A phone holds banking apps, messages, and other private data. Hiding apps is one way to keep that data from someone who picks up the phone. The steps are for iPhone and Android.
Why it helps
- A hidden app is harder for someone borrowing the phone to open by accident.
- Banking tools and health trackers stay out of view in public.
- If the phone is lost or stolen, hidden apps are one more obstacle.
People this is useful for: parents keeping work apps, stores, or unsuitable content away from children; couples or friends who would rather keep a personal app private; and anyone who lends a phone to a coworker, relative, or friend.
On an iPhone
On an iPhone, the tools are the App Library and a Hidden Folder.
Move an app to the App Library
- Find the app on the home screen.
- Press and hold the icon until a menu appears.
- Choose Remove from Home Screen. The app then sits in the App Library, out of the way, and still installed.
Use the Hidden Folder
- Open Settings, then App Library & Dock.
- Turn on the Hidden Apps Folder.
- In the App Library, press and hold the app and drag it into the Hidden Folder.
Lock that folder
- Open Settings, then Face ID & Passcode, or Touch ID on older models.
- Turn on Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode for the Hidden Folder.
The folder keeps apps invisible unless you open it. The lock stops someone else, and the apps remain available when you need them.
On an Android phone
Many phones, including Samsung, OnePlus, and Xiaomi, can hide apps in the home-screen settings.
- Open Home Screen Settings.
- Tap Hide Apps. The wording varies by phone.
- Select the apps and confirm.
Those apps leave the home screen and the app drawer and stay installed.
If the phone has no built-in option, use a third-party launcher such as Nova Launcher:
- Install it from the Google Play Store.
- Open the launcher’s settings and go to Hide Apps.
- Select the apps, and turn on a password if the launcher offers one.
Review the hidden list and remove apps you no longer use, so they do not take storage.
Other steps
- Lock the phone itself with a strong passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID.
- Back up sensitive data to a secure cloud or backup service.
- Use the lock inside an app when that app offers a fingerprint or PIN.
Hiding apps is a small step. Both iPhone and Android can do it with built-in features or, on Android, with another launcher.
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