Are you worried about someone finding out what you are up to on your phone? In this article, I am going to show you the easiest ways to hide apps so you can keep your private life private!
Hey, hey! I am back again to share with you some simple tech hacks to boost your security and privacy. In my comprehensive guide, you will learn how to hide apps on iPhone and Android devices in just minutes — even if you’ve never done it before.
If we haven’t met before, my name is Frankie. I’m a bit obsessed with tech and I know Androids and iPhones like the back of my hand! When I’m not eating baked Ziti, I am helping my loyal readers solve their latest tech issues.
I nearly forgot! Don’t forget to check out my free weekly Spaghetti and Social Media newsletter, where I share secret tips to enhance your mobile and online experience. Join the crew and become a tech wiz today.
You don’t have to be a CIA agent to want to hide apps on your phone.
It makes sense to hide dating and hookup apps from nosey friends or curious strangers. Or, maybe you have games on your phone that are too tempting to appear on your home screen.
It doesn’t matter your reasons; in less than 5 minutes, you will be able to hide apps on your Android or iPhone.
Let’s get ready for lift-off!
Frankie’s Take:
I will show you the exact simple steps you need to follow to hide apps and boost your privacy! If the app you would like to hide is a social or dating app, it is vital to also turn off notifications, so you do not reveal its presence unnecessarily.
How to Hide Apps on Your iPhone
Wouldn’t it be great if, with the click of a button, you could hide apps on iPhone?
With my comprehensive guide, you can!
Below, you will find simple yet effective methods to make your apps disappear without deleting them.
Don’t worry, with my methods, your partner will never find out you reinstalled Tinder 😏
Are you ready to learn how to hide apps from your home screen, Siri suggestions, and even your App store purchase history?
Buckle up and learn from a master because I have never found an app I couldn’t make vanish.
How to Hide Apps on Your iPhone Using Folders
This first option encourages you to hide the apps you don’t want others to find among the many other applications you have installed on your device.
Icons are not completely hidden with this method, but it is a more tedious process for that nosy friend with only a limited amount of time to locate it.
At first, this might seem trivial, but if your iPhone is already full of apps, this might be a good solution to bury these applications out of sight.
Even more importantly, this strategy requires no technical expertise and can be completed quickly.
Hide apps on your iPhone using folders by following these steps:
- Tap and hold on any app on your phone
- Drag the app on top of another app; this will automatically create a folder
- Drag the app you wish to hide into the newly created folder
- Open the folder
- Tap and hold the app you just placed in the folder
- Drag the app to the right-hand side of the folder
- Once a new page of the folder appears, release the app
I recorded a video where I show you the steps:
That’s it!
Now when you see the folder on your home screen, it will be blank.
You might be interested to know that you can create up to 12 pages in a single folder as long as each page has an app.
Essentially, you can have a folder with 11 pages of apps that you only sometimes use, an objective to hide the app of your choosing on the last available page.
- Very simple
- Fast
- Free
- No apps required
- People can still see your apps if they open your folders.
How to Hide Apps Using the App Library
If you have the latest iOS software update installed on your iPhone, you have likely noticed that a new section exists called the App Library.
This is a section where you can find every installed application on your iPhone automatically divided into folders according to their type. For example, social apps have a folder called Social Network, and so on.
You can set the iPhone to remove apps you want to hide from the home screen and leave them in the App Library folders to make them less visible to prying people.
In this short video I show you how:
But, if you want to hide apps on your iPhone also from the App Library follow these simple steps:
- Open settings and select Screen Time (turn on Screen Time if it is off)
- Scroll and turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions
- Click on Allowed Apps
- Enter Screen Time passcode
- Scroll down to the App you want to hide and toggle it off
The above method will hide all preloaded apps. To hide 3rd party apps, use these steps:
- Open settings and select Screen Time
- Scroll and turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions
- Select Content Restrictions
- Click Apps
- Select Don’t Allow Apps
- Takes less than 2 minutes
- No tech skills required
- No software apps needed
- You can only hide all of the apps installed by yourself from the App Library. You can’t hide individual apps from the App Library.
How to Remove Apps from Home Screen Using Siri & Search
Did you know you can instantly remove apps from your home screen with a little help from Siri & Search?
Follow these steps and hide them now:
- Tap Settings
- Scroll down and select Siri & Search
- Click the app you wish to hide
- Turn off Show on home screen
- 4 easy steps
- No 3rd party software required
- No tech skills necessary
- These hidden apps will still show up in Search. Don’t worry, I have a trick to hide them from Search as well!
