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To hide an app without locking it, touch and hold an empty area of your Galaxy phone’s Home screen, tap Settings, choose Hide apps on Home and Apps screens, select the app, and tap Done. The app stays installed and usable. Hiding removes its icons from the Home and Apps screens; it does not protect the app’s contents or prevent someone from opening it.
What Samsung’s Hide apps setting actually does
Samsung’s built-in setting is designed for visibility and launcher organization. When you hide an app, its icon is removed from both the Home screen and the Apps screen. The application, its data, and its installation remain on the phone. Samsung’s US instructions describe this as hiding and unhiding apps, rather than uninstalling them: Samsung’s hide and unhide guide.
Hiding is therefore different from locking. It does not add a password, PIN, fingerprint prompt, or other access control. On the interface documented by Samsung Canada, a hidden app can still be found by typing its name into Apps screen search and opened from the result: Samsung Canada’s Galaxy app-management guide. Anyone who knows the app’s name and has access to the unlocked phone may still be able to launch it.
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Use Hide apps when your goal is to keep an icon out of sight, reduce launcher clutter, or stop an app from appearing in the normal grid. Use a protected feature instead when the goal is to keep other people from opening the app or viewing its files.
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Hide an app from the Home and Apps screens
Primary method: Home-screen settings
This route is documented for Galaxy phones by Samsung US, India, Canada, and Australia. The exact wording or position can vary with the phone model, One UI version, and regional software.
- Go to the Home screen.
- Touch and hold an empty area of the Home screen. Do not press an app icon or widget.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Hide apps on Home and Apps screens.
- In the list of installed apps, tap each app you want to hide.
- Tap Done to apply the change.
The selected app icons should disappear from the Home screen and from the Apps screen. The apps are not uninstalled, and hiding does not stop their functions. Samsung India presents the same sequence in its guide, updated September 1, 2026: How to hide or unhide apps on a Galaxy smartphone.
Alternate method: Apps-screen menu
Some Galaxy layouts expose the same control from the Apps screen. Samsung Canada documents this alternate route:
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- Open the Apps screen by swiping up from the Home screen, if that is how your launcher is configured.
- Tap the More options icon.
- Choose Settings.
- Select Hide apps on Home and Apps screens.
- Choose the app or apps to hide, then tap Done.
If the More options menu does not contain the setting, use the Home-screen long-press route instead. Menu placement is not identical across every Galaxy model or software release.
Hide several apps at once
The Hide apps page uses a selection list, so you can select multiple apps before tapping Done. Select only the icons you want removed from the launcher. Because this action changes visibility rather than installation, it is reversible from the same page.
Show a hidden app again
Unhiding uses the same setting that hid the app. Samsung US and Samsung India describe reopening the Hide apps page, removing the app from the hidden selection, and applying the change. Samsung Canada describes a red minus icon for removing an item from the hidden list.
- Touch and hold an empty area of the Home screen.
- Tap Settings.
- Open Hide apps on Home and Apps screens.
- Find the app under the hidden-app selections.
- Deselect it. On some interfaces, tap the red minus icon beside the app.
- Tap Done.
The app icon should return to the Apps screen. Depending on your launcher arrangement, you may need to add the icon back to a particular Home-screen page; unhiding restores visibility, not necessarily its former shortcut position.
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If you cannot find the setting, open the Apps screen and check its More options menu for Settings, then look for the same Hide apps label. Samsung’s India instructions describe the same hide and unhide control: Samsung India support.
Hiding versus removing, disabling, and protecting an app
Several Galaxy actions can make an app less visible, but they have different results. Choosing the wrong one can leave an app visible elsewhere, stop it from working, or provide less privacy than you intended.
