Stealth Mode: How to Hide Android Apps Like a Pro

In today’s digital world, our smartphones are extensions of ourselves, filled with personal information, sensitive data, and a plethora of apps. Sometimes, you might want to keep certain apps out of sight, whether it’s for privacy reasons, to organize your home screen, or to prevent accidental access by curious kids. Whatever your reason, Android offers several ways to hide apps, ranging from built-in features to third-party solutions. This comprehensive guide will walk you through various methods, providing detailed steps and instructions to help you master the art of hiding Android apps.

Why Hide Apps?

Before we delve into the ‘how,’ let’s explore the ‘why’ behind hiding apps. Here are some common reasons:

• Privacy: You might have apps containing sensitive data, like banking apps, dating apps, or personal notes, that you’d rather keep hidden from prying eyes.
• Organization: If you have a lot of apps, your home screen can become cluttered. Hiding less frequently used apps can create a cleaner and more organized interface.
• Childproofing: To prevent kids from accessing certain apps, like social media or games with age restrictions, hiding them is a practical solution.
• Personal Preference: Sometimes you simply don’t want certain apps visible, and it’s perfectly acceptable to customize your device to your liking.
• Reducing Distractions: Hiding addictive apps can help you focus on more important tasks and reduce the temptation to check them constantly.

Methods to Hide Android Apps

Now, let’s explore the different ways to hide apps on your Android device. We’ll cover both built-in options and third-party solutions:

Method 1: Using Your Phone’s Built-In App Hiding Feature

Many Android manufacturers include built-in app hiding features in their custom user interfaces (UIs). These features vary slightly depending on the brand and the specific version of Android you’re using. However, the general concept remains similar. Here’s how to do it on some popular brands:

Samsung (One UI)

Samsung devices running One UI (Android 9 and later) offer a straightforward way to hide apps:

1. Go to your home screen.
2. Long-press on an empty space on your home screen. This will bring up the home screen customization options.
3. Tap on ‘Settings’ or ‘Home screen settings’. The exact wording might differ slightly based on your One UI version.
4. Scroll down and find the ‘Hide apps’ option and tap it.
5. Select the apps you want to hide. Check the boxes next to the apps you want to remove from your app drawer and home screen.
6. Tap ‘Done’ or ‘Apply’. The chosen apps will now be hidden.

How to unhide apps on Samsung:

1. Repeat the steps 1-4 above to get back to the ‘Hide apps’ screen.
2. Uncheck the boxes next to the apps you want to unhide.
3. Tap ‘Done’ or ‘Apply’. The chosen apps will now be visible again.

Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco (MIUI)

Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco devices using MIUI offer similar app hiding capabilities:

1. Open the app drawer.
2. Swipe left or right until you reach the end. You should see a message that says ‘Tap to set’.
3. Tap on the message. This will open the ‘Hide apps’ setting screen.
4. Set a Passcode (If prompted). This passcode is used to access the hidden apps later.
5. Select the apps you want to hide. Tap the app icon to add it to the hidden apps list.
6. Tap ‘OK’ or the checkmark icon. The chosen apps will now be hidden.

How to unhide apps on Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco:

1. Go back to the app drawer.
2. Swipe left or right until you reach the end.
3. Enter your passcode.
4. Deselect the apps you want to unhide.
5. Tap ‘OK’ or the checkmark icon. The chosen apps will now be visible again.

OnePlus (OxygenOS)

OnePlus devices running OxygenOS allow you to hide apps in a similar way:

1. Open the app drawer.
2. Long press on empty space.
3. Tap ‘Hide apps’.
4. Select the apps you want to hide.
5. Tap the checkmark icon. The chosen apps will now be hidden.

How to unhide apps on OnePlus:

1. Open the app drawer.
2. Long press on empty space.
3. Tap ‘Hide apps’.
4. Deselect the apps you want to unhide.
5. Tap the checkmark icon. The chosen apps will now be visible again.

Huawei/Honor (EMUI/Magic UI)

Huawei and Honor devices with EMUI or Magic UI have a built-in ‘App lock’ feature that can be used to effectively hide apps:

1. Open the ‘Settings’ app.
2. Tap on ‘Security’ or ‘Privacy’ .
3. Tap on ‘App lock’.
4. Turn on App Lock if needed.
5. Set a password or fingerprint for App lock.
6. Select the apps you want to lock and hide.
7. Tap the lock option to lock the app.
8. Turn on “Hide Home Screen Icons”.

How to unhide apps on Huawei/Honor:

1. Open the ‘Settings’ app.
2. Tap on ‘Security’ or ‘Privacy’ .
3. Tap on ‘App lock’.
4. Unlock with password or fingerprint.
5. Turn Off “Hide Home Screen Icons”.

Note: The specific steps might vary depending on the precise model of your phone and the version of Android you are running. Refer to your device’s user manual for more precise instructions if the steps mentioned above do not match your experience.

Method 2: Using Third-Party Launchers

If your phone doesn’t have a built-in app hiding feature, or you’re looking for more advanced options, third-party launchers can help. These apps replace your phone’s default home screen and app drawer with a custom interface, offering a wide array of customization features, including the ability to hide apps.

