Apple commonly uses colors and symbols a lot to indicate certain things. For example, you might see an orange dot on top of your iPhone, which means an app is using your device’s microphone. Similarly, if you see a green dot, it means an app is using the camera. But what does it mean when there is a blue dot next to an app?
If there is a blue dot next to an app on your iPhone, it means the app was recently updated. Note that if the blue dot appears next to an app when you didn’t expect it, the automatic app update is enabled on your iPhone. You can disable it from Settings > “App Store” if you don’t want this feature enabled.
Unfortunately, if the blue dot annoys you, there is no way to disable it from appearing after updating an app. The best you can do is to launch the app to remove it. Keep reading to learn more about dots on apps on an iPhone.
What Do Different Dot Colors on iPhone Apps Mean?
You might wonder if it is possible to use a different color, more like customize what color means. Currently, you can’t customize what the notification color on your iPhone app indicates. So, when you see any color dot on an app on any iPhone, it all means the same.
But aside from the blue dot appearing on an app, there are other colors you might see on an app. These colors all have different meanings, so it helps to know the difference so when they appear, you know whether you should be concerned or you can ignore them. Below are other colors that may appear on your iPhone app and their meaning.
Color #1: Yellow
TestFlight is an Apple device that allows developers to invite users to test their apps and collect valuable feedback. When you install an app through TestFlight, it will have a yellow dot under it. So, as a user, when you install an app from this platform, the app will have a yellow dot that will remain even after launching the app.
However, when you update the app from the App Store, the color will change to blue. But if you launch the app, the color will change from blue to yellow.
Color #2: Blue
The blue dot indicates that an app has been recently updated. It does not matter whether the app was newly installed or updated; it will display a blue dot under the app. Also, it doesn’t matter whether you download the app from App Store or TestFlight, or any other source; there will be a blue dot indicator on the app. As soon as you launch the app, the blue color will disappear.
Color #3: Red
Another color you will likely see is red next to an app, indicating that the app is a beta version. A beta version of an app is a pre-release testing version before it is officially launched. So, when you install a beta version of an app, a red dot will remain on the app even after launching the app. However, when the app is launched and you update it from the App Store, the color will change to blue, and when you launch the app, the color will disappear.
The indicator color on your device may be a little lighter or darker; it all depends on your home screen’s background.
Conclusion
The dots on the iPhone are an excellent way to improve privacy on an iPhone. With the dots, you do not have to go to the app detail and start reading the terms of the app to know what type of app it is. So, if you are not comfortable with a certain kind of app before the permission it has, you can always remove it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Currently, the orange and yellow dots were introduced in iOS 14. So, if your iPhone is not running on iOS 14, you will most likely not have this feature on your device.
Yes, it is possible to remove the orange dot on your iPhone screen; however, you need to know which app is using your microphone. When you figure out the app, you can close it or uninstall it, depending on what you find most convenient.
You cannot disable the green dot from appearing at the top of a screen. However, if the green dot appears on your screen, you can close it by locating the app using your device camera and closing the app or uninstalling it.
