If you want to hide an app on your iPhone, you are probably trying to keep your Home Screen clean, reduce distractions, protect privacy, or tuck away something you do not use every day. Maybe it is a work app, a banking app, or just a game you want out of sight. The good news is that iPhone gives you several easy ways to hide apps without deleting them.
In this guide, you will learn the fastest ways to hide apps on iPhone, including removing them from the Home Screen, hiding entire app pages, moving apps into the App Library, and using Screen Time to block or restrict access. The steps are simple, and most take less than a minute. Whether you want a temporary fix or a stronger privacy setup, you will find the right method here.
Summary
For a quick answer, here are the main ways to hide apps on iPhone:
- Press and hold the app, then tap Remove App and choose Remove from Home Screen.
- Hide an entire Home Screen page by tapping and holding the dots above the dock.
- Move apps to the App Library so they stay installed but off your main screen.
- Use Screen Time to restrict apps with a passcode if you want more control.
Tutorial – Hide Apps on iPhone by Removing Them from the Home Screen
This method hides an app from your Home Screen while keeping it installed on your iPhone. You can still find it in the App Library and search for it anytime.
Step 1: Press and hold the app icon
Press and hold the app you want to hide until a menu appears.
After a moment, you should see options such as Remove App, Edit Home Screen, or Share App. If the icons start jiggling, you can release your finger and continue from there.
Step 2: Tap Remove App
Tap Remove App from the menu.
You will usually see a second menu with two choices. One removes the app from the Home Screen, and the other deletes it completely. This is the key step, so do not tap the wrong option if you want to keep the app installed.
Step 3: Select Remove from Home Screen
Tap Remove from Home Screen.
The app icon disappears from your Home Screen right away. The app is still on your iPhone, and you can open it later from the App Library or by searching for it.
Step 4: Find the app later in App Library or Search
Swipe left past your last Home Screen page to open the App Library, or swipe down on the Home Screen and type the app name in Search.
You should see the app listed there even though it is no longer visible on the Home Screen. This is the easiest way to hide an app without uninstalling it.
Alternative Methods and Edge Cases
Not every iPhone setup is the same, so here are a few other ways to hide apps depending on what you need.
- Hide an entire Home Screen page: Press and hold on the Home Screen, tap the page dots above the dock, then uncheck the page you want to hide. Tap Done. This is useful if you have several apps you want out of view at once.
- Move apps to the App Library only: Remove the app from the Home Screen and let it live in the App Library. This keeps your main screen clean while preserving access.
- Use Screen Time restrictions: Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and set app limits or restrictions. This does not exactly hide the app, but it can block access behind a passcode.
- Turn off app notifications instead of hiding the app: If your goal is less distraction, go to Settings > Notifications and disable alerts for that app. This keeps the app visible, but quieter.
- Delete the app entirely: If you want it gone, press and hold the app, tap Remove App, then choose Delete App. This removes the app and its local data, though some data may remain in the cloud depending on the app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will hiding an app delete it from my iPhone?
No. If you choose Remove from Home Screen, the app stays installed. It just disappears from the Home Screen and remains in the App Library.
Can I hide built-in Apple apps?
Yes, some built-in apps can be removed from the Home Screen, and a few can even be deleted depending on the app and your iOS version. If you only want to hide them, use Remove from Home Screen.
How do I find a hidden app later?
Swipe left to open the App Library, or swipe down on the Home Screen and use Search. Type the app name and tap it to open.
Can I hide apps from App Library too?
Not completely through normal iPhone settings. You can remove an app from the Home Screen, but if it stays installed, it will still appear in the App Library and Search.
What is the difference between hiding and deleting an app?
Hiding removes the app from the Home Screen but keeps it installed. Deleting the app removes it from your iPhone and can also remove its local data.
Can I lock an app instead of hiding it?
Yes, on newer versions of iOS, some apps can be locked with Face ID or Touch ID depending on the app and iPhone model. If locking is available, it can be a better privacy option than hiding alone.
Tips
- If you want a cleaner Home Screen, hide apps you rarely use and keep only your daily essentials up front.
- Use the App Library to keep apps installed without cluttering your main pages.
- If you share your iPhone, combine hiding apps with a Screen Time passcode for better privacy.
- Turning off notifications can be just as effective as hiding an app if your real problem is distraction.
- Search still works fast, so hiding an app is not a security feature, it is mainly a visibility feature.
- If you reorganize your apps often, hiding entire pages can save time compared with moving icons one by one.
Troubleshooting
- If you do not see Remove from Home Screen, make sure you are pressing the correct app icon and not a widget or folder. Some items behave differently from standard apps.
- If the app keeps reappearing, check whether you are restoring it from the App Library or syncing Home Screen layouts through iCloud or another device.
- If the app is still visible after hiding it, restart your iPhone and check whether you hid the correct Home Screen page or icon.
- If you cannot find the App Library, keep swiping left on the Home Screen until you reach the last page. The App Library is at the far right.
- If Screen Time options seem missing, go to Settings > Screen Time and make sure it is turned on first.
- If you deleted the app by mistake, open the App Store, search for the app, and reinstall it. You may need to sign in again.
Conclusion
Hiding apps on iPhone is quick, flexible, and easy to reverse. In most cases, removing an app from the Home Screen is enough to keep things tidy without losing access.
If you need more privacy or less distraction, you can hide whole pages, use Screen Time restrictions, or turn off notifications. Once you know where these controls live, managing your iPhone becomes much simpler.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.