Got an iPad 9th Gen and looking to keep certain apps out of sight? Whether it's for privacy, decluttering, or managing screen time, knowing how to hide apps on your iPad can be incredibly useful. Let's dive in and master the art of discreet app management on your device!
The Art of Digital Discretion: Hiding Apps on Your iPad 9th Generation
Your iPad is a personal hub, and sometimes, you want to keep certain aspects of it private. Perhaps you have financial apps you'd prefer not to be easily discoverable, or maybe you're trying to minimize distractions by tucking away less-used social media apps. Whatever your reason, iPadOS offers several clever ways to achieve this. We'll explore various methods, from simply removing apps from your Home Screen to utilizing powerful privacy features.
Step 1: Let's Get Started – What's Your Hiding Goal?
Before we jump into the "how," let's consider the "why." Are you looking to completely remove an app from plain sight, or do you just want to tidy up your Home Screen without deleting the app entirely? Understanding your goal will help you choose the most effective method.
- Goal A: Completely Hide and Protect an App: You want the app to be virtually invisible and require authentication (Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode) to access it. This is ideal for sensitive apps.
- Goal B: Declutter Your Home Screen: You want to remove an app icon from your Home Screen, but still have it accessible in the App Library. This is great for organization.
- Goal C: Restrict Access to Certain Apps: You want to prevent yourself or others (especially children) from opening specific apps, or even from downloading new apps. This involves parental controls.
- Goal D: Hide Purchased Apps from Your App Store History: You want to remove an app from your list of purchased apps in the App Store, though it won't hide it from your device if already downloaded.
Once you have a clear goal in mind, proceed to the relevant steps below!
Step 2: Hiding Apps Using the Official "Hide App" Feature (iPadOS 18 and later)
With recent iPadOS updates, Apple has introduced a direct way to hide and lock apps, providing a robust privacy solution. This method moves the app to a "Hidden" folder within your App Library and requires authentication to access it.
Sub-heading: Hiding a Downloaded App
This method works for most third-party apps you've downloaded from the App Store. Note that built-in Apple apps generally cannot be hidden using this specific feature, though they can be locked.
- Locate the App: Go to your Home Screen and find the app you wish to hide.
- Initiate Quick Actions: Touch and hold the app icon until a quick actions menu appears and the app icons begin to jiggle.
- Select the Hiding Option: In the menu, tap on "Require Face ID" (or "Require Touch ID" or "Require Passcode," depending on your iPad model and settings).
- Confirm Hiding: A new prompt will appear. Tap on "Hide and Require Face ID" (or the corresponding option for Touch ID/Passcode).
- Authenticate: Your iPad will then ask you to authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
- Confirm Hide App: A final confirmation screen will appear, explaining that the app will be hidden and moved to the "Hidden" folder in the App Library. Tap "Hide App".
Voila! The app icon will vanish from your Home Screen and any other standard app locations. It's now securely tucked away.
Sub-heading: Accessing Your Hidden Apps
To find and open a hidden app:
- Go to the App Library: Swipe left past all your Home Screen pages until you reach the App Library.
- Locate the "Hidden" Folder: At the bottom of the App Library, you'll see a folder labeled "Hidden".
- Authenticate: Tap on the "Hidden" folder. You will be prompted to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
- Open the App: Once authenticated, the hidden app(s) will be revealed. Tap on the app icon to open it.
Sub-heading: Unhiding an App
If you want an app to reappear on your Home Screen:
- Access the Hidden Folder: Follow the steps above to reach the "Hidden" folder in your App Library and authenticate.
- Touch and Hold the App: Touch and hold the app icon within the "Hidden" folder.
- Choose "Don't Require Face ID": From the quick actions menu, tap "Don't Require Face ID" (or "Don't Require Touch ID" / "Don't Require Passcode").
- Authenticate: Authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
- Add to Home Screen: The app will now be unhidden. You can drag it from the App Library back to your Home Screen, or it might automatically reappear on an available Home Screen page.
Step 3: Removing Apps from the Home Screen (Moving to App Library)
This method is perfect for decluttering your Home Screen without entirely hiding an app. The app will still be readily available in your App Library.
- Locate the App: Find the app icon on your Home Screen.
- Initiate Jiggle Mode: Touch and hold the app icon until all the app icons start to jiggle. You'll also see a context menu appear.
- Select "Remove App": From the context menu, tap "Remove App".
