If you wish to keep your dating life private, knowing how to conceal dating apps on your iPhone can be a valuable ability. In this article, we will provide a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to hide specific apps from your phone, no matter which model you have.
Methods for Hiding Apps Pre-iOS 18
If your operating system is older than the latest iOS 18 update, here are the steps to enhance your privacy:
Hiding a Single App
To conceal a specific app like Tinder or Amazon Prime, locate its icon on your Home Screen. Press and hold the app icon for a few seconds until you see the option to ‘Remove App.’ Then, choose ‘Remove App from Home Screen.’
Hiding an Entire Screen
To conceal a whole screen of apps on your iPhone, begin by pressing and holding any app, regardless of which one it is, until the apps begin to jiggle. Once this happens, you’ll see dots appear at the bottom of the screen, allowing you to select ‘Edit pages.’
From this point, you have the option to unselect entire pages, which will subsequently be concealed from your Home Screen.
Accessing Hidden Apps Pre-iOS 18
These actions will eliminate a specific app or a page of apps from the Home Screen grid, making them available only in the App Library or through the search feature. Therefore, to locate them, you just need to either visit your App Library or type the app’s name in the search bar.
Methods for Hiding Apps in iOS 18
If your iPhone is updated to iOS 18, the process for hiding apps and finding hidden ones has changed slightly. Here are the instructions:
Hiding and Requiring Face ID
The main distinction between hiding apps before and after iOS 18 is that with iOS 18, your apps will not only disappear from the Home Screen but will also be moved to a Hidden Folder that requires biometric authentication or a passcode to access (more details on that shortly).
In iOS 18, to conceal an app, press and hold the app you wish to hide until you see the option that says ‘Hide and Require Face ID.’ Select this option to confirm, and the app will be placed in a Hidden Folder.
Accessing Hidden Apps in iOS 18
After your app has been hidden, what steps can you take to access it again?
To reach the Hidden Folder, open your App Library and scroll to the bottom. There, you will see and can tap on the Hidden Folder. You’ll need to authenticate access using Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.
Additional Privacy Measures Pre-iOS 18
Before iOS 18, iPhones provided an additional privacy feature for apps you wish to keep private: the ability to exclude them from search results. This ensures that anyone using your phone won’t be able to see the app, even when they use the search function.
Removing Apps from Search Results
To use this privacy feature, go to your settings and select ‘Siri & Search.’ Locate the app you wish to conceal and switch off the ‘Show App in Search’ option.
Additional Privacy Measures in iOS 18
One of the extra privacy features in iOS 18 is that your concealed apps will not send notifications. Furthermore, when you go into your app settings, these hidden apps will not show up, making them nearly undetectable. Here’s how to set up these added security options:
Notification and Settings Privacy
When you conceal an app, notifications from it will automatically cease, and it will be removed from your app settings page. If you need to modify settings for a hidden app, you can locate that option by navigating to Settings > Apps > Hidden Apps. Similar to accessing the app itself, you will need to verify your identity to view hidden apps and change their settings.
Limitations and Loopholes
- While these are effective ways to conceal dating apps on an iPhone, there are some limitations you should keep in mind, including:
- Visibility in Background App Refresh and additional features
- Regrettably, there are certain instances when a concealed app may still become visible, such as:
- Background App Refresh Data Usage Statistics Your Photo Privacy settings in iPhone Mirroring on macOS while accessing related websites
Work-Arounds by Tech-Savvy Users
Concealing certain apps can be an effective way to keep children from using them, but it poses a different challenge if a tech-savvy adult is determined to find those hidden apps. This situation is particularly concerning if a person who has access to your phone or paired Mac computer also knows your passwords.
Exclusion of System Applications from the Hiding Function
Currently, iPhones running both pre-iOS 18 and post-iOS 18 versions do not allow certain apps, including Weather, Journal, Fitness, Clock, and Settings, to be concealed.
Unhiding Apps Pre-iOS 18
To bring an app back to your Home Screen, locate it in the App Library and press and hold it. This will enable you to move it back to the Home Screen.
Unhiding Apps in iOS 18
To reveal and access an app in iOS 18, you’ll need to first navigate to your Hidden Folder found in the App Library.
Unhiding via Hidden Folder
After accessing your Hidden Folder, you’ll locate the app you wish to unhide.
To unlock the app, press and hold it until you see the option that says ‘Don’t Require Face ID.’ Authenticate your choice to remove the app from the Hidden Folder. After this, the app will move to the App Library, from which you can long press it and drag it back to the Home Screen.
Opinions and User Feedback
Generally, users seeking greater privacy on their iPhones value the option to conceal their apps either from the Home Screen or by placing them in a Hidden Folder.
