How to delete a hidden app depends on your phone's operating system and why the app is hidden
A hidden app is one that doesn't show up on your home screen or app drawer, but still takes up storage space and may run in the background. On Android, you can hide apps through your launcher settings or by disabling them in system settings. On iPhone, hidden apps are usually moved to a hidden folder you create yourself, or they're offloaded through iCloud. The deletion process is straightforward once you locate the app — the harder part is finding it in the first place.
Before you delete anything, understand what you're removing. Some apps come pre-installed on your phone and can only be disabled, not fully deleted. Others are third-party apps you installed yourself. Disabling a pre-installed app stops it from running and hides it, but frees up less storage than a full deletion. Removing a third-party app deletes it completely and recovers all its storage space.
Key Takeaways
- On Android, check your launcher settings and the "Disabled apps" section in Settings to find hidden apps before deleting them.
- On iPhone, swipe through your home screen pages or check the App Library to locate apps you've hidden or moved off the main screen.
- Pre-installed apps can usually only be disabled, not fully deleted, but disabling them stops them from running and removes them from view.
- Third-party apps can be fully deleted, which recovers storage space, while disabled apps still take up some space on your device.
Finding hidden apps on Android
On Android, hidden apps hide in a few different places depending on how they were hidden. Open your app drawer (usually a grid icon at the bottom of your home screen) and look for a menu option — often three dots or lines in the top corner. Tap it and look for "Show hidden apps" or "Manage apps." This reveals apps you've manually hidden through your launcher.
If that doesn't show what you're looking for, go to Settings, then Apps (or Application Manager, depending on your phone brand). Scroll to the top and look for a filter option — often a funnel icon or a menu. Tap it and select "Show system apps" or "All apps." This displays every app on your phone, including pre-installed ones you may have disabled. Apps marked as "Disabled" won't run or appear on your home screen, but they still exist in your system.
Some Android phones also have a separate "Disabled apps" folder in Settings. On Samsung phones, for example, go to Settings > Apps > More options (three dots) > Show system apps, then scroll down to find disabled apps. On Google Pixel phones, Settings > Apps & notifications > App permissions will show you what's installed and running.
Finding hidden apps on iPhone
iPhone doesn't have a built-in "hide app" feature the way Android does, so hidden apps are usually just moved off your home screen. Swipe left through all your home screen pages to see if the app is on a page you don't normally use. Check the last page especially — apps often end up there.
If you still can't find it, open the App Library by swiping to the rightmost screen on your phone. The App Library organizes all your apps into categories like Productivity, Entertainment, and Utilities. Search for the app by name using the search box at the top. If it appears here but not on your home screen, it's been hidden from your main view.
You can also check iCloud settings to see if the app has been offloaded. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups, then tap your device name. Scroll through the list of apps — offloaded apps show a cloud icon with a download arrow. These apps are still backed up but not taking up space on your phone.
Deleting a hidden app on Android
Once you've found the app in your app drawer or Settings, deletion depends on whether it's a pre-installed app or one you installed yourself. For third-party apps you installed, open the app drawer, long-press the app icon, and select "Uninstall" or "Remove." Alternatively, go to Settings > Apps, find the app, tap it, and select "Uninstall." Confirm the action and the app is deleted completely.
For pre-installed apps, you usually can't fully delete them, but you can disable them. Open Settings > Apps, find the app, tap it, and select "Disable" or "Turn off." A dialog will appear asking if you want to disable the app for all users — select yes. The app will no longer run or appear on your home screen, though it remains in your system files. Some phones also let you uninstall updates to pre-installed apps by tapping "Uninstall updates" instead of "Disable."
If you're unsure whether an app is safe to disable, search for its name online first. System apps like Google Play Services or Android System WebView should never be disabled, as they're required for your phone to function. Disabling them can cause crashes or prevent your phone from working properly.
Deleting a hidden app on iPhone
Once you've located the app, deletion is the same as removing any other app. Long-press the app icon and select "Remove App," then choose "Delete App" to confirm. Alternatively, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find the app in the list, tap it, and select "Delete App." Confirm the action and the app is removed from your phone and iCloud backup.
If the app is offloaded rather than hidden, you'll see an option to "Remove App" with a note that it's offloaded. Tapping this removes it from your backups as well. If you want to keep the backup but just remove it from your phone, select "Offload App" instead — this frees up storage while keeping your data in iCloud.
iPhone doesn't distinguish between pre-installed and third-party apps the way Android does. Most pre-installed Apple apps like Mail, Stocks, or Reminders can be deleted, though you can also hide them by moving them to a hidden folder. A few system apps like Settings and Phone cannot be deleted, but these are never hidden in the first place.
What happens after you delete or disable an app
Deleting a third-party app removes it completely and recovers all the storage space it used. Your phone will no longer run any background processes for that app, and you won't receive notifications from it. If you want to use it again later, you'll need to reinstall it from the app store.
Disabling a pre-installed app stops it from running and removes it from your home screen and app drawer, but it still takes up some storage space because the app files remain in your system. You can re-enable it anytime by going back to Settings > Apps, finding the app, and selecting "Enable." Disabling is useful if you don't want an app running but might want to use it again without reinstalling.
After deletion or disabling, check your home screen and app drawer to confirm the app is gone. On Android, you may need to refresh your launcher by swiping down or restarting your phone. On iPhone, the change is usually immediate.
Why apps stay hidden and how to prevent it
Apps hide for different reasons. You might have manually hidden an app to declutter your home screen. A family member or someone with access to your phone might have hidden an app intentionally. Parental control apps can also hide apps to restrict access. Pre-installed apps sometimes hide because you disabled them or because your phone's launcher automatically hides bloatware.
To prevent apps from hiding accidentally, avoid long-pressing app icons unless you mean to move or hide them. On Android, be careful in your launcher settings — a stray tap on "Hide app" can remove it from view. On iPhone, don't move apps to folders you forget about. If you use parental controls, check the settings regularly to see which apps are restricted.
If you find apps hidden that you didn't hide yourself, someone else may have access to your phone. Change your passwords, enable a screen lock if you haven't already, and consider reviewing your account security settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover an app after I delete it?
Yes. Go to your app store (Google Play Store on Android or App Store on iPhone), search for the app by name, and reinstall it. Your data may or may not be recovered depending on whether the app backs up to the cloud — check the app's settings before reinstalling if you want to restore previous data.
Will deleting an app free up storage space?
Deleting a third-party app frees up all the space it used. Disabling a pre-installed app frees up some space but not all, since the app files remain in your system. If storage is your main concern, focus on deleting third-party apps rather than disabling system apps.
What's the difference between hiding and disabling an app?
Hiding an app removes it from your home screen and app drawer but the app still runs and takes up space. Disabling an app stops it from running entirely and removes it from view, but it still occupies storage. Deleting an app removes it completely and recovers all storage.
Is it safe to disable pre-installed apps?
Most pre-installed apps are safe to disable, but some are required for your phone to function. Never disable apps with names like "Android System," "Google Play Services," or "System WebView." If you're unsure, search the app name online before disabling it. You can always re-enable it if something goes wrong.
How do I know if an app is running in the background?
On Android, go to Settings > Apps and tap an app to see if it shows "Running" or "Stopped." On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh to see which apps are allowed to run in the background and toggle them off if you want to stop them.