How to Use App Clips on iPhone and iPad in iOS 14 (Live Demo)

One important feature of iOS 14 that has yet to hit the limelight, but has huge potential to become very popular is called Application clips and is now available for your iPhone and iPad.

What are app clips?

They represent a small part of an application and have the role of allowing users to open and perform actions in seconds. Instead of downloading the entire app from the App Store, important functions can be instantly downloaded and used in the browser.

App clips focus on a single task of an app and can run in Safari. It’s great when you are using an app for the first time or when you need to download an app for just one use. In iOS and iPad OS 14, the role of app clips is to declutter the Home screen and make it easier to organize your software by the App Library section.

Apple provided a few examples during the iOS 14 preview at the WWDC 2020 keynote. On-the-go apps, rental apps, and apps used to set up a device for the first time seem like the perfect fit for this new iOS 14 feature. However, a recent app clip post for a gaming app comes as a pleasant surprise and shows just how useful app clips can really be!

How to use app clips for games

Game developers Firi games have recently released and App Clip for their space shooter game. It allows you to play a demo version of Phoenix 2, without having to download the app from the App Store. Here’s how:

• 1. Open the Phoenix 2 website using an iOS or iPadOS 14 device and the Safari Web browser.
• 2. Tap blue To play icon, available in the smart app clip banner displayed at the top of the screen.
• 3. Tap To play once again, in the prompt for the Phoenix 2 app clip, which slides out from the bottom of the screen.
• 4. The game’s prologue is displayed. Tap the screen to progress.
• 5. Tap the screen after each dialog, follow the onscreen instructions, and have fun. The clips in the app contain three acts. After completing the introduction, you are prompted to download the full game from the App Store (direct link), if you want to play more.

Facts: Phoenix 2 is a 221.3MB large application available for iPhone and iPad. The game has an overall rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 and is currently ranked # 158 in the Action Games category.

How to fix app clips that are not showing

Don’t you get Phoenix 2 smart app clip banner in Safari? Here’s why:

• 1. Use Safari – App clips are currently only available with the default iOS 14 web browser. If you replaced Safari with Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or DuckDuckGo, you need to reset the setting or just open Safari from within application library.
• 2. No private mode – the application clips are not displayed if you browse Safari in private mode. Tap the two tab icon, displayed in the lower right corner of the screen and make sure that Private is not activated when you open the web page with the application clip.
• 3. Application already installed – if you have already installed the app on your device, the app clip banner will not appear in Safari, as there is no utility for it anymore.

How to rerun an app clip

Did you like this app clip and want to run it again? You’ll find it in the new iOS 14 Application library section. Slide your finger right on the home screen to the end. Application clips are available in the Recent category, upper right area of ​​the application library, just below the search bar.

Point: If the developer has enabled sharing, you can long press the app clip icon in Add library to view the Share quick action. This brings up the iOS 14 Share Sheets menu, and you can send the app clip to your friends, post to social media, and more.

App clips seem like the perfect solution for trying out games without downloading them. What do you think? Have you tried out the Phoenix 2 app clip? Do you know of any other app clips for games that you can recommend?

Related: For more iOS 14 features, tap here.