| Action | What disappears | Can the app still run? | Does it protect the contents? | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hide apps on Home and Apps screens | The app icon disappears from both screens. | Yes. The app remains installed; Samsung Canada documents finding it through Apps screen search and opening it. | No password or access barrier is added. | You want a cleaner launcher or reduced icon visibility. |
| Remove from Home screen only | Only the Home-screen shortcut disappears. | Yes. The app remains in the Apps screen. | No. | You want to tidy one Home-screen page but still want the app easy to find in Apps. |
| Disable | The app may be removed from normal use depending on the device. | No. Samsung describes disabling as stopping the app’s functions; the option is available only for some pre-installed apps. | It stops operation but is not presented as a content-protection vault. | You need to stop a supported pre-installed app rather than merely hide its icon. |
| Secure Folder | Apps and files placed in the protected folder are separated from ordinary phone use. | They remain available after authentication. | Yes. Samsung describes Secure Folder as a password-protected folder for apps and files. | You need protected access to apps or files, not just a hidden icon. |
Samsung’s explanation of disabling pre-installed apps is available in its UK support article: How to remove or disable embedded apps. For stronger access protection, Samsung identifies Secure Folder as the relevant built-in alternative in its Gulf support guidance: How to hide apps on a Galaxy phone.
How to use a hidden app
Hiding does not create a second copy of the app or move it to a separate storage area. The app remains part of the phone’s installed software. On Samsung Canada’s documented interface, open the Apps screen and type the app’s name into search. Select the result to launch it.
This behavior explains why Hide apps should not be treated as private storage. A hidden icon may be absent from the grid while the app remains discoverable through search. Notifications, links, widgets, or other phone features may also provide ways to reach an installed app; the Hide apps setting itself is not described as a complete concealment system.
When you are finished, close the app normally. Hiding it again does not require uninstalling or reinstalling anything: return to the Hide apps setting and leave the app selected in the hidden list.
Why the exact menu may look different
Samsung publishes instructions for multiple regions, and the guides do not all show identical navigation. Samsung US and India emphasize the Home-screen long-press path. Samsung Canada lists both that path and the Apps-screen More options path. Samsung Australia’s instructions are specifically scoped to Australian-variant devices and were updated August 20, 2026: Hiding apps on a Galaxy device.
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Your phone may use slightly different capitalization, place Settings in a different menu, or expose the control only from one of the two routes. Look for the phrase Hide apps on Home and Apps screens, or an equivalent Hide apps entry, rather than assuming that every Galaxy model has the same screen layout. Carrier customizations, regional variants, and software updates can also change where the command appears.
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Checks to make before and after hiding
First decide whether you want to hide one shortcut or every launcher icon. Removing an icon from Home alone is quicker, but the app will still be plainly listed in Apps. The full Hide apps command is the relevant choice when both launcher locations should be cleared.
After tapping Done, check both screens rather than assuming the change applied everywhere. If you selected several apps, verify each one. The operation changes the launcher’s presentation; it does not remove the app from the installed-app list or turn off its services.
Keep the app’s exact name in mind if you will need it later. Samsung Canada’s documented search behavior means the name can be typed in Apps screen search even while the icon is hidden. If someone else can use the unlocked phone, that search route weakens the privacy value of hiding.
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The icon disappeared from Home but remains in Apps
You probably removed a Home-screen shortcut instead of using Hide apps on Home and Apps screens. Open the Home-screen settings and choose the Hide apps entry. The hide function is the one that removes the icon from both Home and Apps screens.
The app is hidden but appears in search
This is expected on the interface Samsung Canada documents. Search visibility does not mean the hide operation failed; it reflects the fact that the app remains installed and usable. Hiding is an icon-visibility setting, not an app lock.
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You cannot find Hide apps in Settings
Start from an empty area of the Home screen and touch and hold it, then tap Settings. If that route is unavailable, open the Apps screen, tap More options, choose Settings, and look for the Hide apps control. The labels and menu location vary by model and software version, so use the equivalent wording if the text is not identical.
The app did not return after deselecting it
Reopen the Hide apps page and verify that the app is no longer listed as hidden, then tap Done to apply the change. Look in the Apps screen rather than only on the Home screen. Unhiding restores the app’s visibility in the Apps screen; the Home shortcut may need to be placed again on a Home page.
You expected the app to stop running
Hide apps does not disable an application. If the app is a supported pre-installed app and your objective is to stop its functions, use the separate Disable command described by Samsung. Samsung notes that disabling is available only for some pre-installed apps, so the option may not appear for every app.
