conceal apps on iPhone in iOS 18 and lock them with Face ID

In iOS 18, you possibly can conceal and lock apps in your iPhone. You may conceal apps in order that they’re utterly invisible, and you’ll lock every kind of apps in order that they require Face ID to open.

Why would you need to? Perhaps you might have delicate content material you don’t need anybody to see, otherwise you don’t need anybody to know you’re utilizing relationship or hookup apps. Hiding apps can be good for staying off social media or away from addictive video games. Plus, it’s a good way to declutter your House Display screen. You may actually clear issues up with out deleting apps it’s possible you’ll need to preserve.

There are, nonetheless, a couple of important apps in your telephone that can’t be hidden. Right here’s the way it all works.

conceal apps on iPhone

To begin with, this characteristic requires iOS 18 — out there now in Settings > Normal > Software program Replace. The replace will work with any machine at present working iOS 17.

There are literally two ranges of hiding apps in your iPhone in iOS 18:

1. Lock: You may lock an app with Face ID. The app will stay seen in your House Display screen and also you’ll proceed to see notifications. However with a purpose to open it or see the app, you’ll must authenticate with Face ID. (On older units, it will work the identical method with Contact ID.)
2. Cover: Hiding an app is extra aggressive. The app will disappear out of your House Display screen, App Library, notifications, Display screen Time historical past and search. You may solely discover it inside a particular Hidden Apps folder on the backside of the App Library, which requires Face ID (or Contact ID) to open. After you swipe away from the app, you received’t see it within the app switcher — it’s important to return to the Hidden Apps folder to seek out it once more.

Lock an iPhone app with Face ID or Contact ID

If you wish to lock an iPhone app, faucet and maintain on an app icon in your House Display screen or within the App Library. Faucet on the brand new possibility that claims Require Face ID. You’ll see an explanatory pop-up that claims, “This app would require Face ID or your passcode to open or present content material in different apps. App content material is not going to seem in notification previews or Highlight.”

Faucet Require Face ID once more to lock the app.

Cover an iPhone app with Face ID or Contact ID

If you wish to conceal an iPhone app, and the app is obtainable to be hidden (extra on that later), you’ll see an additional possibility that claims Cover and Require Face ID. In the event you choose this selection, you’ll see a further pop-up sheet that claims, “This app will not be seen in your iPhone, besides in a couple of locations reminiscent of Settings. Face ID or your passcode shall be required to disclose, open, or use Siri with the app.”

Faucet Cover App once more to banish it to the Hidden Apps folder.

The place to seek out your hidden apps on iPhone

While you need to use one in all your hidden apps, swipe previous your House Display screen to the App Library (preserve swiping left till it seems). Scroll all the way in which to the underside to seek out your Hidden Apps folder. Faucet on it to unlock the folder. If Face ID or Contact ID fails twice in a row, you possibly can enter your passcode.

The hidden apps will seem after you unlock the folder. You may open them up from right here. If the folder is empty, it simply seems to be clean.

As quickly as you swipe again to your House Display screen or one other app, the hidden folder will lock once more. There’s no grace interval. It may be annoying if one of many apps you’ve hidden is one you open ceaselessly, however that’s the value you pay for safety.

un-hide or unlock apps

To revert a hidden iPhone app again to its regular, non-incognito state, faucet and maintain on the app’s icon and choose Don’t Require Face ID. You’ll must do one final Face ID scan to unlock it and set it again to regular. Use the identical process to unlock a beforehand locked app.

What are you able to conceal or lock?

All apps downloaded from the App Retailer (and different app marketplaces), together with Apple’s personal apps (like Apple Music Classical and Remaining Minimize Digital camera) will be each locked and hidden.

Nevertheless, a lot of the inventory apps that include the machine — like Messages, Cellphone, Music, Podcasts and Safari — will be locked, however can’t be hidden. Some, like Cellphone or Messages, are simply too important to the essential operation of your machine.

A small (and curious) collection of apps can’t be hidden or locked in any respect:

• Calculator
• Digital camera
• Clock
• Discover My
• Magnifier
• Maps
• Settings
• Shortcuts
• Watch

In different phrases, attempt to not put any delicate info in your alarm clock, Maps search historical past or … calculations.

Extra prime options in iOS 18

Now that you simply’ve discovered tips on how to conceal apps in your iPhone, take a look at extra new iOS 18 options:

And take a look at the complete record for much more.

We initially printed this submit on tips on how to conceal apps on iPhone in iOS 18 on August 6, 2024. We up to date the knowledge.