Someone asks to borrow the phone. The home screen is a grid of icons. If you want to hide apps on iPhone, you’ll want one icon off that grid. You are not trying to wipe the phone.
Apple now lets you lock an app or hide it in a Hidden folder. Samsung can hide an icon, park it in Secure Folder, or clone a chat app with Dual Messenger. A cloned WhatsApp is still WhatsApp. A Hidden folder still opens with the same Face ID that unlocks the phone.
If the real job is a chat that does not look like a chat, DailyNewsTalk is built for that. It looks like a news app until you long-press and enter a PIN. You do not have to hide a messenger icon because the icon is news. Download DailyNewsTalk.
This page is for your own phone. It doesn’t teach you how to open anyone else’s.
Lock, hide, Secure Folder, Dual Messenger
| Tool | What it does | What it still shows |
|---|---|---|
| Lock apps on iPhone | Face ID to open a downloaded app. The icon can stay. | Screen Time. Battery. App Store history. Built-in apps stay. |
| Hide apps on iPhone | Move a downloaded app into the Hidden folder. | App Library. Hidden Apps in Settings. |
| App lock for Android | A PIN on an icon, or Knox inside Secure Folder. | Store “AppLock” listings. Recents. Notifications. |
| Samsung hide + Secure Folder | Hide from the Apps tray, or park apps in a Knox folder. | A Secure Folder icon unless you hide that too. |
| Clone app on Android | Dual Messenger, or a second copy inside Secure Folder. | Two icons. A badge. Two alert streams. |
| Calculator vaults | A fake calculator that opens a locker. | A second calculator. Lost albums if the app is gone. |
| DailyNewsTalk | A full chat behind a news feed and a PIN. | A news app that is actually news until you unlock it. |
Can You Hide Apps on iPhone Without Deleting Them?
Yes. iPhone users have several built-in options for keeping apps installed while changing how they appear on the device.
The available options depend on your iOS version and the app type.
Here are three common methods:
- Remove from Home Screen: Removes the app icon from the Home Screen but keeps the app in the App Library.
- Lock an App: Requires Face ID, Touch ID, or your iPhone passcode before you can open it.
- Hide an App: Moves an eligible downloaded app into a protected Hidden folder in the App Library.
Apple introduced the hide-and-lock feature with iOS 18. If your iPhone supports it, you can use it without deleting the application or its stored data.
How to lock apps on iPhone
People who type lock apps on iPhone land on the same Apple page as hide. Lock and hide are two choices on one menu. On the Home Screen, press and hold a downloaded app. Tap Require Face ID, Touch ID, or Passcode. Then choose Require Face ID. Authenticate. The icon stays. Opening it needs Face ID.
Apple says locked-app info should stay out of notification previews, search, Siri suggestions, CarPlay, and call history on that phone. The lock does not sync through iCloud to another device. You can lock without hiding. That is the lock-apps job.
Built-in apps are the limit. Calculator, Camera, Clock, Contacts, Find My, Maps, Shortcuts, and Settings cannot be locked. A person who knows the iPhone passcode can still open many locks. This is a Face ID door, not a new chat.
How to hide apps on iPhone
Hide is the other choice on Apple’s lock-or-hide guide. Press and hold a downloaded app. Tap Require Face ID, Touch ID, or Passcode. Then choose Hide and Require Face ID, authenticate, and tap Hide App. The icon leaves the Home Screen and moves to a Hidden folder at the bottom of the App Library.
Settings > Apps > Hidden Apps shows what you hid. Hidden names can still show in Screen Time, Battery usage, and App Store purchase history. Reddit’s ranking hide-apps thread still asks how to keep a name out of App Library too. Apple’s Hidden folder is that library row. It is not gone from the phone.
This is an icon hide. Anyone who can unlock the phone can open Hidden after Face ID. Built-in Apple apps cannot be hidden.
How to Remove an App from the iPhone Home Screen Without Deleting It
This is the simplest option if you want a cleaner Home Screen without uninstalling anything.
When you remove an app from the Home Screen, it remains installed and can still be accessed through the App Library.
Steps to Remove an App from the Home Screen
- Unlock your iPhone.
- Find the app you want to remove from the Home Screen.
- Touch and hold the app icon.
- Tap Remove App.
- Select Remove from Home Screen.
- The app icon will disappear from the Home Screen.
That’s it! The application remains installed on your iPhone.
Where Does the App Go?
The removed application moves to the App Library.
To find it:
- Swipe left across your Home Screen pages.
- Continue until you reach the App Library.
- Find the app in its category or use the search field.
- Tap the app to open it.
Important: Removing an app from the Home Screen does not lock it. Anyone who can access your unlocked iPhone may still find and open it through the App Library.
How to Hide Apps on iPhone Using Face ID (iOS 18 and Later)
Apple introduced a dedicated app-hiding feature in iOS 18. It lets users move eligible downloaded apps into a protected Hidden folder.
Unlike simply removing an app from the Home Screen, this option also requires authentication before you can access the hidden app.
