Is there an app to hide apps android

3 Ways to Hide Apps on Your Android Device

Stay protected in case your device is lost or stolen

Hiding apps on an Android device might seem a little sneaky, but in truth, it’s a great way to ensure that if your device is lost or stolen, your personal and private information will be safe. The Android operating system doesn’t make it easy to hide your sensitive apps, but there are a few ways you can clear out the bloatware and keep your personal information from prying eyes.

The information below should apply no matter who made your Android phone: Samsung, Google, Huawei, Xiaomi, etc.

How to Hide Apps on Android

The first thing to know about hiding apps on an Android device is that there is no built-in way to keep your apps secret. That doesn’t mean you’re completely without options. Just that hiding your apps won’t be as easy (or as intuitive) as it could be. That said, one way to hide apps doesn’t really hide them at all.

Rather than hiding apps, disabling them can remove them from your App Drawer and stop them from using system resources. It’s easy to disable an app:

1. On your device, go to Settings >Apps.
2. Tap the app you would like to disable.
3. On the App Info page, tap Disable.
4. A confirmation message appears. If you’re sure you want to disable the app, tap Disable.
5. The app is disabled, and will no longer appear in your App Drawer.

If you don’t see the app you want to disable, on the Apps screen, tap the three-dot menu in the upper right corner. Then choose Show system aps. But be careful when disabling system apps, as disabling some of them could cause system errors.

Use an App Hiding App for Non-System Apps

Apps that aren’t pre-installed on your device (that you download from the Google Play Store or other sources) can’t usually be disabled. Hiding those apps is a little more involved. You’ll need a third-party app to get it done.

Third-party app-hiding apps come in a bunch of different varieties. Some, like Calculator Vault, hide apps within a folder that’s disguised by another app. Sometimes this disguising app is fully functional, and sometimes it’s just a dummy app. The idea is that anyone looking for the apps you’re trying to hide isn’t likely to go more than surface deep during that search.

Other apps like Apex Launcher put a completely new skin (or interface) on your device, which includes secure folders that require a password to access where you can store the apps that you prefer to keep private. Or there are non-hiding app vaults like AppLock that don’t try to hide the fact that they are hiding apps. You set up a pin code to access whatever is stored in the vault, but the vault is visible to anyone that accesses your phone.

App hiders are a great way to secure apps you don’t want others to access. Just take a some time to review a few of them before you make a final decision about which one to use, as each will have different features and requirements to work.

Hiding Apps in Secure Folders

Some Android phones, like some in the Samsung Galaxy line, may also have the ability to hide apps (as well as pictures, documents, and other files) within a secure folder. Like an app vault, a secure folder requires a pin number or biometric security key to open. Anyone accessing your device will need that key in order to access anything hidden in the secure folder.

Setting up a secure folder on a Galaxy device is simple. Just go to Settings > Biometrics and security > Secure Folder and then follow the prompts to set the folder up and give it a security code. Once it’s all set, you’ll find the Secure Folder in your App Drawer.

Hiding apps on an Android device isn’t as intuitive as it could be, but you do have some options, so lock up your sensitive information. Then you know it’s safe from anyone with unauthorized access to your phone.

Why Would Anyone Want to Hide Apps on Android Anyway?

Hiding anything, even an app on your phone or tablet, is a way that people keep things safe or private. In the case of hiding apps, a person may choose to do that for a number of reasons. For example, someone may have family members that don’t believe in privacy. Hiding apps that contain sensitive information or communications is one way to protect your personal privacy.

Another reason people may choose to hide apps on their device is to protect information such as financial details, business secrets, or intellectual property from being compromised in the event their phone is lost or stolen.

Finally, some Android devices come loaded with bloatware that clutters the device. These useless applications can interfere with finding the apps you use most often, and can cause confusion or even slow your device down if they’re running constantly. Hiding these apps cleans up the user experience and can help your device perform better.

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How to Find Hidden Apps on Android

Find out what your teens are doing on their phones

What to Know

• In the App Drawer: Tap the three dots and select Hide Apps.
• In Settings: Tap Apps & notifications, and then See all apps.
• Double-check an app’s true identity by tapping its Info icon and selecting App details.

This article explains how to uncover hidden apps on an Android device. The information below should apply no matter who made your Android phone: Samsung, Google, Huawei, Xiaomi, etc.

How to Find Hidden Apps in the App Drawer

Viewing apps on the Android home screen is a good start, but this doesn’t show every app installed on an Android device. To see the complete list of installed apps, including vault apps, open the app drawer by tapping the icon in the lower-middle section of the screen that looks like a circle with six dots in it.

After tapping on this icon, a full list appears with the installed apps sorted alphabetically. This should show you most of the apps on the Android device, but some may be hidden. To show these hidden apps, do the following.

This method isn’t available on all Android devices by default. The launcher determines the options in the tray. If you don’t have these options, try a different launcher, like Nova Prime, which supports hiding apps.

From the app drawer, tap the three dots in the upper-right corner of the screen.

Tap Hide apps.

The list of apps that are hidden from the app list displays. If this screen is blank or the Hide apps option is missing, no apps are hidden.

How to Find Hidden Apps in Settings

A full app list can also be accessed from the Settings app. Tap Settings (the icon looks like a gear). In Settings, tap Apps & notifications, then tap See all apps.

The app list also displays system files and apps, which make the Android operating system run correctly. To show these, tap the three dots in the upper-right corner, then tap Show system.

Check for Android Trick Apps

Looking at an app’s icon and name may not be enough to tell what’s happening on an Android phone or tablet. There are numerous apps in the Google Play app store that look like one sort of app but are designed to hide images, videos, and other data.