How to Hide Apps from the Smart Suggestions Widget
Do you want to know how to hide an app on an iPhone from the smart suggestions widget?
Follow these steps:
- Press and hold on the app you wish to hide
- A menu will pop up
- Select Don’t Suggest (the name of the app)
That’s it.
The app will no longer show up in your Smart Suggestions widget!
- 3 simple steps
- Takes less than 1 minute
- 100% free
- The app will still be displayed on your home screen. You will have to use the folder method (described above) to hide it from your home screen.
How to Hide Apps from iPhone Search
Do you have a few annoying or even scandalous apps showing up in your Siri & Search? Then follow these steps and hide them now:
- Tap Settings
- Scroll down and select Siri & Search
- View all the apps that use Siri & Search
- Select each app you wish to hide from Siri & Search
- Choose to toggle off “Learn from this App”, “Suggest App”, “Show App in Search”, “Show Content in Search”, and any toggles for “Suggest Shortcuts for App”
Congratulations!
- 5 easy steps
- Zero tech skills needed
- 100% free
- Unless you disable all apps, Siri & Search will still learn from your behaviors and suggest enabled apps.
How to Hide Apps from Your App Store Purchase History
Do you have Family Sharing turned on? Are you worried about your partner checking out your App Store spending spree?
Don’t worry, you can hide purchased apps by following these steps.
- Click App Store
- Tap on your profile in the top right-hand corner
- Select Purchased
- Swipe left on the app you want to hide
- Click Hide
- Select Done in the top right-hand corner
- Very fast
- No downloads needed
- No complicated steps
- The app will still be visible on your home screen. Use our folders or Siri & Search method to hide the app from your home screen.
Best Apps for Hiding an App on iPhone
Do you want to make an app extra hidden on your iPhone? Then try out these awesome apps and take your privacy to a new level!
HiddenVault
With this awesome app, you can hide files, photos, documents, videos, and apps.
Even better, you can password protect files so hackers can never access them.
HiddenVault has a 4.7-star rating on the App Store and instantly turns your phone into Fort Knox
Download it free from the App Store.
KYMS
KYMS is pretty sneaky! It pretends to be a calculator but is actually a powerful hiding app that makes everything disappear from photos to videos and, of course, any app.
This secure app offers military-grade encryption, so your nosey partner has no chance of finding your Tinder!
Try out KYMS free from the App Store.
Just because you have hidden an app on your iPhone does not mean it has been deleted.
Follow these steps to uncover even the most hidden app:
- Open your home screen
- Scroll right as far as possible until you see a search bar
- Enter the name of the app you wish to unhide
- Tap and hold the app you wish to unhide
- Drag the app to the left and release
Now the hidden app is back on your home screen and visible every time you open your phone.
- Takes less than 1 minute
- No difficult steps
- No 3rd party apps needed
- It is a little annoying having to drag the app back to your home screen.
How to Hide Apps on Android
Have you spent far too long Googling “how to hide apps on Android?”
You have finally come to the right page!
My simple yet effective methods will instantly hide any app you have on your phone and keep them hidden from the prying eyes of your friends, partner, or even strangers walking down the street!
The time has come for me to show you how to hide apps on Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, and Xiaomi.
I will even reveal how to find your hidden apps with the click of a button.
Let’s go!
Hiding Apps via Android Settings
The Android device you have can alter the way you hide apps. But don’t worry, no matter what device you have, I will show you how to hide even the most stubborn apps!
Let’s start with Samsungs!
No matter your Android device, I have a procedure that will hide any app you like in less than 1 minute!
How to Hide Apps on Samsung Phones
Do you have any embarrassing apps on your Samsung? Hide them now with these easy-to-follow steps:
- Pinch your home screen to reveal more options
- Click home screen settings
- Tap Hide Apps
- Click the app you wish to hide
- Tap Done
Samsung has done an amazing job ensuring you can quickly hide any app you choose.
But what about other Android devices?
Keep reading!
How to Hide Apps on Google Pixel
Still struggling to hide apps on your Google Pixel? Learn how now!
- Open your home screen
- Swipe up to reveal the Apps Tray
- Click Settings
- Select Apps & Notifications
- Click All Apps
- Select the app you wish to hide
- Tap Disable
This method does not currently work on Google Pixel 6. It is not possible to hide 3rd party apps on Google Pixel 6, even using other specialized apps.
