What Do Blue Dots Mean on an iPhone or iPad Home Screen?

Sometimes while browsing your iPhone or iPad home screen, you’ll see a blue dot beside certain app names. What does the dot mean? We’ll explain.

Why Are Blue Dots Next to Some Apps?

If you see a blue dot beside an app name on your iPhone or iPad home screen, it means that the app has recently been updated.

In this way, the blue dot suggests that there might be new features added to the app since you last ran it. It encourages you to check the app out again. In fact, the same thing happens when you update apps on your Mac.

If blue dots are appearing beside your app names when you don’t expect it, that means you have automatic app updates enabled on your iPhone or iPad. If you’d like to disable automatic app updates, visit Settings > App Store and flip off the switch beside “App Updates.” But in general, having this feature enabled is a good thing.

The blue dots will also appear when you’re manually updating an app through the App Store.

RELATED: Why You Should Update All Your Software

How Do You Remove the Blue Dots?

To remove a blue dot from beside the app’s name, tap on the app and launch it. Once the app is run, the dot will disappear. However, the blue dot will reappear the next time the app is updated.

Is There a Way to Disable the Blue Dots?

No, there is currently no way to disable the blue dots on your iPhone or iPad. But don’t worry, they don’t bite!