How to Create a New Collection in Apple Books (iBooks) on an iPhone

To create a new collection in the Books app on your iPhone (the app that used to be called iBooks), open Books, tap Library, tap the Collections button at the top of the screen, tap New Collection, type a name, and tap Done. The empty collection is saved right away, and you can then add books, audiobooks and PDFs to it.

The steps in this guide follow the current iOS 27 version of Apple’s iPhone User Guide page on organizing books in the Books app. The iOS 18 version of that page lists the same path, so the route is the same on recent iPhones. Need something new to file in your collection? See how to buy an audiobook on an iPhone.

Before You Start

• The app is called Books now. Apple’s user guide calls the app Books (Apple Books) for iOS 12 and later. If you are looking for an iBooks icon, look for Books instead.
• Apple Books is not offered everywhere. Apple notes that Apple Books isn’t available in all countries or regions, and lists where it is offered on its Availability of Apple Media Services page.
• You do not need any books yet. A collection can be created empty and filled later.
• A collection is a label, not a folder. A collection is a named group inside your library. Adding a book to one does not move or copy the book, and Apple says the same book can be in several collections.

What Collections Are

Your Books library is automatically sorted into built-in collections such as Audiobooks, Want to Read and Finished. Your own collections sit alongside these, so you can group titles however you like, for example Beach Reads, Book Club or Work PDFs.

How to Create a New Collection

1. Open the Books app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Library in the row of tabs at the bottom of the screen. Apple’s guide shows the tabs as Home, Library, Book Store, Audiobooks and Search.
3. Tap the Collections button at the top of the Library screen. A list of your collections opens, starting with the built-in ones.
4. Tap New Collection. If you already have a long list, you may need to scroll to find it.
5. Type a name for the collection, then tap Done.

To confirm it worked, look at the collections list. Your new name should be there next to the built-in collections. Tap it to open it. It will be empty until you add something.

How to Add a Book to a Collection

1. Find the book in your library, or in the Book Store.
2. Tap the More Info button below the cover.
3. Tap Add to Collection, then tap the collection you want.

The title now appears in that collection, and it also stays in your main library. Repeat the steps to put the same book in a second collection, such as both Book Club and Work PDFs. To check, tap Library, tap the Collections button, and open the collection.

Sort and Display Books in a Collection

1. Tap Library, or open a collection.
2. Tap the More button.
3. Tap Grid or List to change the layout, or tap Recent, Title, Author or Manual to change the order.

If you choose Manual, touch and hold a book cover and drag it where you want it. Manual order is useful for a series you want to keep in reading order.

Remove or Hide Books

Removing is different from deleting a collection, so read the options before you tap. To clear out a collection or your library, tap the More Info button below a cover, tap Remove, then choose an option:

• Remove Download takes the copy off your iPhone. Apple says the content and data associated with the title are no longer stored on the phone. To get it back, tap the More Info button, then tap Download.
• Hide Book keeps the purchase but hides it from your library and collections. To bring it back, tap Home, tap your account icon, then tap Manage Hidden Purchases.

The options you see can depend on the item, so read each label rather than tapping the first one. To save space automatically, tap Library, tap the More button, tap Remove Downloads, then choose Automatically When Finished. For other ways to free up space, see our complete guide to deleting items on an iPhone.

How to Delete a Collection

This is how you undo a collection you no longer want. Apple states that deleting a collection doesn’t delete the books or audiobooks in it. They are still in your library.

1. Tap Library, then tap the Collections button.
2. Swipe left on the collection you want to delete.
3. Tap Delete.

The collection disappears from the list. Apple’s current instructions do not describe a way to bring a deleted collection back, so plan to create it again and add the books again if you change your mind.

See Your Collections on Other Apple Devices

Collections can follow you to an iPad or Mac. Apple’s page on accessing books on other Apple devices says to sign in to the same Apple Account on each device, then go to Settings > Apps > Books and, below Syncing, turn on Home and iCloud Drive. That is the setting Apple lists for syncing Home, Library and collections.

On a Mac running macOS 13 or later, Apple also says to open Books, choose Books > Settings, click General, and select Collections, bookmarks, and highlights.

Troubleshooting

There is no iBooks app on the iPhone

The app is named Books. Swipe down on the Home Screen and search for Books. If it is not installed, look for Apple Books in the App Store. If the App Store does not offer it, check Apple’s availability page linked above, because Apple Books is not offered in every country or region.

The screen does not match these steps

Apple has redesigned this app several times. The steps here match Apple’s iOS 18 and iOS 27 instructions. On an older version the Collections control may be a text label or sit in a different spot. Use the version menu at the top of Apple’s user guide page to see the wording for your iOS version, or update your iPhone in Settings > General > Software Update.

A new collection does not show up on another device

Check that both devices use the same Apple Account, then confirm the Home and iCloud Drive switches under Settings > Apps > Books are on. Syncing needs an internet connection, so give it some time on Wi-Fi.

A book is missing from a collection

A hidden book does not appear in your library or in any collection. Tap Home, tap your account icon, then tap Manage Hidden Purchases to unhide it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is iBooks on my iPhone?

It is now called Books (Apple Books). Look for the Books icon on your Home Screen or search for Books. Collections are created inside it, under Library.

Can I put PDFs in a collection?

Apple’s guide treats PDFs as part of the Books library alongside books and audiobooks, so a PDF saved to Books can be organized with the rest of your library. To save one, open the PDF attachment in Mail, Messages or another app, tap the Share button, then tap Books.

Does deleting a collection delete my books?

No. Apple says deleting a collection doesn’t delete the books or audiobooks in it. They stay in your library, and in any other collection you added them to.

Can one book be in more than one collection?

Yes. Apple’s instructions include a tip that you can add the same book to multiple collections. Use Add to Collection again and pick a different collection.

Can I rename a collection?

Apple’s iPhone instructions cover creating and deleting a collection but not renaming one. If you don’t see a rename option, create a new collection with the name you want, add the books to it, then delete the old one. Deleting the old collection leaves the books in your library.

Next Step

Create one collection for what you are reading now and add two or three titles, then set its order to Manual and drag them into place. If you want Apple’s full manual for the Books app, see how to find the iPhone User Guide.