Where hidden apps live and why they're hard to find
A hidden app is one that doesn't show up in your home screen or app drawer, even though it's still installed on your device. On Android, you can hide apps through your phone's settings or through a launcher app — the app still runs and uses storage, but the icon vanishes. On iPhone, hidden apps work differently: you can remove them from your home screen and App Library view, but they're still there if you search for them or look in Settings.
Hidden apps aren't always a sign of trouble. You might have hidden an app yourself to declutter your home screen, or a family member might have hidden something on a shared device. But if you find an app you don't recognize or don't want, deleting it completely is straightforward once you know where to look.
Key Takeaways
- On Android, hidden apps can be unhidden through your launcher settings or found by searching in Settings, then uninstalled like any other app.
- On iPhone, hidden apps don't truly disappear — they move to a separate view, and you delete them the same way as visible apps.
- If an app won't uninstall, it may be set as a device administrator on Android, which requires removing that permission first.
- Searching your device for the app name is often faster than scrolling through settings, especially if you don't remember which folder it's in.
How to unhide and delete an app on Android
Start by opening your app drawer — the grid icon that shows all your installed apps. Look for a menu button (usually three dots or lines) at the top of the screen. Tap it and look for an option called "Show hidden apps," "Unhide apps," or "App visibility." The exact wording depends on your phone's manufacturer and Android version.
Once you tap that option, you'll see a list of apps that are currently hidden. Find the one you want to delete, tap and hold it, then select "Uninstall" from the menu that appears. If you can't find the menu option in your app drawer, try opening Settings, then Apps or process Manager, searching for the app by name, and tapping "Uninstall" from its details page. This method works on most Android phones regardless of launcher.
If the uninstall button is grayed out or won't respond, the app may be set as a device administrator. Go to Settings, then Security (or Privacy and Security), then Device Admin Apps or Device Administrators. Find the app in the list, tap it, and select "Remove" or "Deactivate." After that, go back to Settings > Apps and uninstall it normally.
How to delete a hidden app on iPhone
On iPhone, apps aren't truly hidden the way Android hides them — instead, they're removed from your home screen and moved to the App Library. To find a hidden app, swipe to your rightmost home screen (or swipe right from your home screen) until you reach the App Library. You'll see categories like Utilities, Productivity, and Games. The app you're looking for is in one of these folders.
Once you find it, tap and hold the app icon until a menu appears. Select "Remove App," then choose "Remove from Home Screen" if you only want to hide it further, or "Delete App" if you want to remove it completely. Tap "Delete" to confirm. The app will be removed from your iPhone entirely, and you'll free up the storage space it was using.
If you can't find the app by browsing the App Library, use Spotlight search instead. Swipe down from the top of your home screen and type the app's name. If it appears in the results, tap and hold it, select "Remove App," then "Delete App."
What to do if an app won't delete
On Android, the most common reason an app won't uninstall is that it's been set as a device administrator. This is a security setting that gives the app extra permissions. Go to Settings > Security > Device Admin Apps, find the app, and tap "Deactivate" or "Remove." Then try uninstalling again from the Apps menu.
Another reason might be that the app is a system app — one that came pre-installed on your phone. You usually can't fully uninstall system apps, but you can disable them. Open Settings > Apps, find the app, and tap "Disable." This stops it from running and removes it from your app drawer, though it stays on your device.
On iPhone, if an app won't delete, restart your phone and try again. If it still won't work, the app may be corrupted. Try offloading it instead: go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find the app, tap it, and select "Offload App." This removes the app but keeps your data. Then tap "Delete App" to remove it completely.
Finding apps you didn't know were hidden
If you suspect there are hidden apps on your device but you're not sure what they are, search is your fastest tool. On Android, open your app drawer and use the search bar at the top — type common app names or categories like "social," "messaging," or "game" to see what comes up. On iPhone, use Spotlight search the same way.
On Android, you can also check your storage to see what's taking up space. Go to Settings > Storage or Settings > Apps and Storage, then sort by size. Apps that use a lot of storage but don't have visible icons are likely hidden. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see a list of all installed apps with their sizes, even if they're hidden from your home screen.
Why apps get hidden in the first place
Apps hide themselves or get hidden for different reasons. Some parental control apps hide themselves to prevent a child from disabling them. Some security apps hide to avoid being uninstalled by malware. On Android, you might have hidden an app yourself to clean up your home screen, or a launcher app might have a "hide" feature you used without realizing it would be hard to find later.
If you find an app you don't recognize and didn't install, search online for its package name (shown in Settings > Apps on Android) or its full name. This tells you what it does and whether it's safe. If it's something you genuinely don't want, delete it. If you're unsure, you can disable it instead of uninstalling — this stops it from running without removing it completely, so you can re-enable it later if you change your mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hide an app again after unhiding it?
On Android, yes — go back to your app drawer menu and select "Hide apps," then choose the app. On iPhone, you can only remove apps from your home screen; they'll still appear in the App Library and in search results. There's no true "hide" feature like Android has.
Will deleting a hidden app free up storage space?
Yes. Uninstalling any app, hidden or visible, removes it from your device and frees up the space it was using. You can check how much space an app takes up before you delete it by going to Settings > Apps (Android) or Settings > General > iPhone Storage (iPhone).
What if I delete an app by mistake?
On Android, you can reinstall it from the Google Play Store. On iPhone, go to the App Store, tap your profile icon, select "Purchased," find the app, and tap the read icon to reinstall it. Your data may or may not be saved depending on whether the app backs up to the cloud.
Is it safe to delete system apps?
You usually can't fully delete system apps — your phone won't let you. You can only disable them. Disabling is safe; it just stops the app from running. Don't disable apps you're unsure about, though, because some system apps are needed for your phone to work properly.
How do I know if a hidden app is malware?
Search the app's name online along with "malware" or "safe." Check what permissions it asks for in Settings > Apps > Permissions — if it asks for access to your contacts, location, or camera but doesn't need it for its function, that's a red flag. When in doubt, delete it and run a scan with your phone's built-in security tool.