How To Hide Apps On IPhone 13 | Hide Apps No Deleting

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You can hide apps on iPhone 13 by removing them from Home Screen, hiding pages, or using iOS 18’s Lock & Hide option.

If you’re handing your phone to a kid, keeping work apps out of sight on weekends, or you just like a tidy Home Screen, iPhone 13 gives you a few clean ways to hide apps. The trick is picking the method that matches what you mean by “hide.” Some options only hide the icon. Others block opening the app unless Face ID or your passcode approves it.

This walkthrough sticks to what iPhone can do without sketchy third-party “vault” apps. You’ll get clear steps for iOS 15 through iOS 18, plus a quick table that shows what each method actually hides.

Pick The Right Kind Of Hiding For Your iPhone 13

Before you start tapping, decide what you want to hide from. That choice saves a lot of redo.

Method Hides From Still Visible In
Remove From Home Screen Home Screen pages App Library, Search
Hide Home Screen Pages Whole pages of icons App Library, Search
Lock And Hide (iOS 18) Home Screen, App Library lists, Search results Settings lists like Screen Time and Battery
Screen Time Limits Opening or installing apps Icon may stay, depends on settings
Hide App Store Purchases Purchased list for your account Installed apps, iCloud backups

If you only want the icon gone, “Remove From Home Screen” is the fastest move. If you want the app locked behind Face ID, jump to the iOS 18 section.

Remove Apps From The Home Screen Without Deleting Them

This is the classic iPhone 13 move: keep the app installed, ditch the icon from your pages, and grab it later from the App Library.

  1. Press And Hold The App — Touch and hold the icon until the menu pops up.
  2. Tap Remove App — Choose the option that starts removing it from view.
  3. Select Remove From Home Screen — The app stays installed, but the icon disappears from your pages.
  4. Open App Library To Find It — Swipe left past your last Home Screen page, then use the search field to locate it.

Apple introduced App Library as a way to keep apps installed without filling your pages. If you want Apple’s own wording on what App Library is and why it exists, see Apple’s iOS 14 note on App Library.

What This Method Does And Doesn’t Hide

It hides the icon from your Home Screen pages. It does not hide the app from Search, Siri suggestions, the App Library list, or Settings. If someone types the app name in Search, it can still appear and open.

Make A “Low-Visibility” Home Screen In Two Minutes

If your goal is a clean front page that’s safe to hand over quickly, keep only daily apps on page one and push the rest to the App Library.

  • Keep One Home Screen Page — Move your must-use apps to page one, then remove the rest from the Home Screen.
  • Turn Off New App Adds To Home Screen — In Settings, open Home Screen & App Library, then set newly downloaded apps to go to the App Library.
  • Use Search When You Need Something — Swipe down on any Home Screen to pull up Search and launch apps fast.

Hide An Entire Home Screen Page On iPhone 13

This is the cleanest way to stash a batch of apps without moving them one by one. You can hide one page or five, then bring them back later.

  1. Enter Jiggle Mode — Touch and hold a blank spot on the Home Screen until icons jiggle.
  2. Tap The Page Dots — Tap the row of dots above the dock to see your pages.
  3. Untick The Pages You Want Hidden — Tap the checkmark under a page to hide it.
  4. Tap Done — Your hidden pages disappear right away.

This method is great when you want different “modes,” like a work layout and a weekend layout. You can switch them on and off without rearranging your phone.

What Happens To Apps On A Hidden Page

The apps stay installed. They still show up in the App Library. Search can still find them. The win is that your Home Screen looks clean and the hidden page won’t appear when you swipe.

Lock And Hide Apps On iPhone 13 In iOS 18

If your iPhone 13 runs iOS 18, you can lock apps and, for many apps, hide them so they don’t show in Search or normal App Library browsing. This is the closest thing to a built-in privacy lock that still stays simple.

Apple has publicly described this feature as part of iOS 18, including the idea of a locked hidden apps folder. You can read Apple’s announcement here: Apple’s iOS 18 note on locked and hidden apps.

Lock An App With Face ID Or Passcode

  1. Press And Hold The App Icon — Use the Home Screen icon or the App Library icon.
  2. Tap Require Face ID — On some devices it may say Require Touch ID or Require Passcode.
  3. Confirm Authentication — Follow the prompt to set the lock.

After that, opening the app asks for Face ID or your passcode. Notifications can still appear unless you change notification settings.

Hide The App After Locking It

On eligible apps, you’ll see an option to hide after you lock it. When hidden, it moves into a Hidden folder and won’t show up in normal Search results.

  1. Press And Hold The App Icon — Start from the Home Screen or App Library.
  2. Choose The Hide Option — Pick the hide action shown in the menu.
  3. Authenticate — Face ID or passcode is required to complete it.
  4. Open The Hidden Folder When Needed — Go to App Library, then enter the Hidden folder and authenticate to open it.

