Why you might want to hide an process
Hiding applications is useful when you want to keep certain programs out of sight without removing them entirely. You might hide a fitness app you use occasionally, a banking tool you don't need on your home screen, or a work program when you're off the clock. Hiding is different from uninstalling — the process stays on your device, takes up the same storage space, and continues to receive updates. You're straightforward removing it from your main view.
The method you use depends on what device you have and what you mean by "hide". On phones and tablets, you can remove apps from your home screen, hide them in folders, or use built-in privacy features. On computers, you can move programs to less visible locations or use system settings to prevent them from launching automatically. This guide covers the most common approaches for each platform.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhones and iPads, you can remove apps from your home screen by long-pressing and selecting "Remove App", which hides them but keeps them in your App Library.
- On Android phones, long-press an app icon and select "Remove from Home Screen" or drag it into a folder to keep it out of when ready view.
- On Windows computers, you can unpin programs from the Start menu or move their shortcuts to a folder you don't access often.
- On Mac computers, you can hide applications by moving them to a folder or using Spotlight search to keep them accessible without displaying them visibly.
- Hiding an app does not delete it, stop updates, or prevent it from running in the background — it only removes it from your normal view.
Hiding apps on iPhone and iPad
On an iPhone or iPad, the simplest way to hide an app is to remove it from your home screen. Long-press the app icon until a menu appears, then tap "Remove App". A second menu will ask whether you want to remove it from the home screen only or delete it entirely. Choose "Remove from Home Screen" to keep the app on your device while hiding it from view.
The app will move to your App Library, which is the last screen you see when you swipe all the way to the right on your home screen. Your App Library organizes apps by category — Productivity, Health, Entertainment, and so on — so the app is still there if you need it, but it's not cluttering your main screens. You can still search for it using Spotlight (swipe down from the top of the screen and type the app name) to open it quickly.
If you want even more privacy, you can hide an app's notifications. Open Settings, tap Notifications, find the app, and toggle off "Allow Notifications". The app will still run and update, but it won't alert you or show badges with unread counts on its icon.
Hiding apps on Android phones
Android phones vary by manufacturer, but most follow the same basic approach. Long-press an app icon on your home screen until a menu appears. Look for an option that says "Remove from Home Screen" or "Uninstall" — choose "Remove from Home Screen" to hide it without deleting it. The app will disappear from your home screen but remain in your app drawer (the grid icon that shows all installed applications).
If your phone has an app drawer, you can also hide apps there. Open your app drawer, long-press the app you want to hide, and look for "Hide App" or "Hide from App Drawer" — not all Android phones offer this option, but Samsung and Google Pixel phones do. Once hidden, the app won't appear in your app drawer or home screen, though you can still find it by searching (swipe up from the home screen and type the app name).
Some Android phones let you disable notifications for specific apps without hiding them. Open Settings, tap Apps or process Manager, find the app, and toggle off notifications. The app stays visible but stops sending alerts.
Hiding programs on Windows
On Windows, most applications appear in your Start menu. To hide a program from view, right-click its icon in the Start menu and select "Unpin from Start". The program will no longer appear in your Start menu tiles, though it remains installed on your computer and you can still find it by searching (click the search box and type the program name).
If a program launches automatically when you start your computer, you can prevent that without hiding the program itself. Right-click the taskbar at the bottom of your screen, select "Taskbar Settings", scroll down to "Startup Apps", and toggle off any programs you don't want to launch automatically. They'll still be on your computer — they just won't start in the background when you turn on your device.
For programs you rarely use, you can also move their shortcuts to a folder buried in your file system. Right-click the program's shortcut, select "Open File Location", then create a new folder (right-click and select "New Folder") and drag the shortcut into it. The program stays installed, but you won't see it in your normal workflow.
Hiding programs on Mac
On a Mac, the easiest way to hide an process is to move it out of your Applications folder. Open Finder, navigate to Applications, and drag the app you want to hide into a subfolder — you can create a new folder called "Archived Apps" or "Utilities" and store less-used programs there. The app still works and updates normally, but it's not sitting in your main Applications folder where you see it every time you open Finder.
You can also hide an app from your Dock (the row of icons at the bottom of your screen). Right-click the app icon in the Dock, select "Options", and toggle off "Keep in Dock". The app will disappear from the Dock but remain in your Applications folder and accessible through Spotlight (press Command and Space, then type the app name).
If you want to prevent an app from launching automatically when you start your Mac, go to System Settings, click "General", select "Login Items", and remove the app from the list. It will no longer start in the background, but you can still open it manually whenever you need it.
What happens when you hide an app
Hiding an process does not stop it from receiving updates. Your device will still read and install new versions of the app in the background, just as it would if the app were visible. You won't see notifications about these updates, but the app will stay current with security patches and new features.
Hidden apps can still run in the background and use battery, data, or processing power if they're designed to do so. If you want to prevent an app from running at all, you need to uninstall it or disable it (on Android, you can disable some pre-installed apps through Settings). Hiding is purely a visibility change — it doesn't affect how the app functions.
You can always unhide an app by reversing the process: on iPhone, find it in your App Library and tap "Add to Home Screen"; on Android, long-press it in your app drawer and select "Add to Home Screen"; on Windows, search for it and pin it back to your Start menu; on Mac, drag it back to your Applications folder or add it to your Dock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hiding an app delete my data or settings?
No. Hiding an app leaves all your data, login information, and settings intact. When you unhide the app later, everything will be exactly as you left it. The app itself remains fully installed on your device.
Can I hide an app so nobody else can find it?
Hiding removes an app from normal view, but someone with access to your device can still find it by searching or looking in your app drawer. If you need true privacy, consider using your device's built-in privacy features — on iPhone, you can use Screen Time to restrict access to apps; on Android, you can use a PIN-protected folder or a private space feature if your phone has one.
Will a hidden app still send me notifications?
That depends on your settings. By default, hidden apps can still send notifications unless you've turned them off in your notification settings. You can disable notifications for any app without hiding it, or hide an app and disable its notifications separately.
What's the difference between hiding and uninstalling?
Hiding keeps the app on your device and taking up storage space; uninstalling removes it entirely. Hidden apps continue to receive updates and can still run in the background. If you don't plan to use an app again, uninstalling frees up space. If you might use it later, hiding is faster because you don't have to read it again.
Can I hide multiple apps at once?
On most devices, you hide apps one at a time. However, you can speed up the process by creating a folder and moving multiple apps into it — on iPhone, long-press and drag apps into a folder; on Android, drag apps into a folder on your home screen. This keeps them grouped and out of the way without hiding them completely.