The setting is present but the wording is different
Do not select a command solely because it contains the word “remove.” A command that removes an item from Home may leave it in Apps, while Disable affects the app’s operation. Look for the control whose description refers to hiding apps on both Home and Apps screens. The regional Samsung guides show that equivalent controls can be reached through different menus.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose the right option for your goal
Goal: remove clutter
Use Hide apps when you want fewer icons in both the Home and Apps screens while keeping the software installed and available. This is appropriate for rarely used apps, launchers you do not want displayed, or a simpler visual layout.
Goal: keep an app available but off one Home page
Remove the shortcut from the Home screen only. The app remains visible in the Apps screen, which is useful when you want quick access through the app list but do not want a shortcut on a particular page.
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Consider Disable rather than Hide. Disabling changes whether the app’s functions operate, and Samsung limits this option to some pre-installed apps. It is not interchangeable with hiding.
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Goal: prevent other people from opening an app or reading its files
Do not rely on Hide apps. Samsung describes Secure Folder as a password-protected folder for apps and files, making it the built-in feature that matches a protected-access requirement. Hiding alone leaves the app installed and, on Samsung Canada’s documented interface, searchable by name.
Privacy expectations and practical limits
The phrase “without locking” accurately describes the built-in Hide apps feature: no lock is added. It also sets a limit. The setting changes what appears in the launcher, not what an informed user can discover after gaining access to the phone.
- The app is not uninstalled.
- The app’s data is not described as being encrypted or moved by this setting.
- The app can remain searchable by name on the Apps screen, according to Samsung Canada.
- Hiding does not disable the app’s functions.
- Secure Folder, rather than Hide apps, is Samsung’s documented built-in choice for password-protected apps and files.
For a tidy interface, these limits are usually acceptable. For confidentiality, use a feature that requires authentication and verify what content is stored inside that protected area.
A quick checklist
- Decide whether you need visibility control or actual access protection.
- For visibility, touch and hold an empty Home-screen area.
- Open Settings, then Hide apps on Home and Apps screens.
- Select the apps and tap Done.
- Test the result by checking both the Home screen and Apps screen.
- Remember that Apps screen search may still find and open a hidden app.
- To restore an icon, return to the same setting, deselect the app or tap its red minus icon, and tap Done.
- If you need a password-protected location for apps or files, use Secure Folder instead of relying on a hidden icon.
Official Samsung references
- Samsung US: Manage apps on your Galaxy phone or tablet — hide and unhide apps
- Samsung Canada: Manage apps on your Samsung Galaxy
- Samsung India: How to hide or unhide apps on your Galaxy smartphone
- Samsung Australia: Hiding apps on a Galaxy device
- Samsung UK: How to remove or disable embedded apps
- Samsung Gulf: How to hide apps on a Galaxy phone
Frequently Asked Questions
Will hiding an app uninstall it?
No. Hide apps removes the icon from the Home and Apps screens, but the app remains installed and usable.
Can someone still open a hidden app?
Yes. Samsung Canada documents that a hidden app can still be found by typing its name in Apps screen search and opening the result. Hiding is not a lock.
How do I show a hidden app again?
Open the same Hide apps on Home and Apps screens setting, deselect the app or tap its red minus icon where shown, and tap Done.
What is the difference between hiding and disabling an app?
Hiding changes icon visibility while leaving the app usable. Disabling stops an app’s functions and is available only for some pre-installed apps.
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Use Secure Folder for apps and files that need password-protected access. A hidden launcher icon does not protect contents.
Why does my Galaxy phone not show the exact same menu?
Samsung’s navigation varies by model, One UI version, carrier, and region. Try the Home-screen long-press route or the Apps-screen More options route and look for the equivalent Hide apps control.
The Bottom Line
Samsung’s Hide apps setting is a reversible way to remove app icons from both the Home and Apps screens without uninstalling or locking the apps. Use the Home-screen long-press route, select the apps, and tap Done. Remember that hidden apps may still appear in Apps screen search. If you need to protect app contents or require authentication, use Secure Folder instead.
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