Places That Can Still Reveal A Hidden App

Even with iOS 18 hiding, a determined person with Settings access may spot the app name in usage lists. If you’re hiding apps to keep a surprise gift app secret, this won’t matter. If you’re hiding apps from someone who knows where to look, pair it with Screen Time and a passcode.

  • Screen Time Lists — Usage and app names can show in Screen Time reports.
  • Battery Usage By App — Battery settings may show recent app usage by name.
  • App Store Purchase History — Your account history can show downloads, including free apps.

Use Screen Time To Block Or Limit Apps

Screen Time is the “I don’t want anyone opening this” option. It’s also the best move when hiding is for a child’s phone, or when you want to prevent installs and purchases.

Set A Screen Time Passcode First

Without a passcode, anyone who can open the phone can undo your limits. Set the passcode before you start hiding.

  1. Open Settings — Scroll down to Screen Time.
  2. Tap Turn On Screen Time — If it’s already on, skip ahead.
  3. Tap Use Screen Time Passcode — Choose a code that isn’t your device passcode.

Hide Built-In Apps With Allowed Apps Settings

iPhone lets you restrict built-in apps like Safari, FaceTime, or the App Store. When blocked, the icon disappears from the Home Screen.

  1. Open Screen Time — In Settings, tap Screen Time.
  2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions — Turn it on if needed.
  3. Tap Allowed Apps — Toggle off the built-in apps you want hidden.

Limit Third-Party Apps With App Limits

Third-party apps won’t vanish with Allowed Apps, but you can limit usage to near zero so they can’t be used in practice.

  1. Tap App Limits — Inside Screen Time, open App Limits.
  2. Tap Add Limit — Pick the app category or a specific app.
  3. Set The Time To 1 Minute — This makes the app annoying to use without your passcode.
  4. Turn On Block At End Of Limit — This forces the passcode to extend time.

If you want a tighter lock, combine this with hiding the icon from the Home Screen. The app will be harder to find and harder to use.

Hide Apps From Search, Siri, And Suggestions

Search is the leak point for Home Screen hiding. If you remove an app from your pages but leave Search showing it, the app is still one swipe away.

  1. Open Settings — Scroll down and tap the app you want to hide from Search.
  2. Tap Siri & Search — This menu controls how the app appears in Search and suggestions.
  3. Turn Off Show App In Search — The app won’t appear as a direct result.
  4. Turn Off Show Content In Search — This stops in-app results, like messages or files, from showing.
  5. Turn Off Suggestions You Don’t Want — Disable suggestions on Home Screen and in the Share Sheet if they feel too revealing.

Repeat this for any app you’ve removed from the Home Screen. It’s a small step that changes how private the phone feels when someone swipes down to search.

Hide App Store Purchases On Your Apple ID

Hiding an icon does not hide your download history. If Family Sharing is on, or if someone checks your purchased list, they may see apps you grabbed years ago.

On iPhone, you can hide purchases from the App Store purchased list. This is separate from deleting the app.

  1. Open The App Store — Tap your profile icon at the top.
  2. Tap Purchased — If Family Sharing is active, choose My Purchases.
  3. Swipe Left On The App — A hide option appears.
  4. Tap Hide — Confirm, then tap Done.

Use this when you want your purchased list cleaner, or when you don’t want a family member to see a download. It won’t remove the app from your phone if it’s installed, and it won’t erase the record from Apple’s systems.

Troubleshooting When An App “Won’t Stay Hidden”

If you followed the steps and the app still pops up, it’s usually one of a few common causes.

The App Keeps Reappearing On The Home Screen

  • Check New Download Settings — In Home Screen & App Library settings, send new apps to the App Library.
  • Look For A Widget Or Focus Layout — A widget stack or Focus page can bring icons back; remove them again.
  • Restart Your iPhone — A quick restart can refresh Home Screen layout oddities.

Search Still Finds The App

  • Disable Search Visibility Per App — In Settings > app name > Siri & Search, turn off Show App In Search.
  • Check Global Search Settings — In Settings > Siri & Search, review what Search can show.
  • Hide The Page Too — If the icon is on a hidden page, it won’t show while you swipe pages.

The App Library Still Shows It

  • Use iOS 18 Hide If Available — Lock and hide moves it into the Hidden folder with authentication.
  • Limit Access With Screen Time — App Limits can stop someone from opening it even if they find it.

One Clean Setup For Most People

If you want your iPhone 13 to feel private in daily life without turning it into a puzzle, this combo works well.

  1. Remove Apps From Home Screen — Keep only a short set of daily apps visible.
  2. Hide Any “Extra” Pages — Stash full pages of icons behind the page dots.
  3. Turn Off Search Visibility For Sensitive Apps — Cut down on surprise Search results.
  4. Set Screen Time Passcode — Lock down limits so they can’t be undone casually.
  5. Use Lock And Hide In iOS 18 — If your phone runs iOS 18, hide the apps that need the tightest lock.

After this, your Home Screen stays clean, your app list stays manageable, and the apps you care about stay out of casual view.