Steps to Hide an App Using Face ID
Follow these steps:
- Go to your iPhone Home Screen.
- Find the downloaded app you want to hide.
- Touch and hold its icon.
- Tap Require Face ID.
- Select Hide and Require Face ID.
- Authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
- Tap Hide App to confirm.
The app disappears from the Home Screen and moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of the App Library.
What Happens When You Hide an App?
When an eligible app is hidden:
- It is removed from the Home Screen.
- It moves into the Hidden folder.
- Authentication is required to access it.
- Its content is excluded from certain system locations, such as search and notification previews.
- Notifications and calls from the hidden app are not delivered in the usual way.
Remember that hiding an app does not erase its data or guarantee that its existence cannot be discovered elsewhere.
How to Find Hidden Apps on iPhone
After hiding an app, you may wonder where it went.
Apple keeps hidden applications in a dedicated folder inside the App Library.
Steps to Open the Hidden Apps Folder
- Go to your iPhone Home Screen.
- Swipe left through all your Home Screen pages.
- Open the App Library.
- Scroll to the bottom.
- Tap the Hidden folder.
- Authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
- You can now view and open your hidden applications.
The Hidden folder is part of the iPhone’s built-in App Library. You don’t need to install another app to access it.
How to Lock an App Without Hiding It
Sometimes, you may want an app to stay visible on your Home Screen but prevent others from opening it.
In that case, locking the app is a useful alternative.
Steps to Lock an App on iPhone
- Find the app on your Home Screen.
- Touch and hold its icon.
- Tap Require Face ID.
- Confirm the option.
- Authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
The app remains visible, but you must authenticate to open it.
Hide vs. Lock: What’s the Difference?
| Feature | Lock an App | Hide an App |
|---|---|---|
| App remains installed | Yes | Yes |
| Visible on Home Screen | Yes | No |
| Requires authentication | Yes | Yes |
| Moves to Hidden folder | No | Yes |
| Protects app access | Yes | Yes |
| Removes all records of the app | No | No |
Choose locking if you want the app to remain visible but protected. Choose hiding if you want to remove it from the Home Screen and App Library.
How to Hide an Entire Home Screen Page
You don’t always need to hide individual applications. If your goal is to organize your iPhone, you can also hide an entire Home Screen page.
This option is useful when you have several apps that you don’t need to see regularly.
Steps to Hide a Home Screen Page
- Touch and hold an empty area on your iPhone Home Screen.
- Wait for the app icons to start moving.
- Tap the page indicator dots near the bottom.
- You’ll see previews of your Home Screen pages.
- Tap the checkmark below the page you want to hide.
- Tap Done.
The selected page will no longer appear when you swipe through your Home Screen.
The apps on that page are not deleted. You can still find them in the App Library.
How to Show the Page Again
- Touch and hold an empty area on the Home Screen.
- Tap the page indicator dots.
- Select the unchecked page.
- Tap Done.
The page will become visible again.
How to Stop New Apps from Appearing on Your Home Screen
If you regularly download applications, you may prefer to keep your Home Screen organized automatically.
iPhone allows you to choose where newly downloaded apps appear.
Change the Download Location
- Open Settings.
- Tap Home Screen & App Library.
- Find the New Apps Downloaded section.
- Select App Library Only.
After changing this setting, newly downloaded applications will appear in the App Library rather than being automatically added to the Home Screen.
This is an organization feature, not an app-locking or hiding feature.
Where Can Hidden Apps Still Appear?
Hiding an app adds privacy, but it doesn’t make the app completely invisible.
Apple explains that hidden app information may still be available in certain places, including:
- Settings and the Hidden Apps list
- Screen Time
- Battery usage information
- App Store purchase history
The exact information available depends on the iOS version and device settings.
Understand these limitations before relying on the feature for privacy.
What About Family Sharing and Screen Time?
If your iPhone is part of a Family Sharing group, app hiding does not bypass family safety settings.
Apple states that parents or guardians in a Family Sharing group can see app download information and usage time for members aged 13–17 and can restrict access using Screen Time. Age-related rules can vary by country or region.
If a parent or guardian restricts an app, use the appropriate family settings or discuss the restriction rather than trying to work around it.
Common Problems When Hiding Apps on iPhone
Sometimes, the app-hiding option may not appear, or an application may not behave as expected.
Here are a few common reasons.
The Hide Option Is Missing
Not every application supports Apple’s hide feature.
Check whether the app is eligible and whether your iPhone is running iOS 18 or later.
Face ID Is Not Working
If authentication fails, check your Face ID settings and make sure your iPhone passcode is working.
You can also review your authentication settings under Settings.
You Cannot Find the Hidden Folder
The Hidden folder is located at the bottom of the App Library.
Swipe left past all Home Screen pages and scroll down to find it.
You Still See the App in Settings
This is normal. Hiding an app does not remove every reference to it from the iPhone.
Some information may remain visible in Settings, Screen Time, Battery usage, or purchase history.
Can You Hide Built-In Apple Apps?
