You can hide apps on iPhone in three ways, depending on what you want to do with them
The simplest method is to move an app into a folder, which keeps it on your home screen but grouped with others. If you want the app completely off your home screen, you can hide it in the App Library — a feature built into iOS 14 and later that automatically sorts all your apps by category. A third option is to offload an app, which removes it from your phone but keeps your data, so you can reinstall it later without losing anything.
Which method you choose depends on whether you want quick access to the app later, whether you want to reclaim storage space, or whether you simply want it out of sight. None of these methods delete the app permanently or prevent it from running background tasks — they only change where you see it.
Key Takeaways
- Moving an app into a folder keeps it on your home screen but hides it inside another app's icon, taking up less visual space.
- The App Library automatically hides all apps off your main home screen and sorts them into categories you can search.
- Offloading an app removes it from your phone and frees up storage, but you can reinstall it anytime without losing saved data.
- Hiding an app does not stop it from running in the background or receiving notifications — it only changes where you see it on screen.
Moving an app into a folder on your home screen
A folder is the fastest way to hide an app while keeping it accessible. Press and hold the app icon until a menu appears, then tap Edit Home Screen. The icons will start jiggling. Drag the app you want to hide onto another app icon — do not release yet. After a moment, a folder will appear. Release your finger, and both apps are now inside the folder. You can add more apps to the same folder by dragging them in.
Name the folder something generic if you want the hidden app to be less obvious — for example, "Utilities" or "Games" instead of the app's real name. Tap outside the folder to finish, then press the home button or swipe up to exit edit mode. The folder now appears as a single icon on your home screen, and the app inside is hidden from view unless you tap the folder to open it.
Using the App Library to hide apps completely off your home screen
The App Library is a separate screen that holds every app on your phone, sorted automatically by category. To use it, swipe left past your last home screen — you will see a grid of category boxes like "Productivity," "Games," "Social," and "Utilities." Every app on your phone lives in one of these categories, even if you have never seen it.
To hide an app from your home screen but keep it in the App Library, press and hold the app icon on your home screen, tap Edit Home Screen, then tap the minus sign that appears on the app icon. A menu will ask whether you want to Remove from Home Screen or Remove App. Choose Remove from Home Screen. The app disappears from your home screen but remains in the App Library, where you can find it by scrolling through categories or by searching for it by name.
This method works well if you want to declutter your home screen but still need the app occasionally. You can search for any hidden app by swiping down on your home screen and typing its name into the search box — the app will appear instantly, and you can open it from there without going to the App Library.
Offloading an app to free up storage space
Offloading removes an app from your phone entirely but saves all your data and settings. The next time you need it, you can reinstall it in seconds without losing anything. This is useful if you have an app you use rarely but want to keep the option to use it later, or if you need to free up storage space on a full phone.
Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. You will see a list of apps sorted by size, with the largest at the top. Tap the app you want to offload, then tap Offload App. A warning will appear explaining that the app will be removed but your data will be kept. Tap Offload to confirm. The app icon will remain on your home screen with a small cloud icon in the corner, showing that it has been offloaded. Tap it anytime to reinstall it — iOS will download it again and restore all your saved data.
You can also set your phone to offload apps automatically when storage runs low. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and turn on Offload Unused Apps. Your phone will then remove apps you have not used in a while and reinstall them automatically if you tap them again.
The difference between hiding, offloading, and deleting an app
Hiding an app (either in a folder or through the App Library) keeps it on your phone and does not change how it works. It still receives notifications, runs in the background, and uses the same amount of storage. Offloading removes the app from your phone but keeps your data, so reinstalling takes only a few seconds. Deleting an app removes both the app and all its data — if you reinstall it later, you start fresh with no saved information.
If you want to completely remove an app and its data, press and hold the icon, tap Remove App, then tap Delete App. A warning will tell you that all data will be deleted. Tap Delete to confirm. This frees up the most storage but means you lose any saved progress, login information, or files the app stored on your phone.
Why you might want to hide an app instead of deleting it
Some apps come pre-installed on iPhones and cannot be deleted — you can only hide them. These include Stocks, Reminders, Health, and others. If you never use one of these apps, moving it to a folder or removing it from your home screen is the only way to get it out of sight.
Hiding is also useful for apps you use occasionally but do not want cluttering your home screen. For example, you might hide a banking app in a folder labeled "Finance" so it does not sit visibly on your main screen, or hide a game you play rarely so your home screen shows only the apps you use daily. The app still works exactly the same way — you are only changing where you see it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hide an app so no one else can see it on my phone?
Hiding an app from your home screen or moving it to a folder makes it less obvious, but anyone with access to your phone can still find it by searching or by looking in the App Library. If you need to prevent someone from opening an app, you can use Screen Time to restrict access — go to Settings > Screen Time > App Limits and set restrictions on specific apps.
If I offload an app, will I lose my saved games or login information?
No. Offloading saves all your data — game progress, login credentials, and any files the app stored. When you reinstall it, everything will be exactly as you left it. Only deleting an app removes your data permanently.
Can I hide multiple apps at once?
You can move multiple apps into the same folder at once by dragging them in one by one while in edit mode. To remove multiple apps from your home screen using the App Library method, you have to remove them individually — there is no bulk remove option.
Will a hidden app still send me notifications?
Yes. Hiding an app does not change its notification settings. If an app is set to send notifications, it will still send them whether the app is visible on your home screen or hidden. To stop notifications from a hidden app, go to Settings > Notifications, find the app, and turn off notifications there.
What happens if I offload an app and then run out of storage space?
Offloaded apps take up almost no storage — only the app icon and your data remain. If you run out of space later, you can delete the offloaded app entirely by pressing and holding its icon and tapping Remove App > Delete App. This will free up the small amount of space the data was using.