Honestly, for the longest time, the answer to "can you hide apps on the iphone" was a resounding "kinda, but not really." You could bury stuff in folders. You could banish them to the App Library. But if someone really wanted to snoop, they just had to swipe a few times to find your "secret" stash. It was security by obscurity, which is basically no security at all.
That changed recently.
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Apple finally stopped being precious about their "everything should be visible" philosophy and gave us actual, honest-to-god privacy tools. If you're running iOS 18 or later (which, let's be real, you probably are by now in 2026), you have a "Hidden" folder that actually requires your face to open. It's a game changer for anyone who's ever handed their phone to a kid or a nosy friend and felt that sudden spike of cortisol.
The "Real" Way to Hide Apps Now
The most effective way to disappear an app is the new system-level hide feature. This isn't just moving an icon; it’s basically putting the app in a digital vault.
To do this, find the app you want to ghost. Long-press the icon. A menu pops up. You’ll see an option that says Require Face ID (or Touch ID if you're rocking an SE). Tap that, and then select Hide and Require Face ID.
Once you confirm, the app vanishes.
It’s gone from your Home Screen. It’s gone from the regular App Library view. It won't even show up in Spotlight search results. If you search for it, the iPhone acts like it doesn't exist. The only place it lives is in a specific Hidden folder at the very bottom of your App Library. And here’s the kicker: that folder looks like a blank grey square until you tap it and authenticate with your face.
What Most People Get Wrong About Hiding Apps
There is a catch, though. There's always a catch.
You can’t hide everything. Apple still protects its core "identity" apps. You can't hide the Settings app (for obvious troubleshooting reasons) or things like Find My. If you were hoping to hide the Camera or App Store, you’re out of luck with the "Hide" button, though you can still restrict them using Screen Time.
Another weird quirk? Notifications.
When you hide an app using the Face ID method, you stop getting notifications for it. No banners, no sounds, no "1" badge sitting on the corner of the folder. It’s a total blackout. This is great for privacy but terrible if you’re trying to hide a messaging app you actually use. You’ll have to manually check the Hidden folder to see if anyone has messaged you. It's the price you pay for total invisibility.
The Screen Time Method (The Old School Hack)
If you need to hide a system app like Safari or Mail, the new "Hide" button won't show up. For these, you have to go into the "Content & Privacy Restrictions" under Settings > Screen Time.
- Enable the restrictions.
- Tap Allowed Apps.
- Toggle off the ones you want gone.
This actually removes them from the phone's interface entirely. It’s a bit clunky and feels like a parental control feature (because it is), but it’s the only way to make Safari disappear without deleting it.
The Sneaky "Disguised" App Trick
Some people don't want to hide an app—they want to disguise it.
Maybe you don't want a "Hidden" folder at the bottom of your screen because that itself looks suspicious. "What are you hiding in there?" is a question nobody wants to answer.
Instead, use the Shortcuts app. You can create a new shortcut that "Opens" your target app, then add that shortcut to your Home Screen. When you add it, you can change the name to something boring like "Calculator" or "Compass" and give it a generic icon. Then, remove the original app from your Home Screen so it only lives in the App Library.
It’s a classic move. Low tech, but highly effective against casual observers.
Can You Hide Apps From Your Purchase History?
This is the one that trips people up. You hide the app on your phone, you lock it with Face ID, and you think you're safe. Then someone opens the App Store, taps your profile, and looks at Purchased.
Boom. There's the evidence.
To truly hide the fact that you ever downloaded an app, you have to go into the App Store, find that app in your "My Purchases" list, swipe left on it, and tap Hide. This won't delete the app from your phone, but it wipes the record from your public-facing history.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're serious about your privacy, don't just rely on one method. The most robust setup looks like this:
- Audit your Home Screen: Long-press any app you don't use daily and select "Remove from Home Screen." This keeps your phone clean and makes the actually hidden stuff less obvious.
- Set up the Hidden Folder: Use the Hide and Require Face ID feature for sensitive apps (banking, dating, health).
- Kill the Previews: Even for apps you don't hide, go to Settings > Notifications and set "Show Previews" to "When Unlocked." This prevents your private texts from popping up on the lock screen for the whole world to see.
- Check your Siri Suggestions: Sometimes Siri is a snitch. Go to Settings > Siri & Search and turn off "Show App in Search" for anything you're trying to keep on the down-low.
Privacy on an iPhone used to be a chore of moving folders around and hoping for the best. Now, it's actually built into the DNA of the operating system. Use it.