Here are a couple of popular launchers that provide app hiding functionality:

Nova Launcher

Nova Launcher is a highly customizable and powerful launcher that allows you to hide apps:

1. Download and install Nova Launcher from the Google Play Store.
2. Set Nova Launcher as your default launcher. When you press the home button, you will be prompted to select which launcher to use.
3. Open Nova Settings. You can do this by long pressing on your homescreen and then tapping ‘Settings’ or using the Nova Launcher app icon.
4. Tap on ‘App drawer’.
5. Scroll down and tap on ‘Hide apps’.
6. Select the apps you want to hide.
7. Press the back button to save your changes.

How to unhide apps using Nova Launcher:

1. Open Nova Settings.
2. Tap on ‘App drawer’.
3. Scroll down and tap on ‘Hide apps’.
4. Deselect the apps you want to unhide.
5. Press the back button to save your changes.

Apex Launcher

Apex Launcher is another popular option that offers a similar app hiding function:

1. Download and install Apex Launcher from the Google Play Store.
2. Set Apex Launcher as your default launcher. When you press the home button, you will be prompted to select which launcher to use.
3. Open Apex Settings. You can do this by long pressing on your homescreen and then tapping ‘Settings’ or using the Apex Launcher app icon.
4. Tap on ‘Drawer settings’.
5. Tap on ‘Hidden apps’.
6. Add the apps you want to hide by tapping the ‘Add’ button.
7. Press the back button to save your changes.

How to unhide apps using Apex Launcher:

1. Open Apex Settings.
2. Tap on ‘Drawer settings’.
3. Tap on ‘Hidden apps’.
4. Remove the apps you want to unhide by selecting the apps and clicking the remove button.
5. Press the back button to save your changes.

Note: There are many other launchers available on the Google Play Store, many of which offer app hiding capabilities. Check the specific settings of the launcher you use.

Method 3: Using App Cloning or Dual App Features

Some Android manufacturers include features that allow you to clone apps, essentially creating a copy of the same app with a different profile. While this is not strictly hiding the app, it can serve as a workaround if you want to keep certain apps less visible on your regular app drawer. Typically, the cloned app will not appear alongside the original app in the app drawer and this allows you to hide the cloned app on a specific folder or homescreen location

Here’s how to use the dual app feature (the steps may differ depending on your device):

1. Open the ‘Settings’ app.
2. Search for ‘Dual Apps’ or ‘App Cloner’ or ‘Parallel Apps’.
3. Select the apps you wish to clone.
4. A second instance of the app will be created.

Note: The exact wording and availability of this feature may vary between Android versions and manufacturers.

Method 4: Disabling Apps (For System Apps)

While you cannot completely hide system apps using the previous methods, you can disable them. Disabling an app will remove it from the app drawer and prevent it from running in the background. This will not free up any space on the device, but it effectively makes the app inaccessible, which is similar to hiding it. However, you can’t disable critical system apps required for your phone to function correctly.

Here’s how to disable an app:

1. Open the ‘Settings’ app.
2. Tap on ‘Apps’ or ‘Apps & Notifications’.
3. Tap on ‘See all apps’ or similar.
4. Find and tap on the app you want to disable.
5. Tap on ‘Disable’.
6. Confirm your decision if prompted.

How to re-enable a disabled app:

1. Open the ‘Settings’ app.
2. Tap on ‘Apps’ or ‘Apps & Notifications’.
3. Tap on ‘See all apps’ or similar.
4. Find and tap on the disabled app you want to re-enable.
5. Tap on ‘Enable’.

Note: Be careful when disabling system apps, as it can impact the functionality of your device.

Method 5: Using a Secure Folder

Many Android devices, particularly those from Samsung, offer a ‘Secure Folder’ feature. This is essentially an encrypted, sandboxed environment within your device, where you can store private apps, files, and documents. Apps within the Secure Folder are completely separate from the rest of your phone, and they are only accessible by unlocking the secure folder, using fingerprint, pin or password. This method provides great security and privacy.

Here’s a general approach to use a Secure Folder:

1. Open the ‘Settings’ app.
2. Search for ‘Secure Folder’ or similar.
3. Set up a password, pin, or fingerprint for the Secure Folder.
4. Add the apps you want to hide by selecting them.

Note: The exact wording and location of the Secure Folder settings may vary between devices.

Things to Consider

• Password Protection: If you use third-party launchers or secure folders, ensure you set a strong password or use biometrics for an extra layer of security.
• Updates: Software updates might change the behavior of your app hiding methods, so it is a good idea to check on them periodically.
• App Visibility: Remember that even if an app is hidden from the home screen and app drawer, it may still be visible in the phone’s settings under the app list and in search results depending on the method used.
• Limitations: Some apps or system processes might not be able to be hidden. Also, some methods might require root access to your device, which is not recommended for regular users as it compromises security.

Conclusion

Hiding apps on your Android device is a useful way to enhance your privacy, maintain organization, and tailor your smartphone experience to your preferences. Whether you choose to utilize built-in features, third-party launchers, or other methods, it’s crucial to understand the limitations and security implications of each approach. By following this comprehensive guide, you can effectively hide apps and maintain a cleaner and more secure Android environment. Feel free to experiment with different techniques and find the one that best suits your specific needs and device. Remember to periodically review your hidden apps and update your security settings as needed.