And if you want to bring secondary features to the primary menu, just long press on the desired feature, drag it up and drop it to the primary menu.

One such feature that you may want to include in the primary menu is the check-in feature, which is located in the secondary “More” menu by default. This feature is important, so you may want to have it in front of you and at your fingertips as much as possible.

That's it, now you can rearrange the message list to better suit your preferences. Know that there is no way to go back to the old design, but hopefully the customization we did above will alleviate your discomfort a little.