How to unhide apps on iPhone 13: What most people get wrong

You know that feeling when you're 100% sure you downloaded an app, but it's just... gone? You’re swiping through your iPhone 13 Home Screen like a person possessed, and yet, nothing. Honestly, it’s one of the most annoying quirks of iOS. Whether you accidentally banished an app to the digital void or a toddler "helped" you organize your phone, finding those lost icons isn't always as straightforward as you'd think.

Basically, Apple has given us so many ways to hide things—App Library, hidden pages, Screen Time restrictions, and now the dedicated "Hidden" folder in newer updates—that it’s easy to lose track of how to undo it.

If you're staring at your screen wondering how to unhide apps on iPhone 13, don't worry. You haven't lost your mind, and you probably haven't deleted the app either. Here is exactly how to get your apps back where they belong.

The App Library is usually the culprit

Most of the time, the app isn't "hidden" in a secret vault; it’s just been removed from your Home Screen. Since iOS 14, Apple has allowed us to keep apps on the phone but off the main pages.

To fix this, swipe left. Keep swiping until you hit the very last page. That’s your App Library.

You can use the search bar at the top to find the specific app. Once you see it, don't just tap it to open. Instead, do a long-press on the icon. A menu pops up, and you’ll see an option that says Add to Home Screen. Tap that, and boom—it’s back in its original spot. If you don't see that option, it's probably because the app is already on a Home Screen somewhere, maybe tucked inside a folder you forgot about.

Checking the new "Hidden Apps" folder

If you’ve updated to the latest software versions (like iOS 18 or 19), there is a much more "stealthy" way apps get hidden. Apple added a folder specifically for apps you want to keep away from prying eyes.

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1. Go to your App Library (swipe all the way to the right).
2. Scroll down to the very bottom.
3. You’ll see a category labeled Hidden.
4. Tap it, and it will ask for Face ID or your passcode.

If your missing app is in there, long-press it and select Don't Require Face ID. This "unhides" it and moves it back into the regular App Library categories. From there, you can drag it back to your main screen.

You might have hidden an entire page

Sometimes it’s not just one app—it’s like twenty of them. If a whole section of your digital life has vanished, you probably accidentally hid a whole Home Screen page.

It’s surprisingly easy to do. To check:

• Long-press on a blank area of your Home Screen until the icons start to jiggle (the "wiggle mode").
• Tap the row of dots at the bottom of the screen (the ones that indicate which page you're on).
• This opens a bird's-eye view of all your pages.
• Look for any page that doesn't have a checkmark under it.
• Tap the empty circle to bring it back.

When Screen Time plays hide and seek

If you've checked the App Library and the hidden pages and still see nothing, we need to talk about Screen Time. This is the heavy-duty way apps get hidden, often used for parental controls.

Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.

If this is turned on, tap Allowed Apps. You’ll see a list of native Apple apps like Mail, Safari, or FaceTime. If the toggle is grayed out, that app will be completely invisible everywhere on the phone. It won't even show up in search. Just flip the switch back to green, and the app will reappear.

For third-party apps, check the Content Restrictions section under the "Apps" category. If you’ve set an age limit (like "9+"), any app rated 12+ or 17+ will simply vanish until you change that setting back to "Allow All."

The App Store "Hidden Purchases" trick

There is one more layer to this. Sometimes, people "hide" an app from their purchase history. This doesn't necessarily hide the app on your phone if it's already installed, but it makes it look like you never owned it when you search the App Store.

To unhide these, open the App Store, tap your Profile Picture, then tap your Apple ID name. Scroll down to Hidden Purchases. You might have to authenticate with Face ID here. If you see the app there, tap the cloud icon to bring it back into your visible history.

Why you should reset your Home Screen layout

If things are still a mess and you can't find anything, there’s a "nuclear option" that doesn't delete your data but fixes the organization.

Head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout.

This will put all your original Apple apps back in their factory-default positions and list your third-party apps alphabetically on the subsequent pages. It’s a bit of a pain because it destroys any folders you’ve spent hours color-coding, but if you’re truly lost, it’s the fastest way to surface every single app you have.

Actionable steps to keep your apps visible

• Check the App Library search first: It’s the fastest way to see if the app is even installed.
• Review Siri & Search settings: Go to Settings > Siri & Search, find the app, and make sure "Show on Home Screen" is toggled on.
• Stop new apps from hiding: If you hate that new apps go straight to the Library, go to Settings > Home Screen & App Library and select "Add to Home Screen" for new downloads.
• Audit your folders: Use the search bar to see if an app is buried three pages deep in a "Utilities" folder you haven't opened since 2022.

By following these steps, you'll get your iPhone 13 back to a state where you actually know where your tools are. Usually, it's just a matter of knowing which "hide" feature was triggered. Once you've checked the App Library and Screen Time, you're almost always going to find what you're looking for.