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Products & Applications

iOS 18 adds new ways to hide apps on iPhone, says Engadget

Engadget reports iOS 18 adds new ways to hide apps on iPhone and iPad, including Face ID and a Hidden folder.

AI News Feed · 2026-08-14 20:42

The simplest way to remove an app from the Home screen remains a long-press on the icon, followed by tapping the minus button and choosing Remove from Home Screen. That action sends the app to the App Library. For greater privacy, Engadget explains that users can now long-press an app and select Require Face ID. A prompt then explains that opening the app will require authentication, notifications will not show details, and content will not appear in Spotlight search or CarPlay.

Choosing Require Face ID keeps the icon in place but demands authentication every time the app is opened. Alternatively, users can choose Hide and Require Face ID, which removes the app from the Home screen and from searches and suppresses all notifications from that app. The option is limited to apps downloaded from the App Store; most default apps cannot be locked.

Hidden apps are placed in a special folder named Hidden, located at the bottom of the App Library. The folder appears blank regardless of how many apps it contains. Opening it requires authentication, and opening any app inside requires another authentication step. To unhide an app, users can long-press it within the Hidden folder and choose Don't Require Face ID, which returns the app to the top of the list after verification.

Engadget notes that hidden apps are not completely invisible. They can still appear in the Screen Time activity list and in the battery usage chart. Additionally, all downloaded apps remain in the App Store purchase history. Users can hide purchases by swiping left on an item in their Apps & Purchase History and selecting Hide. Hidden purchases can be restored later from the Hidden Purchases section. Hiding purchases prevents family members from redownloading them, but it does not hide the apps themselves.

These methods work the same way on iPads and on devices with Touch ID. Engadget suggests that hiding apps can help reduce time spent on addictive software and add a second layer of security for financial apps, citing examples of scams where strangers ask to borrow a phone and then transfer money in seconds.