How to hide mobile apps

Modern parents let their children use their smartphones. Moms and dads don’t see the practicality of giving their junior a smart device, so they just let him or her use it. However, we’ve seen many reports of kids emptying their parents’ bank accounts after using it for online game transactions. 

Fortunately, you can avoid that by hiding your mobile apps. Instead of uninstalling and reinstalling your apps, use built-in features to avoid unintended access to important programs. The best part is you can hide mobile applications on Android and iPhone without installing third-party apps. 

How to hide mobile apps on Android

You could hide the apps that were on your phone when you first bought it, regardless of the model. However, most brands don’t let you do that for other third-party applications. 

Hide built-in apps with these steps:

1. Open your phone’s app drawer and find the app you want to hide.
2. Long-press on the app and select App info from the context menu. Alternatively, you can head to Settings, then Apps, and then tap the app’s name. 
3. Next, tap the Disable button.
4. Confirm your action by tapping the Disable app option.

Samsung users are lucky because their phones let them hide mobile apps without installing other programs. Here’s how it works according to MakeUseOf: 

1. Long press on an empty area on the Home screen of your Samsung phone.
2. Next, tap Settings from the menu.
3. Scroll down and choose the Hide apps on Home and Apps and screens option.
4. Then, pick the apps you want to hide.
5. Tap Done to apply your changes.

MakeUseOf recommends using Microsoft Launcher and Nova Launcher to hide mobile apps on Android. However, you should be careful when using and downloading third-party software. 

How to hide mobile apps on iPhone

Apple mobile devices let you hide apps from the get-go. Hide individual programs by pressing and holding on to one. Then, tap the Remove App option.

Select the Remove from Home Screen option to remove it from your home screen. Antivirus provider Avast reminds people that their apps will still be visible in their App Library.

READ: How to delete iPhone apps

You could also hide an entire page of apps with these steps:

1. Press and hold the Search button at the bottom of your home screen until the icons start shaking.
2. Tap on the series of dots at the bottom of your screen that replaced the Search button. It will zoom out and display your home screen pages simultaneously.
3. Tap the checkmark under the page of apps you want to hide.
4. Afterward, tap Done in the top-right corner. 

Remember that hidden apps will still be visible in your App Library. Learn more useful digital tips at Inquirer Tech.