- Choose "Remove from Home Screen": You'll see two options: "Delete App" and "Remove from Home Screen." To keep the app but remove it from your Home Screen, tap "Remove from Home Screen".
The app icon will disappear from your Home Screen, but it will still be in your App Library, organized into its respective category.
Sub-heading: Finding Apps in the App Library
To access an app that has been removed from the Home Screen:
- Swipe to App Library: Swipe left on your Home Screen until you reach the App Library (the very last page).
- Browse or Search: You can either browse the categorized folders or use the search bar at the top to quickly find the app by name.
- Open the App: Tap on the app icon to open it.
Sub-heading: Bringing an App Back to the Home Screen
To place an app back on your Home Screen from the App Library:
- Go to App Library: Swipe to the App Library.
- Touch and Hold the App: Touch and hold the app icon in the App Library.
- Drag to Home Screen: Without lifting your finger, drag the app icon out of the App Library. Your Home Screen pages will appear, and you can place the app wherever you like. Release your finger to drop the app.
Step 4: Hiding Entire Home Screen Pages
If you have multiple Home Screen pages filled with apps and want to simplify your view, you can hide entire pages. This is a great way to manage distractions and keep certain app collections out of immediate view.
- Enter Jiggle Mode: On any Home Screen page, touch and hold an empty area of the wallpaper until the app icons begin to jiggle.
- Tap the Dots: At the bottom of the screen, you'll see a series of small dots, representing your Home Screen pages. Tap on these dots.
- Hide Pages: Thumbnail images of your Home Screen pages will appear with checkmarks below them. To hide a page, tap to remove the checkmark below its thumbnail.
- Confirm: Tap "Done" in the top right corner (or press the Home button if your iPad has one) to exit jiggle mode.
The hidden pages will no longer be visible as you swipe through your Home Screens. Apps on these hidden pages will still be available in the App Library.
Sub-heading: Revealing Hidden Home Screen Pages
To bring a hidden Home Screen page back:
- Enter Jiggle Mode: Touch and hold an empty area of the Home Screen wallpaper until the app icons jiggle.
- Tap the Dots: Tap on the small dots at the bottom of the screen.
- Show Pages: Tap to add the checkmark below the thumbnail of the page you want to reveal.
- Confirm: Tap "Done" or press the Home button.
Step 5: Restricting App Access with Screen Time
For more robust control, especially for parental controls or self-discipline, Screen Time offers a powerful suite of options to restrict app usage, prevent app downloads, and even hide certain built-in apps.
Sub-heading: Setting Up Content & Privacy Restrictions
- Go to Settings: Open the "Settings" app.
- Tap "Screen Time": Scroll down and tap on "Screen Time".
- Turn on Screen Time (if not already): If it's your first time, tap "Turn On Screen Time" and follow the prompts. You can set a Screen Time Passcode here, which is crucial for preventing others from changing your restrictions.
- Tap "Content & Privacy Restrictions": Once Screen Time is set up, tap "Content & Privacy Restrictions".
- Enable Restrictions: Toggle the switch next to "Content & Privacy Restrictions" to "On". You'll need to enter your Screen Time passcode if you've set one.
Sub-heading: Hiding Built-in Apps (Allowed Apps & Features)
This method lets you hide pre-installed Apple apps like Mail, Safari, Camera, FaceTime, etc.
- Navigate to "Allowed Apps & Features": Within "Content & Privacy Restrictions," tap "Allowed Apps & Features".
- Toggle Off Apps: You'll see a list of built-in Apple apps and features. Toggle off the switch next to any app you want to hide from your Home Screen. It won't be deleted, just hidden.
Sub-heading: Restricting App Downloads (iTunes & App Store Purchases)
This is useful for preventing accidental downloads or purchases, or for managing a child's access to new apps.
- Navigate to "iTunes & App Store Purchases": Within "Content & Privacy Restrictions," tap "iTunes & App Store Purchases".
- Adjust Settings:
- Installing Apps: Tap this and choose "Don't Allow" to prevent new app downloads from the App Store.
- Deleting Apps: Tap this and choose "Don't Allow" to prevent anyone from deleting apps from your iPad.
- In-app Purchases: Choose "Don't Allow" to prevent purchases within apps.
Sub-heading: Restricting Apps Based on Age Ratings
You can set restrictions for apps based on their age ratings, effectively hiding apps that exceed a certain rating.
