How to Delete Hidden Apps on Any iPhone [4 Easy Methods]
- Hidden Apps on iPhone are apps not displayed on the home screen but still in the App Library. Used for various reasons, including privacy or decluttering the home screen.
- Users hide apps to organize their home screen or for privacy. Pre-installed apps can also be hidden if not removable.
- Hidden apps can be deleted using the App Library, iPhone Settings, App Store, or Spotlight. Each method allows for easy removal of these apps from your iPhone.
Have you ever wondered how to delete apps you’ve hidden on your iPhone? Since iOS 14 came out, iPhones let you hide apps you don’t often use. You can remove them from your home screen, yet they’re not completely deleted – they shift to the App Library and remain hidden. Sometimes, you might forget these hidden apps and later struggle to delete them.
But there’s no need to let them take up space anymore. In this blog post, we will make it easy for you. We’ll guide you through everything about hidden apps on your iPhone, including how to hide and, more importantly, how to delete them.
Whether using the App Library, going through Settings, finding them in the App Store, or using Spotlight, we’ve covered all the methods.
Table of Contents
Introduction to hidden apps on iPhone
Hidden apps on your iPhone are those you can’t see on your home screen. If you think there might be hidden apps on your phone, learning how to delete them is a good option.
People often hide these apps on purpose. They can be used for different things like keeping track of what you do on your phone, for private messages, or they could be harmful apps that try to get your personal information.
Why are some apps hidden on iPhone?
Some apps on your iPhone might be hidden and not visible on the home screen, and this can happen for several reasons:
- Certain apps are pre-installed by the device manufacturer or your service provider. These apps are designed to be unremovable, but you can hide them.
- The app may have been moved into a folder on your home screen, making its icon not immediately visible.
- Users themselves often choose to hide apps. They might do this to make their home screen look cleaner, to make it easier to find the apps they use most, or to keep some apps private for various reasons.
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How to hide apps on your iPhone or iPad
If you want to keep your iPhone or iPad‘s home screen clear by hiding some apps, It’s easy and can be done with a few taps. Maybe you have apps like dating, job-search, or health apps you don’t want on display. Knowing how to hide them helps keep your screen neat while still letting you access these apps when needed.
To hide the app;
- Tap and hold its icon.
- Then, from the pop-up menu, tap “Remove App“.
- Choose “Remove from Home Screen.” This makes the app icon disappear from your home screen.
Remember, though, that hiding an app this way doesn’t completely hide it. The app will still appear in your iPhone’s App Library or Spotlight if you search for it. So, you can always find these hidden apps by heading to your App Library.
How to delete hidden apps on iPhone
If you want to remove apps from your home screen, you usually tap and hold the app icon. But what about hidden apps that don’t show their icons? To delete these hidden apps, you have different choices. You can look for the app in the App Library and remove it from there.
Another way is to go into your iPhone’s Settings to delete the app. Here are all the methods explained step by step:
Method 1: Delete hidden apps using the App Library
Using the App Library is a great way to find and delete any app on your iPhone, even the hidden ones. Here’s how you can delete a hidden app using the App Library:
- Swipe left from your home screen until you reach the “App Library.”
Swipe left from home screen - Type in the name of the app you want to remove.
Search the app - When you see the app, tap and hold it until a menu appears. Choose “Delete App” from this menu.
Tap Delete app - Tap “Delete” again to make sure you want to delete the app.
Tap Delete again to confirm
Method 2: Delete hidden apps from Settings
You can also use Settings to delete any app, including the hidden ones. Here’s a simple way to do it:
- Open the “Settings” app, then tap on “General.”
Tap General - Scroll down and select “iPhone Storage.” Wait a bit for it to show all your apps.
Open iPhone Storage - Find and tap on the app you want to delete.
Find the app - Tap on “Delete App,”
Tap Delete App - Tap “Delete” again to ensure you need to delete the app.
Tap Delete again to confirm
Method 3: Delete hidden apps from the App Store
The App Store on your iPhone is also useful to find and delete hidden apps you don’t need anymore. Here’s how to do it.
- Open the “App Store” and tap on the “profile picture” in the top right corner.
Tap your profile pic - Scroll down to find the app under the “Recently Updated ” or “Upcoming Updates” sections.
Scroll down and find the app - If you see the app there, tap and hold on the app until a menu appears. Tap on “Delete” from the menu. Or simply swipe left on its name and choose “Delete.”
Tap Delete from the menu - Then, again tap “Delete” to remove the app.
Tap Delete again to confirm
Method 4: Delete hidden apps from Spotlight
You can also easily delete apps using Spotlight, even if hidden from your home screen. Spotlight is a useful tool on iOS that helps you search the web, files, contacts, and more. Luckily, it can help you delete apps, too. Here’s how to delete hidden apps on your iPhone using Spotlight:
- Tap “Search” at the bottom of the screen or swipe down on the home screen to bring up Spotlight Search.
Tap Search or Swipe down - Next, type in the app’s name.
Type the name of the app - Then, tap and hold the app icon and select “Delete App.“
Tap Delete App - To remove the app, tap “Delete” once more.
Tap Delete to confirm deletion
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Final Thoughts
Understanding how to delete hidden apps on your iPhone is useful. You’ve seen that it’s easy, whether you’re using the App Library, Settings, the App Store, or Spotlight. This way, your iPhone stays neat and works better because it’s not filled with apps you don’t use.
Take a moment to review your apps, and if you find some you no longer need. Remember these tips to help keep your phone clean and working well. Now that you know how to delete those hidden apps, your iPhone will be more organized and easier to use.
FAQs
Swipe left from your Home Screen to the App Library to make an app appear again on your iPhone. Look for the app in the categories or type its name in the search box. When you find the app, hold its icon and then choose “Add to Home Screen.” The app will then show up on your Home Screen at the end.
Yes, you can delete your app history from iCloud on your iPhone. First, delete the app whose history you want to clear. Then, go to Settings, tap on your Apple ID, and choose iCloud. Select “Manage Storage” and tap on the app you’ve deleted. Tap “Delete Data” on the next screen to remove the app’s history.
You can delete apps from your iPhone without losing their data. Go to Settings, then General, and iPhone Storage. Choose the app you want to delete, tap “Offload app,” and confirm if asked. This removes the app but keeps its data. When you reinstall the app, it will come back with its data.
To find hidden apps on your iPhone, swipe right on the home screen to open the App Library. Look for any apps that you can’t see on your home screen. Also, you can check in Settings under General and iPhone Storage for a list of all apps, including hidden ones.
Not all hidden apps are malicious. Some are for things like keeping an eye on your phone or private messaging. But it’s good to be careful. Keep only apps you trust on your iPhone to stay safe.