Your iPhone’s secret app folder has three big flaws – be careful if used new ‘lock and hide’ trick
ONE of the best features added to iPhones is the ability to lock and even hide apps – but it’s not perfect.
If you’ve decided to hide an app or two, you should know that people can still find evidence of them on your iPhone.
Apple added the feature in the recent iOS 18 update that rolled out to millions of iPhone models around the world.
First, here’s how the feature works.
HOW TO LOCK AND HIDE APPS ON IPHONE
The idea is that you might sometimes hand someone your iPhone to show them something – but don’t want them to have total access to your handset.
That might especially be the case if you’re letting your kids play on your phone.
Locking an app solves that, because it stops them getting in without your Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode.
But you can also hide apps, which not only locks them but conceals their presence on your iPhone.
If you lock an app, its info won’t appear in certain parts of your device.
For instance, it won’t show up in notification previews, search, Siri suggestions, or your call history.
To lock an app, just go to the Home screen, then touch and hold on an app icon.
Tap Require Face ID, then choose Require Face ID again.
Once you’ve authenticated, the app will be locked.
Note that you can’t lock certain default apps like Calculator, Camera, Clock, Contacts, Find My, Maps, Shortcuts, or Settings.
To hide an app, follow the same process above, but choose the Hide and Require Face ID option.
This will remove the app from your Home Screen.
iOS 18 devices – can your iPhone get it?
Here are the devices that can get the new iOS 18 update
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- iPhone SE (3rd generation)
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
To find the app, you’ll need to go to the Hidden folder at the bottom of the App Library (the far-right Home Screen panel on your iPhone).
WHAT GIVES YOUR HIDDEN APPS AWAY?
There are some big advantages to keeping apps in the Hidden folder.
For a start, the folder itself is tucked right at the bottom of the iPhone’s App Library.
And the folder won’t even show if it hasn’t anything in it at all.
However there are three places where your iPhone might reveal that you’ve got a hidden app installed.
The first is in Settings > Screen Time, a place designed to log your activity to keep your phone usage in check.
Secondly, you might find the app in Settings > Battery > Battery Health, a tool that monitors how apps drain your charge.
And thirdly, you’ll be able to find the app in your Apple App Store purchase history.
So while hiding an app can do a great job of concealing it, the feature isn’t totally perfect.
Keep that in mind if it’s extremely important that someone with access to your phone doesn’t find a specific app.