Learning how to hide apps on Samsung is simple: long-press an empty spot on your home screen, tap Home screen settings, then Hide apps, and pick the apps to hide. Tap Done, and they vanish from your drawer at once. For stronger privacy, use Secure Folder instead, because it locks apps behind a PIN or fingerprint. This guide shows 5 best steps to hide apps on Samsung, with help for each One UI version. You will also learn what to do when the option is missing, and the mistakes that give hidden apps away.
Answer Box 1 You can hide apps on Samsung with the Hide apps setting or with Secure Folder. Long-press the home screen, open Home screen settings, tap Hide apps, pick your apps, and tap Done. For private apps, move them into Secure Folder and lock it with a PIN or fingerprint instead.
How to Hide Apps on Samsung in 5 Best Steps
Samsung gives you two hiding tools, and the five steps below use both in order. The first two steps hide apps fast with the simple Hide apps toggle, which suits games and shopping apps. The next three steps move your private apps into Secure Folder and lock them down. Follow the steps in order and test the result after step five. The full pillar guide on how to hide apps on Android covers other brands too.
Step 1. Open the Hide Apps Setting on Your Samsung Phone
Find an empty spot on your home screen with no app icon and no widget. Long-press that spot until a small menu appears at the bottom of the screen. Tap Settings or Home screen settings, and a list of options opens. Look for Hide apps in the list and tap it. If you see no Settings button, tap the three dots or the gear icon, because Samsung moves this button in some One UI versions.
Step 2. Pick the Apps and Save Your Choice
The Hide apps screen shows your installed apps in a grid, with a tick box on each one. Tap each app you want to hide, and a tick appears on it. Take your time, because it is easy to miss an app or hide one you use every day. When your list is complete, tap Done to save. The picked apps vanish from your drawer at once. Check the drawer right away to confirm they are gone.
Step 3. Move Private Apps Into Secure Folder
The Hide apps toggle only removes the icon, so move banking, health, and dating apps into Secure Folder for real privacy. Open Settings, then Security and privacy, then Secure Folder, and sign in with your Samsung account. Choose a PIN, pattern, or fingerprint as the lock. Tap the plus icon, pick the apps to protect, and they move in as separate copies with their own data, guarded by Samsung Knox.
Step 4. Hide the Secure Folder Icon Itself
A visible Secure Folder icon can still invite questions, so hide it once your apps are inside. Open Secure Folder, tap the three dots menu, then Settings, and switch off the option to show the folder on the home screen and drawer. The icon vanishes from both places at once. You can still open the folder from Settings, then Security and privacy. Hide the sign, and the hiding is complete.
Step 5. Lock Secure Folder and Test the Result
The last step is a quick test of the whole setup. Lock Secure Folder, close it, and open your app drawer. Search for a hidden app name in the phone search bar and confirm nothing appears. Open the recent apps view and swipe away any window for a hidden app. If every check passes, your setup is done.
How to Hide Apps on Samsung With Secure Folder in Depth
Secure Folder deserves a closer look, because it is the strongest hiding tool on a Samsung phone and many owners never open it. It creates a separate locked area, protected by Samsung Knox security. Apps inside run as fresh copies with their own accounts and data, and you can store photos and files there too. Samsung held about 21.2 percent of worldwide smartphone shipments in the first quarter of 2026, leading the Android makers, according to IDC.
Setup takes a few minutes the first time, but you only do it once. Open Settings, then Security and privacy, then Secure Folder, and sign in with your Samsung account. If you have no account, create one for free, because the folder needs it to back up its contents. Pick a lock you trust, and a fingerprint plus a PIN is the safest pair. Add apps with the plus icon, and add files with the Add files button.
In the folder settings, turn off notifications if you want no alerts from apps inside. Set the folder to lock itself when you leave it. If you forget the lock, Samsung lets you reset it with your Samsung account, so keep its password known.
