How to Hide Apps on Android: A Tailored Guide for Samsung, Huawei, and More

Best ways to hide apps on Android phone

When you hide an app from your Android phone, you make its icon disappear from the menu and home screen. But the app remains in your phone, so you can still find and use it. 

Most modern Android devices will allow you to hide apps through the phone’s settings. However, older phones (and even some modern ones) don’t have this feature. Also, the steps to hide apps on Android vary depending on your phone’s brand (more on that in a bit). But all in all, there are a couple of ways to make your apps invisible:

• Use the built-in settings of your phone.
• Install a third-party app-hider application.
• Create a secure folder for sensitive apps.
• Create a guest account on your phone.
• Disable secret apps.

Without further ado, let’s discuss all these methods in detail.

1. Use your phone’s settings

The majority of Android phones let you hide apps through the device’s settings. Here are the general steps to make a particular application on Android invisible:

1. Head to your phone’s Settings.
2. Tap Home screen.
3. Scroll down to find the Hide apps section.
4. Tap the apps you want to hide from your home screen.

2. Use third-party apps

An app hider is an application designed to make specific apps on an Android phone invisible. Such solutions can be useful if you own an older device or it doesn’t have the app-hiding feature for some reason. Here are some examples of popular app hiders:

• App Hider. This straightforward application allows you to hide apps and manage them hassle-free. The app even has a secret icon displayed as a calculator.
• Vault. This tool lets you hide sensitive apps, files, photos, and documents on your Android phone. With its help, you can also strengthen your apps’ security with passwords and cloud backups.

💡Pro tip: Keep in mind that third-party applications are not always good for your digital privacy. Some legit-looking apps may contain malicious programs allowing cybercriminals to spy on your phone or infect it with malware. So, before downloading an unverified app, check whether it’s legitimate. Also, avoid unofficial marketplaces — those are usually full of viruses and scams.

3. Lock apps in a secure folder

A secure folder is a privacy feature on some Android phones, particularly Samsung. It allows you to store sensitive apps, files, and documents in a space protected with extra security measures (passwords, PIN code, or biometrics).

Here’s how to create a secure folder on Android:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Biometrics and security or Privacy protection password (note that this name varies depending on your device’s manufacturer and model).
3. Select the Secure folder or turn on Privacy protection password.
4. Create a password or another method to protect your info.
5. Add your confidential apps or files to the folder.

4. Use Guest Mode on Android

Many Android phones have the Guest Mode feature, which lets you share your device with other people while keeping your sensitive information, including apps and files, private. Your personal info will remain accessible only through your profile. 

Here’s how to create a guest account on an Android phone or tablet:

1. Open Settings.
2. Head to System.
3. Select Multiple users.
4. Toggle on to enable access for multiple users.
5. Tap the Add guest button.

5. Disable apps

Finally, it’s possible to hide an application on Android by disabling it. This way, you will stop the app from using your phone’s resources and disappear from your home screen. Here’s how to disable apps on Android:

1. Open the home screen of your phone.
2. Long-press the icon of the app you want to disable.
3. Select the App info option.
4. Choose Disable, Uninstall, or Force stop.

And, if you happen to own an iPhone or iPad as well, check out our comprehensive guide on how to hide apps on iOS devices.

While the general steps to hide apps on an Android phone are similar, the required actions for different phone models and manufacturers are somewhat different. Let’s discover how to make your applications disappear on the most popular Android devices — Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, LG, and Huawei.

How to hide apps on Samsung phones

Follow these instructions to hide an app on a Samsung phone:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Home screen.
3. Tap Hide apps.
4. Choose the app you want to hide from prying eyes.

Also, Samsung devices have the Secure Folder feature, which is useful when you need to hide several confidential applications and documents. Here’s how to enable it on most Samsung phones:

1. Open Settings > Security and privacy.
2. Select the Secure folder and log in or create a new folder using your Samsung account.
3. Open the folder on your home screen and tap the plus icon.
4. Choose the apps you need to hide and add them to your secure folder.

How to hide apps on OnePlus phones

Take the following steps to hide apps on a OnePlus Android phone:

1. Head to Settings > Privacy.
2. Choose the Hide Apps option.
3. Enter your passcode.
4. Toggle the applications you’d like to hide.

Please note that while the hidden apps won’t appear on your device’s home screen and recent tasks, they may still be visible in certain settings.

Alternatively, you can create a Hidden Space folder on a OnePlus phone for additional protection of your most sensitive apps and files:

1. Create a new folder for your apps on the home screen.
2. Hit the plus icon to add select apps to the folder and tap the checkmark.
3. Tap the three-dot icon at the top-right corner of your screen.
4. Select the Enable password option and create a strong security key.

How to hide apps on Xiaomi phones

Here’s the easiest way to hide apps on a Xiaomi phone:

1. Open Settings > Apps.
2. Select App lock.
3. Tap Turn on.
4. Enter your passcode and tap the Use App Lock button.
5. Select the applications you want to hide.

You can also manage your App lock on Xiaomi:

1. Select Settings > Apps > App lock.
2. Head to the Hidden apps section.
3. Tap Manage hidden apps.

How to hide apps on LG phones

Follow these steps to hide applications on an LG phone:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Display > Home screen.
3. Choose the Hide apps option.
4. Find the apps you want to hide and tap Done to confirm the action.

How to hide apps on a Huawei phone

To hide apps on a Huawei phone, you can create a secure folder called PrivateSpace. This feature allows you to lock applications, files, and other private data and protect them with a password or biometrics. Here’s how to create PrivateSpace on Huawei:

1. Open Settings > Security & privacy.
2. Select PrivateSpace.
3. Once created, open PrivateSpace with your fingerprint or passcode.
4. Add the apps you want to keep away from prying eyes to the folder. 

Okay, now you know how to hide an app from home screen on Android. But how do you find it when it’s hidden? Here’s a simple workaround.

How do I find hidden apps on Android?

To find your hidden applications on an Android phone, simply open Settings and select Apps. You will access the full list of the applications you have on your phone, including the hidden and disabled ones. Also, it’s possible to unhide your apps whenever necessary. 

💡Pro tip: Scroll the list of your Android applications and examine it carefully. Make sure to remove all the unnecessary, suspicious, or questionable apps you bump into. If you’ve never seen a particular app before or have no idea what it is for, getting rid of it is your safest bet. It may appear to be spyware or another type of malicious program secretly stealing your private data.

Take you Android phone’s privacy to the next level

If you really want to make your smartphone more private and secure, consider adding an extra security layer with a powerful VPN for Android. Here’s what you’ll get with our reliable and lightweight solution:

• Alternative location. Change your virtual location and get an anonymous IP address in a few easy steps. Make sure no one can track you online and browse the web as if you were somewhere else.
• Data encryption. Protect all your data, including applications and browsers, with reliable end-to-end encryption. It will turn all your messages and search requests into unreadable ciphertext. 
• Anonymous browsing. Conceal your identity and surf the web without exposing your personal info. A VPN erases your digital footprints and makes your online presence nearly undetectable. 
• Antivirus protection. Get additional protection with VeePN Antivirus — scan your Android phone for viruses and malicious files and remove malware from your device.

💡 Read also: How to set up a VPN on Android

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Written by VeePN Research Lab VeePN Research Lab is dedicated to provide you latest posts about internet security and privacy.

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