An iPhone offers several levels of app hiding. You can simply remove an icon from the Home Screen, hide a Home Screen page, or on supported recent iOS versions hide eligible apps behind Face ID, Touch ID, or the device passcode.
Remove an App from the Home Screen
- Touch and hold the app.
- Tap Remove App.
- Choose Remove from Home Screen rather than deleting it.
The app stays installed in App Library. This is organization, not a privacy lock.
Hide an Eligible App with Authentication
- Touch and hold the app.
- Choose the option to require Face ID, Touch ID, or the device passcode.
- Choose the option to hide the app when offered.
- Authenticate to confirm.
Eligible hidden apps move to the Hidden area of App Library and require authentication to open. Only downloaded apps that support the feature can be hidden; built-in iOS apps cannot be hidden with this feature.
Find Hidden Apps
- Swipe left through the Home Screen pages to reach App Library.
- Open the Hidden section.
- Authenticate.
Hide a Home Screen Page
- Touch and hold an empty Home Screen area until the icons jiggle.
- Tap the page indicator.
- Clear the check mark for the page you want hidden.
- Tap Done.
The apps remain installed and accessible through App Library.
Reduce Search and Suggestion Visibility
iOS also has per-app search and Siri controls. Open Settings, find the app’s search/Siri options, and review the available discovery and suggestion settings. Labels can vary by iOS version.
Does Hiding an App Erase Every Trace?
No. Do not treat app hiding as a guarantee that all evidence disappears. App information can still exist in Screen Time, App Store history, subscriptions, backups, account information, device-management systems, or other records depending on the situation.
Unhide an App
- Open App Library.
- Open Hidden and authenticate.
- Touch and hold the app.
- Choose the available option to stop hiding it or stop requiring authentication.
Summary
For organization, remove an app from the Home Screen or hide a Home Screen page. For greater privacy on supported iOS versions, use the built-in authentication and Hide option for eligible apps. Hiding an app does not erase every account or device record associated with it.