Not every application can be hidden using Apple’s Hidden folder feature.
Apple limits which apps can use the hide option. Built-in apps that come with iOS generally cannot be hidden in the same way as eligible third-party downloads.
Depending on the app, you may still be able to remove its icon from the Home Screen or use other available organization settings.
Some apps also have restrictions because they’re default system applications.
If you don’t see the Hide and Require Face ID option, the application may not support hiding.
Which Method Should You Choose?
The best method depends on what you want to achieve.
| Your Goal | Recommended Method |
|---|---|
| Remove an icon from the Home Screen | Remove from Home Screen |
| Protect an app with authentication | Lock an App |
| Move an eligible app into a protected folder | Hide an App |
| Organize several applications together | Hide a Home Screen page |
| Keep newly downloaded apps off the Home Screen | Choose App Library Only |
For most users who want an extra layer of privacy, Apple’s built-in lock and hide options are useful because they don’t require third-party hiding apps.
App hiders and calculator vaults
Third-party app hiders and calculator vaults still rank next to this search. They ask for a PIN and often look like math. Reddit treats a second calculator as a tell. If that is the costume you wanted, see hide apps with calculator. Do not use those tools to open someone else’s vault.
When DailyNewsTalk is the better fit
Stick with Apple Hide or Samsung Hide when you only need to hide an icon. Move the chat out when hiding WhatsApp still leaves WhatsApp, or when Dual Messenger gives you two chat icons instead of none.
DailyNewsTalk looks like a news reader. You long-press, type a PIN, and the chat opens. Alerts look like news. Photos stay in the chat. Calls stay out of Recents. A calling app can still show on the home screen if you hide nothing, which is why this page and how to make a private call sit next to each other.
Disclosure: We are associated with DailyNewsTalk. It is one option, based on how we test it. If that is what you want, download DailyNewsTalk.
For the full hide-chat cluster, start with secret messaging apps.
Questions people ask
Can you hide apps on iPhone without deleting them?
Yes, if you downloaded the app from the App Store. Press and hold it, require Face ID, then hide it. It moves to the Hidden folder in App Library. You can’t hide built-in Apple apps. Screen Time and purchase history can still name it.
Which iOS version supports hiding apps?
Apple introduced the dedicated app-hiding feature in iOS 18. You need a compatible iPhone running iOS 18 or later to use it.
How do I lock apps on iPhone?
Press and hold a downloaded app. Tap Require Face ID, then choose Require Face ID without hide. The icon stays. Opening it needs Face ID. Apple’s lock-or-hide guide is on the same page as Hide Apps. Built-in Apple apps cannot be locked. Screen Time can still name the app.
Is Secure Folder better than hiding an icon?
Yes, if you want a PIN on the apps inside. Hide apps only removes the icon from the tray. Secure Folder is a Knox space. You can hide that folder’s icon as well. Files inside still live on that phone, and Samsung no longer treats backup as a normal feature.
Can I hide apps without Face ID?
You can remove an app from the Home Screen without Face ID. However, Apple’s dedicated hide feature requires authentication using Face ID, Touch ID, or your iPhone passcode.
Where do hidden apps go on iPhone?
Hidden applications move to the Hidden folder at the bottom of the App Library. You must authenticate before viewing the folder’s contents.
Does locking an iPhone app hide notifications?
Apple says locked-app information should stay out of notification previews and search on that device. The icon can still sit on the Home Screen if you locked without hiding. Hide previews in Settings if the lock screen is the leak.
Will hiding an app hide it from Screen Time?
No. Apple says hidden app names can still appear in Screen Time, battery use, and App Store history. A person who can unlock the phone and open those menus can still see the name.
Can someone find out which apps I have hidden?
Hiding an app removes it from the normal Home Screen, App Library, and search views. However, information about hidden apps may still appear in places such as Settings, Screen Time, Battery usage, and App Store purchase history.
Does hiding an app delete its data?
No. Hiding an eligible app does not uninstall it or automatically delete its stored data.
Can I unhide an app later?
Yes. Open the Hidden folder in the App Library, authenticate, touch and hold the app, and select Don’t Require Face ID. The app will become visible again.
Can I hide every app on my iPhone?
No. Apple’s hide feature is limited to eligible applications. Built-in Apple apps and certain default system applications cannot be hidden using this feature.
Is hiding an app the same as locking it?
No. Locking an app keeps its icon visible but requires authentication to open it. Hiding an app moves it into the protected Hidden folder.
What this page cannot promise
Hide and lock take an icon off a glance. They don’t hide Screen Time, purchase history, or a person who can pass Face ID. Dual Messenger adds an icon. Calculator vaults look like a second calculator. No icon trick makes a shared home screen safe on its own.
Sources
- Apple: Lock or hide an app on iPhone
- Samsung: Hiding apps on a Galaxy
- Samsung: Use Secure Folder
- Samsung: Set up Dual Messenger
- Samsung UK: Dual Messenger
- r/Android: Dual Messenger vs Secure Folder
- r/dumbphones: Hiding apps even from App Library