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'key takeaways

• Lock iPhone apps with Face ID to prevent others from accessing.
• You can also hide apps in a secret folder to keep them out of sight.
• Or you can remove apps from your home screen without hiding them.

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I try not to let my young daughter have too much screen time, but she loves watching YouTube Kids. Unfortunately, she recently learned about regular YouTube. My mother-in-law let her use it on her iPhone (yes, I've told her not to do that anymore), and ever since, my daughter has been on a mission to grab a phone and head straight for YouTube. Parenting is fun.

Also: 7 AI features I'd like to see the iPhone 17 embrace from Google, OpenAI, and others

Thankfully, Apple added some handy iOS 18 features that let you lock apps behind Face ID and even hide them completely in a secret folder. I just set this up on my iPhone for the first time. I've also shown my mother-in-law -- as well as my husband and a few other parents who had no idea these features existed -- how to use the trick.

Now my daughter can still grab a phone to watch her Ms. Rachel videos on YouTube Kids, without wandering into the wilds of regular YouTube.

How to lock and hide apps on iPhone

What you'll need:You need an iPhone running iOS 18 and an app to lock and hide, such as YouTube. You can also do this on an iPad running iPadOS 18 -- the process is exactly the same.

1: Lock an app with Face ID

When you lock an app, you will no longer be able to open it unless you authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. It's great if you want to keep kids or anyone else really from poking into specific apps.

How to lock an app on iPhone

1. Go to your iPhone's home screen.
2. Find the app you want to lock.
3. Touch and hold the app icon until a quick actions menu opens.
4. Tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode).
5. Tap it again, then authenticate with your Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode.

Also: 9 iPhone 17 Air rumors I'm tracking - and why Apple's ultra-thin model is set to kill the Plus

Now, any time someone taps that app, they'll have to get through Face ID first. However, not every app can be locked. Some system apps like Camera, Clock, Contacts, Find My, Maps, and Settings can't be locked. But most others -- including Messages, Podcasts, Music, the App Store, and third-party apps like Instagram -- can be.

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2. Hide an app in a secret folder

If locking isn't enough -- for example, if just seeing an app icon could be a problem -- you can hide apps.

When you hide an app, it disappears from your home screen and gets stored in a Hidden folder at the bottom of your App Library. To find it, someone would have to swipe right on the home screen to open the App Library, scroll all the way down, notice the Hidden folder, and then unlock it with Face ID to open it.

Unlikely, right?

How to put apps in a hidden folder on iPhone:

1. Go to your home screen.
2. Find the app you want to hide.
3. Touch and hold the app icon until the quick actions menu opens.
4. Tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode).
5. Tap Hide and Require Face ID, then authenticate.
6. Confirm by tapping Hide App.

Also: Just installed iOS 18.6 on your iPhone? 11 settings I would change first for the best experience

You can hide most apps you download from the App Store, but some built-in Apple apps like Camera and Messages can't be hidden. Once an app is removed from your home screen, it won't appear in searches or Siri suggestions. To see it again, you'll need to go to your App Library, open the Hidden folder, and authenticate.

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3. Optional: Remove app from home screen instead

If you want to lock an app but don't need to hide it -- or if you simply want to remove it from your home screen -- you can do that too. The app isn't hidden or deleted; it just gets tucked away in your App Library and stays fully visible. If it's locked, you'll still need Face ID to open it from the App Library.

How to remove an app from your iPhone home screen:

1. Go to your home screen.
2. Touch and hold the app you want to remove.
3. In the quick actions menu, tap Remove App.
4. Choose Remove from Home Screen.

Also: Changing these iOS 18 settings significantly improved my iPhone's battery life

The app icon should be removed from your home screen but still accessible in your App Library (swipe from right on the home screen), where you can still search for it or scroll to find it, even if locked.

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FAQs

Can I lock or hide any app I want on iPhone?

You can lock most apps, including Messages and third-party apps from the App Store. 

Also: These 14 secret codes revealed hidden menus on my iPhone and Android

However, Apple doesn't allow you to lock or hide certain core system apps like Settings and Find My. It's worth pressing and holding on an app for a moment to see what quick action options appear.

Do hidden apps still send notifications on iPhone?

No. Once hidden, the app won't send notifications until you open it again. That also means notifications from a hidden app won't appear in previews or in the Notification Center on your lock screen.

How do I find my hidden apps on iPhone?

Hidden apps live in a special folder in your App Library. Swipe from right to open the App Library, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap the folder labeled Hidden, and authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. You'll then see the hidden apps inside.

How do I unhide or unlock an app?

If you change your mind, it's easy to bring an app back to the surface. 

Go to the App Library, find the app (including if it's in the Hidden folder), touch and hold the app, and tap Don't Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode). Authenticate one last time, and the app will be unhidden and visible in your App Library again. 

Also: How to clear your iPhone cache (and why you should do it before the iOS 26 update)

If you want it back on your home screen, just touch and hold it, then tap Add to Home Screen.

Elyse Betters Picaro /

Can I lock and hide an app on my iPad?

Yes. The steps are exactly the same. 

Why else would I want to lock or hide my apps?

Beyond keeping kids out of apps like YouTube, you can lock or hide apps to help manage your own usage habits. 

Other reasons include reducing distractions, decluttering your home screen and App Library, and simply wanting to better protect your privacy by preventing others from seeing your data.

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