Effects of Hiding an App on iPhone with iOS 18

Important Information on Hiding Apps

• When you hide an app, it is removed from your Home Screen and placed into a ‘Hidden’ folder located at the bottom of the App Library.
• Accessing the ‘Hidden’ folder and the apps inside it requires Face ID authentication.
• You will not receive notifications or calls for apps that are hidden.

In today’s digitally connected environment, user privacy often takes a back seat. With iOS 18, Apple introduces a valuable feature that allows you to hide apps, keeping them discreet from anyone who might borrow your device. This functionality not only ensures that the contents of your hidden apps remain private, but also that others are unaware of their presence.

But what does hiding an app actually entail? Let’s clarify.

Implications of Hiding an App on Your iPhone

The primary reason for hiding apps on your iPhone is to prevent friends and family from discovering what applications you have installed, especially when they temporarily use your device.

Once an app is hidden, it disappears from your Home Screen and can only be accessed through a Hidden folder located at the bottom of the App Library.

Since both the Hidden folder (containing all your hidden apps) and the apps themselves require Face ID authentication to access, others will have no idea which apps you’ve hidden, nor can they open them.

Additionally, hiding an app means you will not receive any notifications or incoming calls for that app.

How to Hide an App on iPhone

Hiding apps is straightforward. Simply long press the app you want to conceal, select Require Face ID > Hide and Require Face ID, and when prompted, choose Hide App.

How to Unhide an App on iPhone

If you wish to make a previously hidden app visible again, open the ‘Hidden’ folder in the App Library and authenticate using Face ID. Next, tap and hold the app, select Don’t Require Face ID, and confirm by authenticating again.

Once unhidden, the app will be taken out of the ‘Hidden’ folder and will appear on your device as it did before.

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