How to Hide Apps on iPhone: Keep Your Secrets Safe

ByJim Miller

Have you ever wanted to hide certain apps on your iPhone? Whether it's a dating app or any other app, sometimes you want to keep them out of sight. Unlike most Android phones, the iPhone doesn't offer a built-in feature to hide apps. However, there is a simple trick you can use to hide apps on your iPhone without deleting them. Let's dive into how you can keep your apps hidden from search and the App Library.

The Cape App: Your Key to Hiding Apps on iPhone

The Cape app (formerly known as Cloak) is the solution we'll be using to hide apps on iPhones. This app allows you to hide apps from iPhone search and the App Library without deleting them. Even better, you can't open the hidden app through the App Store either.

While there are other ways to hide apps on iPhone, such as using the Shortcut app or Screen Time, they require multiple steps. The Cape app, on the other hand, is simple to use and requires just 1-2 taps to hide apps on your iPhone.

How to Hide Apps on iPhone Using the Cape App

To hide your apps on iPhone without deleting them, follow these steps:

  1. Install and open the Cape: Master your screen time app on your iPhone.
  2. Grant necessary screen time permissions to the app. You don't need to have Screen Time activated on your iPhone.
  3. Tap on “App Group 1” and then “Choose apps.”
  4. Expand the category and select the apps you want to hide. Please note that the free version of Cape Master allows you to hide only 3 apps. If you want to hide more, you'll need to buy the pro version. Once you've selected the apps, tap on “Done.”
  5. Tap on “Done” again. Make sure it says “Complete” under Restricted mode.
  6. On the home screen of the app, tap on “Hide” under the app group to hide the selected apps on your iPhone.

Here's what it looks like before and after hiding the Discord app using the Cape app. As you can see, the app no longer appears in search and has vanished from the App Library as well.

Before and after screenshots of the Discord app

How to Unhide Apps on iPhone Using the Cape App

To unhide the apps that you've hidden using the Cape app, simply open the Cape app and tap on “Hidden” under the app group where you added the hidden apps. That's it! The app will reappear in the search and App Library of your iPhone.

Other Methods to Hide Apps on iPhone

In addition to using the Cape app, you can also try these methods to hide apps on your iPhone:

  • Remove from the home screen: Long-press on the app you want to hide, select “Remove app,” and then choose “Remove from Home screen.”
  • Hide apps inside a folder: Create a new folder and add the apps you want to hide. Rename the folder to something generic, like “Tools” or “Productivity.”

Time to Hide Your Apps

That's all there is to it! You now have a quick and easy way to hide apps on your iPhone. Your secret apps will remain hidden, and nobody will be able to find them. Before you go, check out our guide on how to lock apps on iPhone to add an extra layer of security.