One popular example is the Smart Hide Calculator app that looks and works like a basic calculator app but is a file storage application. The calculator UI is fully functional, but it unlocks and reveals its real purpose when a user types in their PIN code.

To double-check the true identity of any Android app, do the following.

Press the app icon until a small menu appears.

Tap the small i in a circle next to a pencil.

A page that details everything about the app, from its storage size to its permissions, appears. Tap App details.

The app’s product page in the Google Play app store appears. From here, you can read official information about the app, including reviews by other users.

Understanding Android Folders and Screens

Like most smartphones and tablets, Android devices feature a home screen that extends horizontally beyond what you first see when you turn on the device. The other parts of the home screen are used to sort apps and widgets into groups and hide apps from prying eyes.

To view all sections of the home screen on an Android device, swipe from right to left.

There may be more than one additional screen, so continue to swipe left until the visible icons cannot move any further.

Another way to hide apps on Android is to place apps within a folder. Folders are visible on the home screen and look like a collection of four small app icons. Tap the folder to open it and view the apps.

Don’t Forget About Web Apps

More companies add full app functionality to their websites, which means that users no longer have to download and install an app to access it. Instagram is one example of a functional web app used in a web browser such as Chrome, Edge, or Firefox. Tinder is another.

To check if a user has accessed a specific site, open the web browser apps on their Android smartphone or tablet, then check its browser history. Browser history can be deleted in most browsers, though, so this isn’t a foolproof way of finding out what websites have been visited.

To find iPhone hidden apps, go to the App Store on your device and tap your profile picture, then your name. Under iTunes in the Cloud, tap Hidden Purchases. Alternatively, go Account Settings and tap Purchase History.

If you have spyware, or «hidden administrator apps,» on your Android, navigate to your list of device admin apps. Disable admin rights for the suspected culprit, then delete the app.

If you’ve noticed your camera or mic indicator lights on when you’re not using them, you may have tracking software. To find out what apps are using your microphone and camera, go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > App Permissions. Tap Camera or Microphone, then see what apps are accessing these tools.

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5 Best Ways to Hide Apps on Android With­out Disabling

Mehvish

07 Feb 2020

When we think of hiding an app on Android, we can think of is disabling, or uninstalling it. But it has major drawbacks such as all your app data will be deleted, and you will have to set the app from scratch. To avoid all that, you can hide apps on your Android phone or tablet without disabling using other methods shown in the post.

Everyone has different reasons to hide apps. While some want to hide dating, VPN, or social media apps, others would like to hide work-related apps from kids. Whatever the reason, the methods mentioned below will let you hide apps on Android without rooting your device too.

Without making you more curious, let’s check how to hide apps on Android phones such as Samsung, OnePlus, Redmi, etc. without disabling the apps.

1. Use Stock Launcher

Phones from brands like Samsung, OnePlus, and Redmi offers a native feature to hide apps using their launcher. Here’s how to do it on them.

Hide Apps on Samsung One UI Launcher

On the home screen, long-tap an empty space and tap on Home screen settings. Scroll down and tap on Hide apps.

Select the apps that you want to hide and tap on Apply.

Tip: You can also use the Secure Folder in Samsung phones to hide the apps.

Hide Apps on Xiaomi Redmi Phones

On phones running MIUI, open the Security app on your app and go to App Lock. Add the apps that you want to hide.

Hide Apps Using OnePlus Launcher

In the OnePlus Launcher, open the app drawer. Swipe right from the left edge of the screen. You will see Hidden Space. Tap on the add icon (+) at the top and select the apps that you want to hide.

2. Use Third-Party Launchers

If your phone’s native launcher doesn’t offer the ability to hide apps, you can download third-party launchers such as POCO and Evie. You can hide apps in these launchers using the hide apps option available in the launcher settings. Check our detailed post with the steps regarding launchers that let you hide apps.

Also on Guiding Tech

Top 6 Android Launchers Without Ads

3. Change App Name and Icon

An app is identified on your phone by its name and icon. What you need to do is change its name and icon to something else using a launcher. We will tell you the steps for the popular Nova Launcher. The basic idea of the steps remains the same on all launchers.

Open the app drawer in the Nova Launcher. Long-tap on the app that you want to hide. Select Edit from the menu.

Change the name of the app under App Label. Keep it something ordinary, such as a calculator. Then, tap on the app icon and change the icon on the next screen. Again, keep it simple so that one would think it’s a system app.

Note: Changing the app’s name and the icon isn’t a prime feature in Nova Launcher. You can do it in the free version too.

4. Rename a Folder

Another simple way to hide apps is to add them to a folder. Then, name the folder in a way that no one would be interested to tap on it. For instance, useless apps or bloatware.

This method will hide the app on either the app drawer or on the home screen based on where you added the app in a folder. While all launchers let you add apps to folders on the home screen, only a few launchers provide the feature of folders in the app drawer. And, if you don’t like the app drawer, check the best launchers without an app drawer.

Tip: You can use the folder swipe feature also to hide the apps. It is available on apps like Nova and Action Launcher.

5. Use Multiple Users Feature

If you want to hide apps without a launcher, you can use the multiple users feature. Basically, you will have to create a new user and install the secret apps in that profile. Each profile is independent of the other and the installed apps are available on the profile where they were installed.

To create a new user, open Settings on your phone and go to System. Tap on Multiple users. Then, tap on Add a user. The steps may differ in various devices. Just look for users in the search available in the Settings. Once the user is created, switch to it from the user icon in the quick panel.

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