How to Hide Apps on OnePlus
Are you struggling to hide apps on OnePlus? Make even the peskiest app disappear with my secret method:
- Open the App Drawer
- Hold your finger on the left-hand side of the screen
- Swipe from left to right to open the Hidden App Drawer
- Click the + sign in the top right-hand corner
- Select the app you wish to hide
- Press Back
That’s it!
All of the apps on your OnePlus are now safely hidden away.
How to Hide Apps on Xiaomi
Is your Xiaomi filled with apps you don’t want other people to see? Learn how to hide apps on your Xiaomi in less than 1 minute!
- Click Settings
- Tap Apps
- Select App lock
- Create a passcode
- Tap Hidden Apps
- Search for the app you wish to hide
- Toggle on the switch
Xiaomi has made a simple and ultra-secure way to hide apps on your Android device. The passcode feature is a great touch!
Hiding Apps on Android with a Launcher App
Another way that you can achieve this result is through an alternative launcher for the Android device.
I should explain. A launcher is software that allow you to customize your Android’s home screen and give you greater usability. Most of these come with an option to hide apps.
Here are the two best launcher apps and how to use them:
Nova Launcher
This app has a 4.4-star rating based on over 1 million reviews.
To hide apps with Nova Launcher follow these steps:
- Open Nova Launcher Settings
- Select App & widget drawers
- Click Hide Apps
- Select the app you wish to hide
- Tap Back to save changes
It could not be easier to hide apps on Android thanks to Nova Launcher. Try out this free app now and take your home screen to the next level!
Microsoft Launcher
This app has a 4.7-star rating based on over 1.5 million reviews. To hide apps with Microsoft Launcher, follow these steps:
- Tap Launcher Settings
- Select Home screen
- Click Hidden Apps
- Tap Hide Apps
- Select the app you wish to hide
Improve your home screen experience and effortlessly hide any app with Microsoft Launcher!
Did you hide an app on Android but now can’t uncover it?
Instantly reveal the app with these steps:
- Open Settings
- Select Apps
- Tap All or Hidden
And just like that, all of your hidden Android apps will be revealed. If that doesn’t work, try this method:
- Select App Drawer
- Click the Menu icon
- Select Show Hidden Apps
With these two simple methods, you will never be caught with a compromising app on your Android ever again!
FAQ
What Is the Purpose of Hiding Apps?
People hide apps for a variety of reasons, such as keeping an affair secret, preventing distraction from social media or games, or avoiding reputational damage caused by gambling or x-rated apps.
Can You Hide Apps on an iPhone?
You can hide apps on an iPhone by either creating a folder and placing the hidden app on the second page of the folder or going to Settings>Siri & Search>Selecting the app you wish to hide>Turn off show on the home screen.
Can You Hide Apps on an Android?
You can hide apps on an Android. Simply click home screen settings>Tap Hide Apps>Click the app you wish to hide>Tap Done.
Conclusion
You did it! Give yourself a pat on the back for making it through my detailed guide on how to hide apps. To give you a quick recap:
- To hide apps on iPhone – Create a folder or use Siri & Search.
- To hide apps on Android – Open settings, click apps, tap hide apps, select the app you wish to hide, and click done.
- The specific method to hide apps on Android depends on your device type (we have covered the Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, and Xiaomi).
- You can easily unhide any hidden app on iPhone (Open App Library, find the hidden app, and drag it back to the home screen) and Android (Settings>Apps>All).
- You can make apps extra hidden by using specialized apps. On iPhone, we recommend HiddenVault and KYMS. On Android, we recommend Nova Launcher and Microsoft Launcher.
By following my different methods, you can make any app completely disappear – and reappear – from your iPhone or Android.
Just remember to follow every step!
One last thing before saying goodbye… Hiding apps on your mobile (iPhone or Android) does not keep you safe from spy apps. They are mean bastards. Be careful.
If you have any questions about hiding apps, or you need some help unhiding an app, leave a comment below! If you want to keep in touch, follow my Facebook page or YouTube channel.
Do not forget to check out my free weekly Spaghetti and Social Media newsletter, where I share secret tips to enhance your mobile and online experience.
I hope you learned a lot from my article, and your apps are now nicely hidden away from prying eyes!
All the best,
Frankie Caruso
PS – You should definitely take a minute to check out the guide on how to not get caught cheating on WhatsApp.