Despite that, the feedback isn’t completely favorable. For example, discussions on platforms like Reddit highlight that loopholes, such as showing apps in data usage statistics, make the hidden feature ineffective. In simpler terms, if someone is determined to find out what apps are installed on your phone and knows how to bypass the hidden folder, your privacy isn’t fully secure.
Some users have raised concerns about the visibility of a Hidden Folder. As one Reddit user noted, having a clearly labeled Hidden Folder can act like a sign that says, “I have apps I want to conceal here,” which might arouse suspicion.
Ultimately, one recommendation from users is to implement a distinct passcode for hidden apps that is different from the primary iPhone passcode. This would allow users to maintain their privacy even if someone else gains access to their device.
The Case for Hiding Apps on iPhone
You might have personal motivations for wanting to conceal specific apps on your phone. However, what are the additional advantages of enhancing your iPhone’s privacy settings? Here are some frequently mentioned reasons for wanting to learn how to hide dating apps on an iPhone:
Kids using your phone. In 2023, a story emerged from Massachusetts about a 5-year-old who accidentally charged $3,000 to her mother’s Amazon Prime account while playing on her phone. Although it was a source of stress for the mother, she recognized it as a valuable learning experience for both of them: she taught her daughter which apps were appropriate to use and realized she shouldn’t give her daughter unrestricted access to all of her apps.
Financial protection. One advantage of concealing certain applications on your iPhone is that if your phone gets stolen, it provides you with a window of opportunity. Although there are some vulnerabilities to consider, keeping sensitive apps hidden allows you to reach out to your financial institutions before the thief can cause significant harm.
Parents and other relatives often find it challenging to establish boundaries, which can result in siblings, parents, or others accessing your apps if you accidentally leave your iPhone within their reach.Sharing your screen with coworkers. In today’s digital world, it’s quite typical to share your screen during online meetings. However, even if you have a well-prepared agenda, few things can be more surprising than your colleagues spotting your dating apps on your Home Screen while you’re getting ready!
Privacy and Security Enhancement Demand
The iPhone development team understands what their users truly desire! Their introduction of new privacy features shows that an increasing number of us are seeking improved control over our app usage and visibility.
iOS 18 Release Information
Apple revealed the launch of the new iOS 18 version earlier this year during the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10th. A few months later, the update was released for compatible devices on September 16th.
In addition to the advancements in hidden apps, the iOS 18 update also introduced features for managing passwords, allowed iPhone Mirroring for Home Screen editing, made modifications to the Photos app, and included various other enhancements.A comparison between Samsung’s Secure Folder and Android’s Private Space.
For many years, the competition between Android and iPhone has focused on user experience and aspects such as privacy and application settings. Therefore, how do the concealed app functionalities on the iPhone stack up against comparable software found on Android and Samsung devices?
Samsung provides its users with a Secure Folder that requires a specific passcode or pattern for access. Once set up, it can be utilized to keep sensitive files, photos, and applications safe.
The Samsung Secure Folder will automatically show up on the Home Screen, but it can be concealed for added privacy. When it is hidden, access to the Secure Folder can only be done through the Settings.
This year, Android introduced a feature known as Private Space, which functions as an independent user account for private use. It permits you to install applications within your Private Space, ensuring that they are hidden from your phone when you’re not using this privacy mode.
Best Methods for Enjoying Privacy Online
Are you seeking additional methods to safeguard your sensitive information, dating apps, and other online activities? Here are some further tips from technology experts!
- Ensure that your passwords are robust and refrain from sharing them! If you’re concerned that someone close to you might look through your phone, it’s best to avoid using easily guessable passcodes, like your birthday or significant anniversaries.
- Whenever possible, use biometric authentication. This will guarantee that only you can access your hidden folder!
- Make sure to routinely install the latest software updates. Security enhancements are constantly being made, so avoid falling behind by using outdated software.
- Avoid using unsecured Wi-Fi. If you’re concerned about hackers reaching your sensitive financial applications, it’s best to refrain from using them while connected to public Wi-Fi networks.
- Steer clear of opening attachments from unfamiliar sources, as this could expose your phone to hacking risks.
- Make sure to verify that you are downloading the legitimate app and signing in on the official website.
- Exit any unused apps when you’re not using them. If someone else in your home will be using your iPhone, be sure to close any hidden apps that you don’t want them to find.
- Remove cookies. Cookies can track your online behavior and serve you targeted advertisements. Therefore, it’s important to clear them out regularly.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed several common motivations for wanting to conceal dating apps on an iPhone, along with other types of applications such as financial or banking ones. Now that you have a detailed guide on how to hide specific apps from your Home Screen, you are better equipped to manage your phone’s privacy settings.
Regardless of your reasons for wanting to conceal specific apps, we trust that you feel more in control of your online privacy and freedom. Since this feature is in high demand among users, we can speculate that iPhone and Samsung will introduce even more options for hidden apps and folders in the future!
