How to Find Hidden Apps on iPhone: Simple Steps Guide

Have you ever tried finding an app on your iPhone, only to realize it’s missing from your home screen? Whether it’s accidentally hidden, intentionally removed for privacy, or lost in your app library, discovering hidden apps can feel like a mystery. Thankfully, iPhones offer several ways to locate hidden apps with ease. This guide will show you step-by-step how to find hidden apps on your iPhone, even if you’re using the latest iOS 18.

Why Are Apps Hidden on iPhone?

iPhones allow users to hide apps for multiple reasons:

• Decluttering the Home Screen: Too many apps can overwhelm your home screen. By hiding apps, you can keep it clean and organized.
• Parental Controls: Parents may hide apps to control the apps their children can access.
• Privacy Concerns: Some users prefer to keep sensitive apps away from prying eyes by hiding them.

No matter the reason, finding these hidden apps can be simple if you know the right techniques. Here’s how to uncover hidden apps quickly.

How to Find Hidden Apps on iPhone

1. Use Spotlight Search

The quickest way to find hidden apps on iPhone is through Spotlight Search. This method works even if the app has been removed from the home screen.

• Swipe down from the center of the home screen to access Spotlight Search.
• Type the name of the hidden app in the search bar.
• The app icon will appear in the search results. Simply tap on it to open the app.

This is one of the easiest ways to find any hidden apps on your iPhone.

2. Check the App Library

Starting with iOS 14, Apple introduced the App Library, which organizes all your apps in a neat folder system. If you’ve hidden an app, it may still be found here.

• Swipe left from your home screen until you reach the App Library.
• You can either browse through the folders or type the app name in the search bar at the top of the App Library.
• Once you find the app, press and hold the app icon, then tap Add to Home Screen to unhide it.

The App Library is a great place to locate apps that are hidden but not deleted.

3. Unhide Home Screen Pages

Sometimes, apps might disappear because an entire home screen page is hidden. Here’s how to unhide those pages.

• Press and hold a blank space on your home screen.
• Tap the dots at the bottom of the screen (representing your pages).
• If any of your home screen pages are unchecked, tap the hollow circle to make the page visible again.
• Tap Done to save your changes.

Unhiding a home screen page will restore all the apps that were previously hidden on that page.

4. Use the Settings App

If none of the above methods work, you can also check your iPhone’s Settings to find hidden apps, especially if they were hidden using parental controls.

• Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
• Tap Allowed Apps to see which apps are restricted.
• Toggle the apps back on if they were restricted or hidden.

This method works if the app was hidden due to content restrictions, such as Screen Time or parental controls.

How to Hide Apps on iPhone

If you’re interested in hiding apps on your iPhone for privacy or organization, follow these simple steps:

Hide an App from the Home Screen

• Press and hold the app icon you want to hide.
• Tap Remove App from the pop-up menu.
• Select Remove from Home Screen. This will hide the app from your home screen but keep it in the App Library.

You can easily access the app later through Spotlight Search or the App Library.

Hide Entire Home Screen Pages

As mentioned earlier, you can hide a whole page of apps by:

• Holding a blank area on the home screen.
• Tapping the dots at the bottom.
• Unchecking the pages you want to hide.

Hide Apps from Siri & Search

To hide apps from appearing in search results or when using Siri, do the following:

• Open Settings > Siri & Search.
• Scroll down and select the app you want to hide.
• Toggle off the options that say Show App in Search and Suggest App.

This will prevent the app from being visible in Spotlight Search and Siri suggestions.

How to Find an App That Is Hidden on iPhone (iOS 18)

With iOS 18, Apple has introduced even more features to organize and hide apps. If you’re using iOS 18, here’s an additional method:

• Go to Settings > App Library Preferences.
• Ensure that App Library Only is not selected. This will prevent apps from being hidden only in the App Library.
• Use the App Store to see if the app was mistakenly deleted. Tap Open next to the app’s name to reinstall it or add it back to your home screen.

Finding Hidden Apps Using Family Sharing

For those using Family Sharing, hidden apps might still be accessible to family members. Here’s how to ensure that hidden apps are shared correctly:

• Go to Settings > Family Sharing.
• Tap Purchase Sharing and make sure Share My Purchases is enabled.
• Even if an app is hidden, family members can still access it through the App Store by tapping the family member’s profile under Purchased.

This method is particularly useful for apps that are part of a shared App Store purchase history.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How do I unhide apps on my iPhone?

A: To unhide apps, use Spotlight Search or find them in the App Library. Alternatively, you can check Settings > Siri & Search to make sure the app isn’t hidden from search results.

Q: How can I find hidden apps using iOS 18 features?

A: On iOS 18, ensure that App Library Only is not selected in App Library Preferences. Use Spotlight Search or the App Store to locate any hidden apps.

Q: How do I hide apps from search and Siri suggestions?

A: Go to Settings > Siri & Search and toggle off options to hide the app from appearing in search results and Siri suggestions.

Q: Can hidden apps be found using Family Sharing?

A: Yes, hidden apps can still be accessed through Family Sharing. Go to Settings > Family Sharing > Purchase Sharing to share purchases across family members.

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Feature Snippet: How to Find Hidden Apps on iPhone (iOS 18)

Here’s a quick visual guide to finding hidden apps on iPhone:

Method	Steps
Spotlight Search	Swipe down on the home screen, type app name, and tap on the app icon.
App Library	Swipe left to access the App Library and search for the hidden app.
Unhide Pages	Press and hold the home screen, tap dots, uncheck pages to unhide.
Siri & Search	Go to Settings, Siri & Search, toggle off options for hidden apps.

By following this easy guide, you’ll be able to find any hidden apps on your iPhone quickly, regardless of whether they were removed from the home screen, restricted by parental controls, or simply buried in a folder.

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