How to hide apps on iphone or Android

How to Hide Apps on iPhone or Android? – A Complete Guide

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Introduction::

However, with the emergence of digital technologies, privacy has become a necessity. Whether you need to hide sensitive apps from prying eyes or just want a tidier home screen, hiding apps on iPhone and Android is incredibly useful. [/iOS and Android are available in several different ways] to hide apps without deleting them.

In this article, we will discuss the best ways to hide iPhone and Android apps without the use of third-party apps. This guide includes everything you need to know, whether you’re seeking built-in settings or smart workarounds.

Why Would You Want to Hide Apps?

Hide apps on iphone

There are many different circumstances where you may want to hide apps on your device:

Privacy: Hide personal apps from others.

Security: Stop nefarious folks from accessing sensitive apps.

Parental Control: Hide apps not suitable for children

Be minimalist: Reduce the home screen clutter.

So, let’s take a look at how to hide apps on iPhone and Android.

How to Hide Apps on iPhone?

Here are several methods to hide apps on an iPhone without deleting them, courtesy of Apple. Below are the best methods:

Hide In Apps Using App Library (iOS 14 And Later)

The App Library, brought to life in iOS 14, provides users an option to hide installed apps from the homescreen.

  1. How to Hide Apps Using App Library:

Choose the app you want to hide and long press it.

Tap Remove App (don’t tap Delete App).

Tap Remove, then tap Remove from Home Screen.

The app will still be there in the App Library (Swipe left to find it)

✅ Advantage: The app is still installed, just not visible on the home screen.

  1. Hide Apps With Screen Time Restrictions:

To truly hide an app, you can apply a Screen Time Restriction so that the app never shows up.

How to Hide Your Apps Using Screen Time:

Go to Settings → Screen Time.

Tap on Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it on.

Select Allowed Apps.

Switch off the toggle for the app you would like to hide.

✅ Advantage: This will also hide the app completely and will not be visible until you turn it on.

  1. Hide Apps Inside a Folder:

Another easy way to hide apps on an iPhone is by placing them inside a folder.

Hide apps on iphone

Steps to Hide Apps in a Folder:

  1. Long-press an app and drag it over another app to create a folder.
  2. Drag the app you want to hide to the second or third page of the folder.
  3. Rename the folder with something generic (e.g., “Utilities” or “System”).

✅ Benefit: The app is still accessible but less visible.

  1. Hide Apps from Search and Siri Suggestions:

Even if you hide an app, it can still show up in Search and Siri Suggestions. To prevent this:

How to Hide Apps from Search & Siri:

(AKA Settings → Siri & Search)

Scroll down and tap on the app that you want to hide.

Turn off Show App in Search and Show on Home Screen

✅ Benefit: The app will not show up in search results or Siri suggestions.

How To Find Hidden Apps on Iphone?

Hide apps on iphone

If you need to locate a hidden app:

Utilize App Library (Swipe on the home screen).

Search for the app via Spotlight Search.

If the app is hidden from settings, enable it back in Screen Time Restrictions.

How to Hide Apps on Android?

So, unlike iPhones, Android devices are more customizable. Hide apps: The steps for this depends now on the manufacturer (Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, etc). We have various ways to hide apps on any android phone below.

  1. Hide Apps With Built-in Settings (Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, etc.)

You can mute apps on most Android phones even without deleting them.

How to Hide Apps on Samsung Phones:

Open the Settings app.

Take up to Home Screen Settings or Display Settings.

Tap Hide Apps.

Choose the apps to hide and click OK to confirm.

How to Hide Apps in OnePlus Phones:

Access Hidden Space now by opening the App Drawer and swiping to the right.

Tap the “+” icon.

Choose apps you would like to hide.

Tap Done to hide them.

✅ What it does: Apps will still be installed but won’t show up in the app drawer.

  1. Using Third Party Launcher to Hide Apps:

To hide some of your apps, you can download either Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher if your phone doesn’t have a built-in hide feature.

How to Hide Apps Using Nova Launcher:

First, Install Nova Launcher from Play Store

Step 1: Open Nova Settings → App Drawer

Tap Hide Apps and choose the apps to hide.

✅ Info: Completely custom with more privacy settings.

  1. Hide Apps With Guest Mode or Multiple Users:

If you want to hide apps entirely from other people, you can use Guest Mode or set up a new Google profile.

Steps to Enable Guest Mode:

Open Settings → Users & Accounts.

Choose Guest Mode or click on a new user.

Use Guest mode to keep the apps hidden.

✅ Benefit: Apps will not be available in Guest Mode.

Option 1: Disable Apps to Hide Them from App Drawer:

If you are unable to delete an app (typically, pre-installed apps such as Facebook, YouTube, and so on), the alternative thing you can do is to disable them.

Steps to Disable an App:

Go to Settings → Apps & Notifications.

Choose the app which you wish to hide.

Tap Disable.

✅ PRO: The app hides but can always be re-enabled when you want to.

How to Find Hidden Apps on Android Read More

To find a hidden app: (as a reminder, you do not need an apple ID associated with it.)

To view the installed apps, open Settings → Apps & Notifications.

Search Hidden Apps From Google Play Store.

If the app has been disabled in the settings, please enable it.

Final Thoughts:

Hiding apps is easy on both iPhone and Android and helps you protect privacy, security, and boost organization. There are quite a few ways to hide apps as you can either use built-in features, third-party launchers or configure your display from system settings.

Key Takeaways:

👍 iPhone users can use App Library, Screen Time, and Siri Restrictions.


✅ Android users can use Built-in Hide Features, Launchers, or Guest Mode.


✅ Both iPhone and Android users can use folders for a simple solution.

If you found this guide helpful, share it with others who want to keep their apps private!

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1: Can I hide apps without installing third-party apps?
Yes, both iPhone and Android have built-in features to hide apps without using third-party tools.

Q2: Will hidden apps still receive notifications?
Yes, unless notifications are turned off manually in settings.

Q3: How do I completely lock an app instead of hiding it?
Use App Lock on Android or Screen Time Restrictions on iPhone to prevent access.

Got more questions? Leave a comment below!

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