In iOS 18, you may conceal and lock apps in your iPhone. You may conceal apps so that they’re fully invisible, and you may lock all types of apps so that they require Face ID to open.
Why would you need to? Perhaps you will have delicate content material you don’t need anybody to see, otherwise you don’t need anybody to know you’re utilizing courting or hookup apps. Hiding apps can also be good for staying off social media or away from addictive video games. Plus, it’s a good way to declutter your Residence Display screen. You may actually clear issues up with out deleting apps it’s possible you’ll need to hold.
There are, nonetheless, a couple of important apps in your cellphone that can’t be hidden. Right here’s the way it all works.
conceal apps on iPhone
To begin with, this function requires iOS 18 — out there now in Settings > Basic > Software program Replace. The replace will work with any system at the moment working iOS 17.
There are literally two ranges of hiding apps in your iPhone in iOS 18:
- Lock: You may lock an app with Face ID. The app will stay seen in your Residence Display screen and also you’ll proceed to see notifications. However so as to open it or see the app, you’ll must authenticate with Face ID. (On older units, it will work the identical approach with Contact ID.)
- Conceal: Hiding an app is extra aggressive. The app will disappear out of your Residence Display screen, App Library, notifications, Display screen Time historical past and search. You may solely discover it inside a particular Hidden Apps folder on the backside of the App Library, which requires Face ID (or Contact ID) to open. After you swipe away from the app, you received’t see it within the app switcher — you need to return to the Hidden Apps folder to search out it once more.
Lock an iPhone app with Face ID or Contact ID
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
If you wish to lock an iPhone app, faucet and maintain on an app icon in your Residence Display screen or within the App Library. Faucet on the brand new choice that claims Require Face ID. You’ll see an explanatory pop-up that claims, “This app will require Face ID or your passcode to open or show content in other apps. App content will not appear in notification previews or Spotlight.”
Faucet Require Face ID once more to lock the app.
Conceal an iPhone app with Face ID or Contact ID
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
If you wish to conceal an iPhone app, and the app is out there to be hidden (extra on that later), you’ll see an additional choice that claims Conceal and Require Face ID. When you decide this feature, you’ll see an extra pop-up sheet that claims, “This app will no longer be visible on your iPhone, except in a few places such as Settings. Face ID or your passcode will be required to reveal, open, or use Siri with the app.”
Faucet Conceal App once more to banish it to the Hidden Apps folder.
The place to search out your hidden apps on iPhone
Whenever you need to use certainly one of your hidden apps, swipe previous your Residence Display screen to the App Library (hold swiping left till it seems). Scroll all the best way to the underside to search out your Hidden Apps folder. Faucet on it to unlock the folder. If Face ID or Contact ID fails twice in a row, you may enter your passcode.
The hidden apps will seem after you unlock the folder. You may open them up from right here. If the folder is empty, it simply appears to be like clean.
As quickly as you swipe again to your Residence Display screen or one other app, the hidden folder will lock once more. There’s no grace interval. It may be annoying if one of many apps you’ve hidden is one you open ceaselessly, however that’s the worth you pay for safety.
un-hide or unlock apps
To revert a hidden iPhone app again to its regular, non-incognito state, faucet and maintain on the app’s icon and choose Don’t Require Face ID. You’ll must do one final Face ID scan to unlock it and set it again to regular. Use the identical process to unlock a beforehand locked app.
What are you able to conceal or lock?
All apps downloaded from the App Retailer (and different app marketplaces), together with Apple’s personal apps (like Apple Music Classical and Last Lower Digital camera) may be each locked and hidden.
Nonetheless, many of the inventory apps that include the system — like Messages, Cellphone, Music, Podcasts and Safari — may be locked, however can’t be hidden. Some, like Cellphone or Messages, are simply too important to the fundamental operation of your system.
A small (and curious) collection of apps can’t be hidden or locked in any respect:
- Calculator
- Digital camera
- Clock
- Discover My
- Magnifier
- Maps
- Settings
- Shortcuts
- Watch
In different phrases, attempt to not put any delicate info in your alarm clock, Maps search historical past or … calculations.
Extra prime options in iOS 18
Now that you simply’ve discovered find out how to conceal apps in your iPhone, try extra new iOS 18 options:
And take a look at the total checklist for much more.
We initially revealed this put up on find out how to conceal apps on iPhone in iOS 18 on August 6, 2024. We up to date the data.