How to Hide Apps on iPhone (Screen Time and iOS 18+)
On iOS 18 and later, you do not need Screen Time to hide an app. Touch and hold the app, tap Require Face ID, then Hide and Require Face ID. Screen Time is still the tool for blocking built-in apps such as Camera.
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What do I need to know?
- Hiding works for apps you downloaded. Apple says apps that come installed can't be hidden.
- A hidden app moves to a locked Hidden folder. It leaves the Home Screen, App Library and search results.
- It only applies to that iPhone. Apple says the hidden status doesn't sync with iCloud.
How do I hide an app on iOS 18 and later?
These steps are from Apple's guide to locking or hiding an app, written for iOS 27. The feature arrived in iOS 18.
- Touch and hold the app on the Home Screen until the menu opens.
- Tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID, or Passcode).
- Tap Hide and Require Face ID, authenticate, then tap Hide App.
The app moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library.
How do I find a hidden app?
- Swipe left past your last Home Screen page to reach App Library.
- Tap the Hidden folder at the bottom and authenticate.
- Tap the app, then authenticate again.
For a list of hidden apps, go to Settings → Apps → Hidden Apps.
Can I just lock an app without hiding it?
Yes. Choose Require Face ID instead of the hide option. The app stays on your Home Screen but asks for Face ID each time. Apple says information inside a locked app won't appear in search, Siri suggestions, notification previews or call history. It locks again when you quit it.
How do I use Screen Time to block an app?
Screen Time blocks built-in apps and features. On iOS 27:
- Open Settings → Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Tap Other Features, then block the ones you want, such as Camera or AirDrop.
Apple's page: block features or content with Screen Time. Apple also explains how to set a Screen Time passcode.
Which should I use?
- Keep a downloaded app out of sight: Hide and Require Face ID.
- Keep an app private when you hand the phone over: lock it.
- Stop a child using Camera: Screen Time.
What this doesn't protect against
Hiding and locking both fall back to your passcode. Anyone who knows it can open the Hidden folder or turn the lock off. The data inside the app is not encrypted separately because it is hidden. For teens in a Family Sharing group, Apple says a parent can still see the app was downloaded.
Do it with Cryptile
Hiding Photos does not move your photos anywhere. Cryptile keeps them in a separate vault, encrypted with AES-256-GCM under a key from a pattern only you know. You can also hide the Cryptile app itself with the steps above.
Cryptile is free for up to 2 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos. Plus removes the limits for $19.99 a year (7-day free trial) or $39.99 once. The price is the same every day.