How to Use the New Apple Books App in iOS 12

There's a lot of great new features in iOS 12, including a redesigned version of Apple Books. The updated app, which replaces iBooks, aims to improve on the previous iteration by letting you access books you're currently reading and search for new ones in the same place. You can view your entire library or just access a specific collection. Books you're reading are easily accessible for when you're ready to dive back in. You can also search for ebooks and audiobooks, and use the Book Store to find, purchase, and download titles.

The Apple Books app aims to make e-readers a thing of the past by turning your iPhone or iPad into your central hub for reading. Let’s check out the new Books app.

Download iOS 12

First, make sure your iPhone or iPad has iOS 12 or higher. Open Settings > General > About. Scroll down the About screen to the entry for Version. If 12.0 or higher is listed, you're set. If not, return to the General screen and tap on the entry for Software Update to download and install the latest version of iOS.

Apple Books Welcome Screen

Tap on the Books icon. The first time you launch the app, a Welcome screen greets you and offers information about Apple Books. If you’re prompted to sign in to access your purchases in the cloud, tap on Sign In and enter your Apple ID password.

Reading Now

Right off the bat, the app shows you the books you’re currently reading as well as any you’ve recently read. Tap on a book you want to continue reading and the app will place you where you left off.

Want To Read

Scroll down from the list of books you are currently reading to see the books on your wish list. This is a collection of titles that you might like to read next, based on the book you have recently downloaded. Tap on the link to See All to view details on the suggested books.

Other Reading Sections

Swipe further down the screen, and the app suggests more books you may want to check out, categorized by Customer Favorites, Critics’ Picks, and Award Winners. Another section will suggest books that have been adapted into films.

View Book Library

Tap on the Library icon to view all the books you’ve gathered. Tap on the Sort arrow to arrange your books by recent downloads, title, author, or manual selection. With the manual option, hold down a book and drag it to another spot to change its location.

Filter Library Collections

You can also filter the list. Tap on the Collections arrow to view books, audiobooks, PDFs, and other categories.

Create Custom Collections

You are even able to create your own new collections. Tap on the entry for New Collections. Type the name for your collection, then tap Done.

Edit Library Collections

If you want to rename or delete any collections, tap on the Edit link in the Collection pane. Tap on the name of a collection to give it a new name. Tap on the Delete key to remove it, then tap Done.

Move Books to Collections

Now, how do you move a book to a specific collection? Tap on the ellipsis in the lower right corner of a book. Tap on the entry to Add to Collection, then tap on the name of the collection you want it to live in.

Manage a Book

To run other commands on a specific title, tap the previously mentioned ellipsis. From the menu, you can remove the book from your collection, add the book to your “Want to Read” list or a collection, mark it as finished, share a link to the book on iTunes via email or social media, rate and review it in iTunes, and give your opinion on the selection by tapping Love or Dislike.

Manage Multiple Books

You can also remove or move multiple books at once. Tap on the Edit link in the upper right corner of the app. Tap on the books you want to include. To remove them, tap on the trash can icon in the lower left. To move them, tap on the Add to icon at the bottom of the screen and select the desired collection.

Buying New Books

When you’re in the mood to buy some books, tap on the Book Store icon. The store will offer up different groupings of books for your perusal. Swipe down the screen to view the promoted sections and offers for different types of books. Apple serves up such categories as New & Trending, Top Charts, Free, New York Times Fiction, New York Times Nonfiction, and Special Offers & Free. Tap on the See All link under certain sections to expand the list.

Get a Free Book

To grab a specific book, tap on its thumbnail. If it’s free, tap on the Get button to snag it.

Buy a Paid Book

If the book is a paid title, tap on the Buy button to purchase it. You can start reading a free or paid book from the same screen or return to your Library to view it.

Browse Books by Section

Back at the Book Store screen, you can browse by specific sections. Tap on the Browse Sections entry at the upper left corner and select what you want to see.

Browse Books by Genres

You can also browse by genre. Swipe to the bottom of the Book Store to view and access different categories.

Browse Audiobooks

To seek out audiobooks, tap on the Audiobooks icon. Here, you can browse the featured sections. You can also peek at specific genres. Tap on the Browse Sections entry and choose the genre you want to view. Alternatively, swipe to the bottom of the Audiobooks screen to see all the categories.

Search Books

Finally, you can search for specific books by title, author, subject, and other criteria. Tap on the Search icon. The screen displays trending searches, so you can select any that interest you. If you start your own search, the results that best match your entry will populate in the app.

The search feature will also look through your personal library. Type a search entry that matches books in your own collection, and they’ll pop up in the results.