- Navigate to "App Store, Media, Web & Games": Within "Content & Privacy Restrictions," tap "App Store, Media, Web & Games".
- Tap "Apps": Under "Store Content," tap "Apps".
- Choose an Age Rating: Select an age rating (e.g., "9+", "12+", "17+," or "Don't Allow Apps"). Any apps installed on your iPad that have a rating higher than your selection will be hidden.
Remember: For Screen Time changes, you'll always need your Screen Time Passcode.
Step 6: Hiding Purchased Apps from Your App Store History
This method doesn't hide the app from your Home Screen or App Library if it's already installed, but it removes it from your purchase history in the App Store. This is useful if you don't want a particular app showing up in your list of downloaded items, especially if you use Family Sharing.
- Open the App Store: Tap on the "App Store" app.
- Access Your Account: Tap on your profile picture or initials in the top right corner.
- Go to "Purchased": Tap "Purchased". If you use Family Sharing, you might need to tap "My Purchases."
- Find the App: Scroll through your list of purchased apps to find the one you want to hide.
- Swipe Left and Hide: Swipe left on the app you wish to hide, then tap "Hide".
The app will no longer appear in your purchased list. If you want to redownload it later, you'll need to unhide it first.
Sub-heading: Unhiding Purchased Apps
- Open the App Store: Tap on the "App Store" app.
- Access Your Account: Tap on your profile picture or initials.
- Tap Your Name/Apple Account: Tap on your name or Apple Account at the top of the menu. You might need to sign in with your Apple ID.
- Scroll to "Hidden Purchases": Scroll down and tap "Hidden Purchases".
- Unhide the App: Find the app you want to unhide, and tap "Unhide" next to it.
- Redownload (if needed): If the app isn't on your iPad, you'll need to search for it in the App Store and tap the cloud icon to redownload it. You won't be charged again.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 10 common questions related to hiding apps on your iPad 9th Generation:
How to hide apps from Spotlight Search on iPad?
When you use the "Hide App" feature (iPadOS 18 and later), the app will generally not appear in Spotlight Search or Siri suggestions. For apps removed from the Home Screen or hidden via Screen Time, they won't appear on the Home Screen, but can still be found via Spotlight Search.
How to hide apps without deleting them on iPad?
You can remove apps from the Home Screen (moving them to the App Library) or use the dedicated "Hide App" feature (iPadOS 18+). Both methods hide the app from the Home Screen without deleting it from your device.
How to hide default Apple apps on iPad?
Many default Apple apps (like Mail, Safari, Camera) can be hidden using the "Allowed Apps & Features" section within Screen Time's "Content & Privacy Restrictions."
How to find hidden apps on iPad?
If you used the "Hide App" feature, they're in the "Hidden" folder in the App Library. If you removed them from the Home Screen, they are in their respective categories in the App Library. Apps restricted by Screen Time are generally hidden from all views.
How to hide app notifications on iPad?
Hiding an app with the official "Hide App" feature will prevent notifications from that app. For other apps, you can manage notifications by going to Settings > Notifications, selecting the app, and adjusting its alert style and other settings.
How to hide apps for specific users on iPad?
iPadOS doesn't have multi-user profiles in the same way a desktop OS does. The best way to hide apps for specific users (e.g., children) is to use Screen Time restrictions for that particular user's device, setting up a Screen Time passcode to prevent changes.
How to hide apps that don't have the "Hide App" option?
If an app doesn't show the "Hide and Require Face ID" option, it's likely a built-in Apple app. In this case, use Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps & Features to hide it.
How to hide app store purchases from family sharing on iPad?
You can hide individual app purchases from your purchase history in the App Store by going to your account, then "Purchased," swiping left on the app, and tapping "Hide." This will prevent family members from seeing or redownloading it from your shared purchases list.
How to know if an app is hidden on iPad?
If an app is hidden using the official "Hide App" feature, it will only appear in the "Hidden" folder within the App Library after authentication. If it's hidden via Screen Time, it simply won't appear on your Home Screen or in the App Library.
How to hide apps from appearing in Siri Suggestions or Search results?
The official "Hide App" feature (iPadOS 18+) aims to prevent the app from appearing in search results and Siri suggestions. For other apps, you can go to Settings > Siri & Search, scroll down to the app, and toggle off "Show App in Search" and "Show Content in Search."
