You’ve been here before. You have too many apps on your Android phone and feel bogged down by the clutter. Maybe you have apps that contain sensitive information, such as banking apps, that you’d prefer didn’t show in your apps list. Perhaps you want to prevent your toddler from tapping an app that could result in disaster, like ordering an item on the Play Store when you’ve set your phone to one-tap buy.
Hiding your apps on an Android phone is easy. Here’s what you need to know about keeping apps hidden, whether it’s a budget Android phone or the latestSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
How to conceal apps on a Samsung Galaxy phone
If you have a Samsung Galaxy phone, you can skip extra steps by using Samsung’s One UI. Samsung made it possible to hide apps individually via a list.
Samsung One UI explained: Everything to know about Samsung’s custom Android skin
One UI is one of the most interesting Android skins around
To do so, follow these steps:
Hiding apps on a Google Pixel phone
You must download a home screen launcher app on Google Pixel phones, such as theGoogle Pixel 8. Athird-party launcher appreplaces the standard home screen and full app list. One such launcher is Microsoft Launcher, which is free. you may also try Nova Launcher Prime, which requires a one-time $5 fee to use it to hide your apps.
Here’s how to use Microsoft Launcher to hide your apps:
Nova Launcher Prime uses an app drawer to hide apps. you’re able to access it by installing the Nova Launcher, applying it as your launcher, going toNova Settings>App drawer>Hide apps,and choosing which apps to hide before confirming.
Like the Microsoft Launcher, Nova Launcher Prime changes the look and feel of your Android phone’s UI. You might not be willing to compromise on this, but you can download a launcher, give it a try, and then uninstall it.
Steps to hide apps on a OnePlus phone
For OnePlus users, there’s a simpler way to hide apps using its OxygenOS. Here’s how to go from unwanted apps showing to hiding them away in a few taps:
Other Android phones will likely follow the third-party launcher route, which is detailed above. You can also try an app that locks apps, such asAppLock, that requires a password to open locked apps.
Moving other files to a secure folder
If you don’t want to use a third-party launcher to hide your apps, use a private folder to move sensitive items like photos or videos into it. Samsung’s OneUI has one included, called theSecure Folder, which you can set up with a passcode or biometrics and begin using it immediately.
Here’s how to move pictures and videos into your secure folder:
Keeping your apps page how you want it
While not all Android phones offer a built-in system to hide apps, there are some exceptions, like Samsung Galaxy and OnePlus phones. For these smartphones, hiding apps is as easy as tapping through your settings. Other Android phones require a third-party workaround that you may or may not want to undertake. If you do, a trusted launcher can give you a similar result and keep apps hidden from the home and app pages.
You may not need to hide apps to clean up your homescreen. Instead,organize your appsand find them quickly.
