Do you have embarrassing or confidential apps on your Android device that you don’t want anyone to stumble upon? Perhaps it’s time to learn how to hide them. Whether you’re trying to keep your private life under wraps or just looking for a cleaner home screen, we’ve got you covered with the top three methods for hiding apps on Android. From built-in features to third-party solutions, read on and discover which option is right for you.
Disable Pre-Installed or System Apps
It’s no secret that many Android devices come pre-loaded with a variety of apps that most users never touch. While some of these apps can be uninstalled, others are “locked” or “system” apps that can’t be removed without root access. Luckily, there are a few ways to hide these unwanted apps from your app drawer and keep them out of sight.
One way to hide apps is to simply disable them. This can be done by going into your device’s Settings menu and selecting the “Apps” option. From here, you’ll see a list of all installed apps on your device. Tap on the app you want to disable, then select the “Disable” option. This will effectively hide the app from your app drawer and prevent it from running in the background.
If you’re using a Samsung device, you also have the option of hiding apps through Samsung’s “Secure Folder” feature. Secure Folder is a special folder that allows you to store sensitive files and applications away from prying eyes. To hide an app in Secure Folder, open the folder and tap on the “+ Add Apps” icon. Select the app you want to hide, then tap on the “Add” button. The app will now be hidden in Secure Folder and will only be accessible when you’re logged into your Samsung account.
Finally, if you’re rooted, you can use a third-party app like Hide App-Hide System Apps to completely hide any app on
Use Built-In Secure Folders or Password Protect App
One of the most effective ways to hide apps on Android is to use a built-in secure folder or password protect app. This will prevent anyone from accessing your hidden apps unless they have the correct password or PIN.
There are a few different ways to go about this, but one of the simplest is to use a third-party app like AppLock (download link). Once installed, open the app and set up a pattern or PIN lock. Then, go into the AppLock settings and enable the “Hide AppLock icon” option.
Now, whenever you want to hide an app, just launch AppLock and tap on the lock icon next to the app you want to hide. This will make the app disappear from your home screen and can only be accessed by opening AppLock and entering your passcode.
If you don’t want to install a third-party app, you can also use Samsung’s Secure Folder feature (available on select devices running Android 7.0 Nougat or higher). To set it up, open the Settings menu and select “Security.” Under the “Device security” heading, select “Secure Folder.”
Follow the prompts to create a Samsung account (if you don’t already have one) and then provide a name and description for your Secure Folder. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to add apps to it just like any other folder. The apps in your Secure Folder will be hidden until you unlock the folder with
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Using Third-Party Apps to Hide Unwanted Apps
If you’re not a fan of Android’s stock launcher and are looking for a third-party option that allows you to hide apps, we’ve got you covered. In this section, we’ll show you how to use two popular third-party launchers – Nova Launcher and Apex Launcher – to hide apps on your Android device.
Nova Launcher is one of the most popular third-party launchers available on the Google Play Store. It’s highly customizable and comes with a plethora of features, including the ability to hide apps. To hide apps using Nova Launcher, follow these steps:
1. Long press on the home screen to bring up the Nova Settings menu.
2. Tap on App & Widget Drawers.
3. Scroll down and tap on Hide Apps.
4. Select the apps you want to hide from the list and tap on Done.
Apex Launcher is another great option if you’re looking for a third-party launcher with the ability to hide apps. The process is similar to Nova Launcher, and you can follow these steps to get started:
1. Long press on the home screen to bring up the Apex Settings menu.
2. Tap on Drawer Settings.
3. Scroll down and tap on Hide Apps from Drawer.