Sometimes you don’t want every installed app staring back at you from the Home Screen. Maybe you’re handing your phone to a friend, maybe you want a cleaner look, or maybe certain apps just don’t need to be visible. Whatever the reason, iOS gives you a few ways to keep apps out of sight without deleting them.
The Quickest Way: Remove from Home Screen
Long-press any app icon until the menu appears. Tap Remove App, then choose Remove from Home Screen. The app disappears from your Home Screen but stays installed — you’ll find it in the App Library (swipe left past your last Home Screen page) and in Search.
Hide an Entire Home Screen Page
If you’ve grouped apps you want hidden onto a single page, you can hide the whole page at once. Long-press an empty area on the Home Screen until the icons jiggle. Tap the page dots at the bottom of the screen. Uncheck the page you want to hide. Tap Done. The page and all its apps vanish from view but remain in the App Library.
Lock and Hide Apps with Face ID (iOS 18+)
Starting with iOS 18, you can lock individual apps behind Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. Long-press an app icon, tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID/Passcode), and authenticate. The app now requires biometric authentication to open. For even more privacy, choose Hide and Require Face ID — the app moves to a hidden folder in the App Library that’s only accessible after authentication.
Keep Apps Out of Search and Siri Suggestions
Hiding an app from the Home Screen doesn’t remove it from Search or Siri suggestions. To fully conceal it, go to Settings > Search, find the app, and toggle off Show App in Search, Show Content in Search, and Suggest App. You can also visit Settings > Siri & Search > [App Name] and disable the same options there.
Silence Notifications Without Hiding the App
If an app’s notifications are the problem, not its visibility, head to Settings > Notifications, select the app, and customize its alerts. You can disable banners, sounds, and badges — or turn off Allow Notifications entirely.
Use Screen Time for App Limits and Downtime
Screen Time lets you set daily limits for specific apps (App Limits) or block access during certain hours (Downtime). Under Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps, you can also disable built-in apps like FaceTime and Mail, removing them from the Home Screen entirely.
The Bottom Line
Hiding apps isn’t foolproof — someone determined can still find them in the App Library or Settings. But it adds friction, and that’s often enough. Whether you’re protecting privacy, reducing distractions, or just prefer a cleaner Home Screen, iOS gives you the tools to curate what’s visible.
