Hide an app—and know
where it still appears.

There are two different ways to “hide” an iPhone app. Remove from Home Screen only clears the icon while leaving the app searchable in App Library. Hide and Require Face ID moves an eligible downloaded app to the protected Hidden folder and suppresses its information from several system surfaces.

Neither method deletes the app. Choose based on whether you want a cleaner Home Screen or real privacy from someone using your unlocked phone.

1. Find the app on the Home Screen. The full hide feature applies to eligible apps downloaded from the App Store.

2. Touch and hold the icon. Tap Require Face ID, Touch ID, or Passcode.

3. Tap Hide and Require Face ID. Authenticate, confirm Hide App, and the icon disappears from the Home Screen.

4. Find it in App Library. Swipe left past every Home Screen page, open Hidden at the bottom, and authenticate. Opening the app requires authentication again.

Touch and hold the app, tap Remove App, then choose Remove from Home Screen—not Delete App. The app stays installed and appears normally in App Library and Search.

This method is useful for decluttering or adding friction to an automatic tap. It is not private. Anyone can locate and open the app through App Library or Search without extra authentication.

To restore the icon, find the app in App Library, touch and hold it, and choose Add to Home Screen or drag it onto a page.

Built-in apps cannot use the full hide feature. Only eligible App Store downloads can move into Hidden. A default browser or app marketplace may also be ineligible, depending on region.

The app can still leave records. Its name may appear in Screen Time, Battery usage, App Store purchase history, and Settings > Apps > Hidden Apps.

Hiding is local. The status does not sync through iCloud, so repeat the action on other devices.

Authentication includes the device passcode. Someone who knows that passcode may open Hidden. Use a private passcode and review Face ID access.

Open App Library, tap Hidden, and authenticate. Touch and hold the app, tap Don't Require Face ID, and authenticate again. The app leaves Hidden and reappears near the top of App Library; add it to the Home Screen if needed.

You can also confirm which apps are hidden under Settings > Apps > Hidden Apps after authentication.

If your goal is reducing your own use rather than privacy, hiding alone is light friction. Screen Time adds daily limits, while Fella keeps selected apps blocked all day with one emergency 5-minute unlock.