How to Hide Apps on iPhone: 6 Easy Methods

Wondering how to hide apps on iPhone? Maybe you want to keep your banking app away from prying eyes, tidy up a cluttered home screen, or set up parental controls for a child’s phone. Whatever the reason, your iPhone has several built-in ways to hide apps — no shady third-party tools required.

This guide walks you through six easy methods, from the official Hide feature in iOS 18 and later to removing apps from search results and locking them behind Face ID. Let’s find the method that fits your needs.

Method 1: Hide Apps with Face ID (iOS 18 and Later)

The most powerful option arrived with iOS 18: you can now truly hide apps behind Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. A hidden app disappears from the home screen, search results, notifications, and the visible App Library — it only lives in a locked Hidden folder at the bottom of the App Library.

1. On the home screen, touch and hold the app icon until the quick actions menu opens.
2. Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode on other devices).
3. Tap Hide and Require Face ID, authenticate, then tap Hide App to confirm.

The app is now invisible everywhere except the Hidden folder. To open it, swipe to the App Library, scroll to the bottom, open the Hidden folder, and authenticate. Note that not every app can be hidden this way — some built-in Apple apps only support locking, not hiding.

Method 2: Remove Apps from the Home Screen

If you simply want a cleaner look without locking anything, you can remove an app from the home screen while keeping it installed. It stays fully accessible in the App Library.

1. Touch and hold the app icon.
2. Tap Remove App.
3. Choose Remove from Home Screen (not Delete App).

To find it again, swipe left past your last home screen page to open the App Library and search for it. This method is ideal for apps you use occasionally but don’t want staring at you every day.

Method 3: Hide Entire Home Screen Pages

Hiding apps one by one takes time. If you want to tuck away a whole group of apps at once — say, all your games during the work week — hide an entire home screen page instead.

1. Touch and hold an empty area of the home screen until the icons jiggle.
2. Tap the row of dots above the dock to open page management.
3. Uncheck any page you want to hide, then tap Done.

The apps are still installed and searchable; they’re just out of sight. Re-check the page any time to bring it back. This is a great middle ground between deleting apps and leaving them visible.

Method 4: Hide Apps from Search and Siri Suggestions

Even apps removed from the home screen still show up in Spotlight search and Siri suggestions by default. To make an app truly hard to stumble across:

1. Open Settings and tap Siri & Search (on newer iOS versions, look under Apple Intelligence & Siri).
2. Scroll down and select the app you want to hide.
3. Turn off Show App in Search, Show Content in Search, and Suggest App.

For more iPhone maintenance tips, check out our guide on how to clear the cache on iPhone to keep your device running smoothly.

Method 5: Restrict Apps with Screen Time

For parental controls — or your own digital discipline — Screen Time can make apps completely inaccessible without a passcode.

1. Go to Settings > Screen Time and turn it on if you haven’t.
2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and enable it.
3. Use Allowed Apps to disable built-in apps, or set App Limits to restrict third-party apps.

Restricted apps vanish from the home screen entirely until the passcode is entered. Just don’t forget that Screen Time passcode — recovering it is a hassle.

Method 6: Bury Apps in Folders

The oldest trick in the book still works: group sensitive apps into a folder, give it a boring name like “Utilities,” and drag it to the last page of the folder on your final home screen page. It won’t fool anyone determined, but it keeps casual glances at bay and declutters your layout.

How to Unhide Apps on iPhone

Changed your mind? Getting apps back is simple:

• Hidden folder apps: Open the App Library, scroll to the Hidden folder, authenticate, touch and hold the app, and choose Don’t Require Face ID.
• Removed from home screen: Find the app in the App Library, touch and hold it, and tap Add to Home Screen.
• Hidden pages: Enter jiggle mode, tap the dots, and re-check the page.
• Search/Siri: Re-enable the toggles in Settings > Siri & Search.

Which Method Should You Use?

• Maximum privacy: Hide with Face ID (Method 1).
• Quick declutter: Remove from Home Screen (Method 2) or hide a page (Method 3).
• Kids’ devices: Screen Time restrictions (Method 5).
• Casual tidiness: Folders (Method 6).

FAQs About Hiding iPhone Apps

Does hiding an app delete it or its data?

No. Hiding an app only changes its visibility — the app and all its data stay on your device. Nothing is deleted, and you won’t lose logins, files, or settings.

Can hidden apps still send notifications?

Apps hidden with Face ID do not show notifications or appear in notification summaries, which is part of what makes the feature so effective for privacy.

Will hiding an app hide it from purchase history?

No. Hidden apps still appear in your App Store purchase history. For that, you’d need to hide the purchase itself in the App Store account settings.

Conclusion

Learning how to hide apps on iPhone gives you real control over your privacy and your home screen. Start with the Face ID hide feature for sensitive apps, use home screen removal for everyday decluttering, and lean on Screen Time when someone else uses the device. Your apps stay installed and your data stays safe — they’re simply out of sight until you need them.