What hiding an app actually does
Hiding an app removes it from your home screen and app drawer, but the app itself stays on your phone and keeps working. You can still open it by searching for it by name, and it will still send notifications and run in the background. Hiding is useful when you want to reduce clutter, keep an app out of sight from someone else using your phone, or organize your home screen without deleting something you use regularly.
The exact steps to hide an app depend on whether you use an iPhone or Android phone, and which version you have. Both systems let you hide apps, but they work differently. This guide covers the most common methods for current phone models.
Key Takeaways
- Hiding an app removes it from your home screen and app drawer but does not delete it or stop it from running.
- On iPhone, you hide apps by long-pressing them and selecting "Remove from Home Screen" or by using App Library to organize them out of sight.
- On Android, you can hide apps through your launcher settings, or by long-pressing the app and choosing "Hide" if your phone supports it.
- A hidden app can still receive notifications and run background tasks, so hiding is for organization, not for stopping an app from working.
- You can unhide a hidden app at any time by searching for it or reversing the hiding steps.
Hiding apps on iPhone
On iPhone, the simplest way to hide an app is to remove it from your home screen. Long-press the app icon until a menu appears, then tap "Remove from Home Screen." The app moves to App Library, which is the last screen you see when you swipe all the way right on your home screen. The app is still there and still works — it is just not visible on your main screens.
If you want to hide an app more completely, you can also offload it. Long-press the app, tap "App Settings," then tap "Offload App." This removes the app from your phone but keeps your data for it. When you search for the app later and tap it, your phone will download it again. This is different from hiding — it actually frees up storage space, but it takes longer to use the app again because it has to reinstall.
To find a hidden app on iPhone, swipe right to App Library and look for it there, or use Spotlight search by swiping down from the top of your home screen and typing the app name.
Hiding apps on Android
On Android, the method depends on which launcher your phone uses. Most Android phones come with Google Launcher (also called Pixel Launcher on Google phones) or Samsung Launcher on Samsung phones. Both let you hide apps, but the steps are slightly different.
On Google Launcher, long-press the app icon on your home screen, then tap "Remove from Home Screen." This takes it off your home screen but leaves it in your app drawer. To hide it from the app drawer entirely, go to your app drawer, long-press the app, and look for a "Hide" option. Not all Android phones have this option — it depends on your launcher version.
On Samsung phones, long-press the app icon and tap "Remove from Home Screen," or go to your app drawer, long-press the app, and tap "Hide App." Samsung's system is more straightforward about hiding apps completely from view.
Using folders to organize instead of hiding
If you want to keep an app on your home screen but out of the way, you can put it in a folder instead of hiding it. On both iPhone and Android, you can create a folder by dragging one app onto another. Name the folder something generic like "Tools" or "Utilities," and drag apps into it. The folder takes up one home screen space but holds many apps inside.
This method is useful when you want to keep an app accessible but do not want it taking up prime real estate on your home screen. You can also use folders to group similar apps together — for example, all your banking apps in one folder, or all your social media apps in another.
What happens to notifications when you hide an app
Hiding an app does not stop it from sending notifications. If a hidden app sends you a message, alert, or reminder, the notification will still appear on your lock screen and in your notification center. You will see the notification even though the app is hidden from your home screen.
If you want to stop notifications from a hidden app, you need to change the app's notification settings separately. Go to your phone's Settings, find the app in your notification or app settings, and turn off notifications for that specific app. This is a separate step from hiding the app itself.
Unhiding an app you hid
To unhide an app on iPhone, open App Library (swipe right to the last home screen), find the app, and long-press it. Tap "Add to Home Screen," and it will reappear on your home screen. You can also search for it using Spotlight and tap it to open it without adding it back to your home screen.
On Android, the steps depend on your launcher. If you hid it from the app drawer, long-press the app in your app drawer and tap "Show App" or "Unhide." If you only removed it from your home screen, it is already visible in your app drawer — just drag it back to your home screen if you want it there again.
Why hiding is not the same as disabling
Hiding an app and disabling an app are two different things. Hiding removes it from view but leaves it running and able to send notifications. Disabling actually stops the app from running and removes its ability to send notifications or use data in the background. You cannot disable most apps you downloaded yourself — only system apps that came with your phone can be disabled, and even then, disabling is usually not recommended unless you know what you are doing.
If you want to prevent an app from running in the background, hiding is not the right tool. Instead, go to your phone's Settings, find the app, and look for battery or background activity settings. You can restrict what an app is allowed to do without hiding it or disabling it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will someone else using my phone be able to find a hidden app?
Yes, if they search for it by name or know to look in App Library or the app drawer. Hiding removes the app from the home screen, but it does not password-protect it. If you need to truly restrict access to an app, you should use your phone's built-in parental controls or app lock feature, which requires a password or fingerprint to open the app.
Does hiding an app free up storage space?
No. Hiding an app keeps it on your phone and takes up the same amount of storage. If you want to free up space, you need to delete the app entirely or offload it (on iPhone). Hiding is only for organization and visibility.
Can I hide system apps that came with my phone?
On iPhone, you can hide most system apps by removing them from your home screen, and they will move to App Library. On Android, it depends on your phone manufacturer. Samsung phones let you hide some system apps, but Google Pixel phones do not allow hiding most built-in apps. Check your phone's app settings to see which apps can be hidden.
What if I cannot find the hide option on my Android phone?
Not all Android launchers support hiding apps. If your phone does not have a hide option, you can only remove apps from your home screen. They will still be in your app drawer. Consider using a third-party launcher like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher, which offer more hiding and organization options.
Will a hidden app still use my phone's battery and data?
A hidden app can still use battery and data if it runs in the background. Hiding it does not stop background activity. If an app is draining your battery or using too much data, go to your phone's Settings and restrict its background activity, or uninstall it entirely.