How to Hide App Icons on an iPhone

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 24, 2025

• Hiding Apps with Restrictions
|
• Hiding Apps in a Folder
|
• Q&A

|Show more |Show less

This wikiHow teaches you how to stash an app away in a folder so that it isn’t visible on your Home Screen or to remove it through Restrictions.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Hiding Apps with Restrictions

1. 
   1
   Open your iPhone’s Settings. This is an app with gray gears and is on your Home Screen.
2. 
   2
   Tap General. It's towards the top of the page.
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3. 
   3
   Scroll down and tap Restrictions. It’s about halfway down the page.

   • If you already have Restrictions enabled, enter your passcode when prompted. You will not need to complete the steps to enable Restrictions or create a passcode.
4. 
   4
   Tap Enable Restrictions.
5. 
   5
   Enter a passcode twice. It can be any four-digit number.

   • Make sure it's one you can remember. Forgetting your passcode will block you from your Restrictions settings and can only be fixed by erasing your iPhone.
6. 
   6
   Slide the button next to an app to the Off position. The button will turn white, and the app will not be available on your Home Screen.

   • This will not affect the data within the app, but you will not be able to access the app itself until it you turn it back on in Restrictions.
   • This is not an option for all apps.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Hiding Apps in a Folder

1. 
   1
   Press and hold an app until they all start moving.
2. 
   2
   Drag an app you want hidden over another app.
3. 
   3
   Release it. This will create a folder containing those two apps.
4. 
   4
   Drag the app you want hidden to the right edge of the folder. This will bring it to the second tab.

   • The tab you’re in is indicated by the highlighted dot at the bottom of the folder.
5. 
   5
   Release the app.
6. 
   6
   Press the Home button. The app will remain in the second tab of the folder and will not be visible when you look at your Home Screen.

   • You can add more apps that you want hidden to the folder, as well.
   • You can add more tabs to the folder to hide apps deeper within it. However, there must be at least one app in the tabs in front of it for the this to work.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  How can I lock my application?

  

  Futurevixion

  Community Answer

  There is no built-in way to lock applications yet; the best option is to just passcode-lock your iPhone.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 4 Helpful 8
• Question

  I went to General and Restrictions, but it wasn't there. Any ideas?

  

  Ahmed Al-Sharif

  Community Answer

  You may have an old iPhone or an old version of iOS. You can use Search at the top of the screen when you enter the Settings app to see if it's there.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 13 Helpful 5

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