Hiding a contact removes it from your main contacts list without deleting it

When you hide a contact on iPhone, the person's information stays in your phone but disappears from your Contacts app. You can still call, text, or email them — the contact just won't show up when you scroll through your list. This is useful if you want to keep a number (a former landlord, a business you rarely use, an ex-partner) without seeing it every time you open Contacts.

The method depends on which iOS version you have. On iOS 13 and newer, you hide contacts through a "Block/Report" menu. On older versions, you have to use a workaround. Either way, the contact is not deleted and not blocked from contacting you — it is straightforward hidden from view.

Key Takeaways

  • Hiding a contact on iOS 13 and newer takes three taps: open the contact, tap the info button, scroll to Block This Caller, and choose Hide This Contact.
  • The contact remains in your phone and can still reach you; hiding only removes them from your visible contacts list.
  • On iOS 12 and earlier, you can move a contact to a hidden group or use the Notes app as a workaround since there is no built-in hide feature.
  • If you hide a contact by mistake, you can unhide them the same way — tap the info button and select Unhide This Contact.
  • Hiding a contact is different from blocking: a hidden contact can still call and text you, while a blocked contact cannot reach you at all.

How to hide a contact on iOS 13 and newer

Open the Contacts app and find the person you want to hide. Tap their name to open their full contact card. At the top right, tap the info button (a small circle with an "i" inside). Scroll down until you see "Block This Caller" — tap it.

A menu will appear with two options: "Block This Caller" and "Hide This Contact." Tap "Hide This Contact." The contact will when ready disappear from your main Contacts list, though their information remains in your phone. You will not see them when you scroll through Contacts, but they can still call, text, or email you.

How to unhide a contact you hid by mistake

If you hide a contact and change your mind, you can bring them back. The easiest way is to search for them by name in the Contacts app — even hidden contacts appear in search results. Tap their name, then tap the info button at the top right. Scroll down and tap "Unhide This Contact." They will reappear in your main list.

If you cannot remember their name well enough to search, open Settings, go to Phone, and tap "Blocked Contacts." Your hidden contacts appear here too. Find the person, tap "Edit," and then tap the red minus sign next to their name to unhide them.

What to do if you have iOS 12 or earlier

Older iPhone versions do not have a built-in hide feature. Your options are limited. One workaround is to create a contact group (if your phone supports it) and move the contact there, then hide the group from view — but this only works on some older iOS versions and is clunky.

A simpler approach is to store the contact information in the Notes app instead of Contacts. Open Notes, create a new note with the person's name and number, and delete them from Contacts. You keep the information but it does not appear in your Contacts list. The downside is that you cannot call or text them directly from the note — you have to copy the number and paste it into the phone app yourself.

If you are still on iOS 12 or earlier, consider updating your phone if it is compatible. Newer iOS versions include better privacy and security features beyond just hiding contacts.

The difference between hiding and blocking a contact

Hiding and blocking are not the same thing, and it matters which one you choose. When you hide a contact, they can still call you, text you, and reach you by any method. You just will not see their name in your Contacts app. When you block a contact, their calls go straight to voicemail and their texts are not delivered to you at all — they cannot reach you.

Use hiding if you want to keep someone's information but do not want to see them in your list. Use blocking if you do not want them to contact you. If you have blocked someone and want to let them contact you again, go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts, find their name, and tap "Edit" then the red minus sign to unblock them.

Why you might want to hide a contact instead of deleting it

Deleting a contact removes their information entirely — if you need their number later, you have to ask someone else or search your message history. Hiding keeps the information in your phone without cluttering your Contacts list. This is useful for numbers you might need someday but do not want to see regularly: a former service provider, a business contact you rarely use, or someone you have decided not to stay in touch with but might need to reach in an emergency.

Hiding also preserves your message and call history with that person. If you delete a contact, their old texts and calls are still in your Messages and Phone apps, but the contact card is gone. If you hide them instead, everything stays connected — you can still see past conversations and call history, you just will not see them in your main Contacts list.

What happens to hidden contacts in other apps

Hidden contacts behave differently depending on the app. In Messages, FaceTime, and Mail, hidden contacts still appear in your conversation history and in the "recent" list when you start a new message. They only disappear from the main Contacts app. If you want to prevent someone from appearing anywhere, blocking is more thorough than hiding.

Some third-party apps that access your contacts may still show hidden contacts, depending on how the app is built. If privacy from a specific app is your goal, check that app's settings for its own blocking or privacy features rather than relying on iPhone's hide function.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a hidden contact see that I have hidden them?

No. Hiding a contact is invisible to them. They can still call and text you normally, and they have no way to know you have hidden their contact information. It only affects what you see in your Contacts app.

If I hide a contact, will they still appear in my call history?

Yes. Hidden contacts still appear in your call log, message threads, and FaceTime history. Hiding only removes them from your main Contacts list. If you want to remove them from call history too, you have to delete those individual calls or messages.

What is the difference between hiding a contact and archiving a conversation?

Hiding a contact removes them from your Contacts app but keeps all their information in your phone. Archiving a conversation (in Messages or Mail) hides that specific thread but does not affect the contact itself. You can do both — hide the contact and archive their messages.

Can I hide multiple contacts at once?

No. You have to hide contacts one at a time through the info button. There is no bulk hide feature in the Contacts app. If you have many contacts to hide, you will need to repeat the process for each one.

If I hide a contact and then restore my iPhone from a backup, will they still be hidden?

It depends on when the backup was made. If you restore from a backup created after you hid the contact, they will still be hidden. If you restore from a backup made before you hid them, they will reappear in your Contacts list.