Starting with iOS 18, you’ll have the ability to seamlessly cover and lock specific apps on your iPhone for added security and convenience. You can cloak apps to render them imperceptible, and with the latest updates, you’re empowered to securely lock down any app type, ensuring that it won’t open unless authenticated by Face ID.
Perhaps you have sensitive digital assets that require discretion, so it’s reasonable not to want anyone to stumble upon your online activities, whether they involve dating or casual encounters.
By concealing certain applications on your device, you can effectively limit access to distracting platforms like social media and addictive video games, fostering a healthier digital habit. Removing unnecessary apps from your Home Screen effectively declutters and simplifies the user experience. To clarify, you can resolve issues without uninstalling apps that you still need.
While most phone apps are easily accessible, there are a few crucial ones that can remain hidden from view. Here’s how it all works.
To remove an app from your iPhone’s home screen, you simply tap and hold on the icon until it starts jiggling. Then, tap the X in the corner of the icon to uninstall the app.
This feature requires iOS 13 or later. APPLE announced that its new replacement feature will debut in September, enabling seamless compatibility with any device currently running iOS 14 or later.
In iOS 14, there exist two distinct categories of hidden apps on your iPhone.
- You can lock an app using a period. The app remains visible on your Home Screen, and you’ll continue to receive notifications. To access the app, you will need to verify your identity using Face ID authentication. It works similarly on older devices.
- Installing an app to hide it is a more proactive approach. When you remove the app, it will vanish from your Residence screen, App Library, notifications, Screen Time history, and search results. Discover the exclusive feature within the recessed Hidden Apps folder located at the bottom of the App Library, accessible only after authenticating with Face ID or Contact ID. When you dismiss the app, it will no longer be visible in the app switcher; instead, you’ll need to revisit the Hidden Apps folder to locate it again.
To secure your iPhone app with advanced biometric authentication, follow these simple steps: Simply head to the Settings app on your device > [your name] > Passcode & Touch ID Face ID. Enable Face ID or add a fingerprint using Touch ID. Now, you can lock individual apps with the desired method.
To lock an iPhone app, simply tap and hold on an app icon either on your Home Screen or within the App Library. What doors await us? Faucet onto the uncharted territory that promises. You’ll see an explanatory pop-up stating: “This app necessitates Face ID or your passcode for opening and presenting content within various applications.” The app’s content material will not appear in notification previews or Highlights.
Press the faucet icon again to lock the app.
To cover an iPhone app with Face ID or Touch ID, simply navigate to the Settings app on your device, then tap on “Face ID & Passcode” or “Touch ID & Passcode”. Next, toggle the switch next to “Use Face ID for”? or “Use Touch ID for”? to the right. This will enable Face ID or Touch ID authentication for that specific app.
If you want to review an iPhone application, and it’s already available for download but has gone dark – meaning its developers have stopped updating or supporting it – you’ll notice an extra option stating “Not Available” alongside the app’s status. If you decide to select this option, you’ll encounter a subsequent popup alert stating: “This app won’t appear on your iPhone except in a limited number of locations matching the Settings app.” To access Siri features within the app, users must authenticate using either Face ID or their passcode.
Delete the faucet app once again to relocate it to the Hidden Apps folder?
On your iPhone, you’re probably wondering where all those secret apps are hiding. Well, the answer lies in a few simple steps. First, start by opening the Settings app and scroll down to the “Siri & Search” section. From there, tap on “Hidden Apps.” You’ll see a list of all the apps that have been hidden from view, along with the reason why they were hidden.
To access your hidden apps, simply swipe left from your Home Screen until the App Library appears. Navigate downwards through your device’s menu system until you reach the very bottom to locate your concealed Apps folder. To access the contents of the folder, simply press down on the faucet handle. If Face ID or Touch ID authentication fails twice in succession, you’ll have the option to enter your passcode.
Once you unlock the folder, the concealed applications will become apparent. You can open them up from here easily. When a folder is empty, it appears spotlessly clean.
As soon as you navigate away from the Residence Screen or switch to another app, the concealed folder will automatically lock once more? There’s no grace interval. While hiding multiple apps might seem inconvenient when one is frequently used, the value lies in the enhanced security you gain.
To unhide or unlock apps on your device, follow these steps:
1. Long press on the app you want to hide from home screen then tap on the “Edit” button at the bottom of the screen.
2. The app icon should now be visible and can be moved back to its original location by following the same procedure as when you first hid it.
3. You can also go to your device’s settings, find the “Apps & Notifications” or “App Permissions” option, then toggle the switch next to the app to allow access.
To reveal a hidden iPhone app back to its normal, non-hidden state, simply hold your finger on the app’s icon until the “Add to Home Screen” prompt appears. You’ll need to perform a single additional Face ID scan to unlock the device and then reset it to its normal state. To access a previously locked application, follow this procedure:
You’re able to cover or lock up your windows and doors with sturdy locks.
Apps downloaded from the App Store, along with those installed by Apple itself (such as Siri and Stocks), can both be locked and hidden.
Despite this limitation, numerous inventory apps that come bundled with the device – including Messages, Phone, Music, Podcasts, and Safari – are inaccessible but cannot be completely concealed. Certain essential apps, such as Cellphone and Messages, are vital to the core functioning of your device.
Some exceptionally rare and intriguing apps are completely impervious to hiding or locking mechanisms.
- Calculator
- Digicam
- Clock
- Discover My
- Magnifier
- Maps
- Settings
- Shortcuts
- Watch
Avoid programming sensitive details into your alarm clock; refrain from storing historical data or complex calculations within its digital confines.
Extra on iOS 18
Now that you’ve mastered covering apps on your iPhone, explore more innovative iOS 18 features to boost your mobile experience?
