How to hide apps on iPhone and what hiding does
Touch and hold the app, tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode), then choose Hide and Require. The app leaves the Home Screen and goes into a Hidden folder in App Library that needs authentication. That removes it from view. It does not lock what is inside the app, and Apple lists places the app still appears.
Option 1: Hide the app
- On the Home Screen, touch and hold the app icon until the quick actions menu opens.
- Tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode).
- Tap Hide and Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode), authenticate, then tap Hide App.
Apple says the app moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library. To open it, swipe left past your Home Screen pages to App Library, tap the Hidden folder and authenticate. To bring an app back, touch and hold it there and tap Don't Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode).
Where a hidden app still shows
Apple's guide lists these: Settings > Apps > Hidden Apps (which needs authentication), Settings > Screen Time, Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging, and App Store purchase history. It also notes limits:
- Apps that come with iOS cannot be hidden, only apps you downloaded separately.
- The hidden or locked status applies only to that iPhone and does not sync with iCloud.
- On Apple's page, children in a Family Sharing group can be limited: under 13 cannot lock or hide apps, and for ages 13 to 17 a parent can see the app's download and usage.
Option 2: Take it off the Home Screen only
Touch and hold the app, tap Remove App, then Remove from Home Screen. Apple says the app moves to App Library and is not deleted, and that it stays there. Anyone can still scroll to App Library, or search for it there. This tidies a page; it hides nothing from a person who looks.
Option 3: Screen Time for built-in apps
Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions, turn it on, tap Allowed Apps & Features and switch off the app or feature. Apple says the app or feature is not deleted but is temporarily hidden from the Home Screen until you turn it back on. This is the route for built-in apps, which the Hide option does not cover. Menu labels differ slightly between iOS releases.
None of these is a lock on your photos
Hiding an app hides an icon. Photos inside a hidden photo app, or in your own library, are not encrypted by it. For the photo library itself, see our guide to hiding photos. How to hide photos on iPhone
StrongRoom does not hide itself or pretend to be another app, on purpose. It keeps your files safe by encrypting them, not by concealing the icon. -> /features/encryption/ See the limits. What StrongRoom does not protect against
More settings are on the pillar page.
Frequently asked questions
Does hiding an app delete it?
No. Apple says a hidden app moves to the Hidden folder in App Library, and Remove from Home Screen keeps the app in App Library.
Can I hide Apple's built-in apps?
Not with Hide. Apple says apps that come with iOS cannot be hidden. Screen Time's Allowed Apps & Features can temporarily hide a built-in app or feature from the Home Screen.
Is a hidden app locked?
Hiding needs authentication to open the Hidden folder. It does not add encryption to the app's data.
Sources
- Lock or hide apps on your iPhone (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.
- Use the App Library on your iPhone (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.
- Block features or content with Screen Time on iPhone (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.