Within iPod, iPhone and iPad apps, there’s no standard way to adjust your preferences. You'll find them everywhere from a prominent Settings icon within the app to a More sub-menu or something even more obscure. iOS does contain a standard repository of app settings, although use of this Settings app also varies. Then there's a separate place for Location settings too. Here we offer some tips on how to dig out all the settings for your apps.
Apple gives developers two ways of storing settings: either within the app itself or within the Settings app, which you access by tapping the Settings icon on your device. The latter, known as a settings bundle, is where Apple prefers developers to store app settings, but it’s up to individual developers whether to store all their app settings within the app, within a settings bundle or split between the two. The idea is that infrequently accessed ‘universal’ settings should end up in a bundle in the Settings app, while those settings you frequently change are stored handily within the app itself.
The result is that you simply have to explore in order to uncover each app’s idiosyncratic way of storing your preferences. In one app, you might find a Settings icon displayed prominently on the main app screen; in another, the settings may be hidden behind an ‘I’ info button or a ‘?’ help button; in yet another, you might have to dig down through a More menu option to find the app’s settings. However, many people fail to realise that some app settings must be accessed outside the app.
Inside the Settings app
To see which apps have preferences stored in a settings bundle, tap the Settings icon and then scroll down the list of general settings. At the bottom is a list of each of the apps that makes use of a settings bundle. This list is labelled Apps on the iPad; on other devices, it’s in a separate box. Depending on how big an app hog you are, the list may contain only an app or two, or it may be extensive.
Although the idea is to put oft-used preferences within the app itself, you may be surprised by some of the things you can adjust only by digging into the Settings app. For example, some apps store the font size setting there (examples include the Wolfram Alpha search engine, AppAdvice app reviews and Discover Wikipedia interface).
Some apps store only a single setting in the bundle. For example, the Sydney Morning Herald app tucks away its default zoom level for when you double-tap an article. Other apps store a swag of options there. The nifty multi-tabbed browser, iCab Mobile, has almost 50 settings available in its bundle, including URL completion, history, bookmark, cookie and download options; preferences for kiosk and full-screen modes; user interface and private browser settings; low memory condition alerts; plus a generic set of ‘other’ settings. This same app has an even more extensive set of preferences you can adjust from within the app itself.
Location settings
As well as the preferences stored in the app and in the settings bundle, some apps have additional settings stored in Settings —> ‘Location Services and Settings’ —> Notifications. You can switch both ‘Location Services’ and Notifications on or off for all apps, or switch them on and then select each app you’ll allow to prompt you with alerts and badges or allow to use your whereabouts for updates. For individual apps, location services are either on or off; however, notifications may be on, off or partly on. For example, some apps may notify you via sounds, alerts and badges, and it’s up to you which of these you turn on or off.
It may be that you’re happy to install an app and simply go with the default preferences, but every now and then it pays to check the settings you’ve chosen both within the app and within the Settings app. You may be surprised by the options available to you and by some of the default ‘choices’ you’ve made.