One UI Version Differences on Samsung Phones
Samsung changes menu names a little with each One UI version, so steps can look slightly different. On One UI 5 and One UI 6, the Hide apps option sits in Home screen settings after a long-press on an empty spot. On One UI 7, the settings button may show as a gear icon instead. The Secure Folder path also shifts, from Biometrics and security on older versions to Security and privacy on newer ones.
Android 15 adds Private Space on some Samsung phones as well, which gives Galaxy owners a second strong option. Private Space lives in Settings, then Security and privacy, and it works much like Secure Folder with its own lock. If your phone runs Android 15 with One UI 7, try Private Space first for a simple vault, and use Secure Folder when you also want to hide files. Both tools are free and built in.
Older Galaxy phones on One UI 4 or earlier may show the Hide apps screen in rows. The steps are the same. If your phone lacks Secure Folder, check for a software update.
What to Do When the Hide Apps Option Is Missing
A missing Hide apps option is common, and it usually has a simple cause. First, confirm that you long-pressed an empty spot, because pressing an app icon opens a different menu. Second, check that you use the stock Samsung home screen, because a third-party launcher like Nova Launcher replaces the menu with its own options. Switch back to One UI Home in Settings, then Apps, then Default apps, then Home app. Third, update your phone software.
If the option is still missing, use Secure Folder as the main method, because it hides and locks apps without the Hide apps toggle. Open Settings, then Security and privacy, then Secure Folder, and move your apps into it. You can also use Private Space if your phone runs Android 15. Restart the phone after any update, then check the home screen settings once more.
Common Mistakes to Avoid on Samsung Phones
Trusting the Hide apps toggle for private apps. The toggle only removes the icon, so anyone who knows the same steps can unhide the app in seconds. Use Secure Folder for banking, health, and dating apps, because it locks them behind a PIN or fingerprint. If you want a lock on a single app, read our guide on how to lock apps on Android.
Leaving notifications switched on. A hidden app can still flash a preview on your lock screen, and one message can reveal it. Open Settings, then Notifications, then App notifications, and switch off alerts for each hidden app. Also silence the apps inside Secure Folder, because their alerts need a separate switch.
Forgetting widgets and Edge panels. A widget or an Edge panel shortcut for a hidden app can stay visible on the home screen or the screen edge. Long-press each widget tied to a hidden app and remove it, then open the Edge panel and remove its shortcut too. Scan both once after hiding.
Using an unknown app hider from the store. Some free hiding apps ask for wide access to your files and show heavy ads. AppLock by SpSoft, for example, has over 50 million downloads on Google Play as of October 2026, yet even popular lock apps deserve a careful read of their permissions. Samsung built-in tools need no such trust, so use Secure Folder first.
Skipping the test after a restart. A software update or a restart can reset a home screen setting or a folder lock, so test the hiding again after your next restart. Search for a hidden app name, check the drawer, and open Secure Folder to confirm the lock still holds.
The Samsung Privacy Check Most People Skip
Most Samsung guides stop once the icon vanishes, but Galaxy phones have extra places where a hidden app can show up. First, open the Finder search by swiping down on the home screen and typing the app name. Second, open the recent apps view and swipe away any window for the app. Third, open the Galaxy Store and check the app library. Fourth, open Settings, then Battery and device care, then Battery, and look for the app in the usage list. Fifth, check Bixby Routines and Modes, because a routine may open the app on a schedule.
Fix any spot where the app appears before you call the job done, and prefer Secure Folder for apps that keep leaking through search. Secure Folder hides its apps from Finder search and the usage list while it stays locked. Run this check after hiding and once after a software update. For related help, see our guides on how to unhide apps on Android and how to screenshot on Android.
Answer Box 2 The safest way to hide apps on Samsung is Secure Folder with a fingerprint lock and its icon hidden. It locks your apps and hides them from the drawer, search, recents, and notification previews. Use the simple Hide apps toggle only for low-risk apps like games. Always test the hiding after a restart or an update.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I hide apps on Samsung without Secure Folder?
Long-press an empty spot on the home screen, tap Home screen settings, then Hide apps, and pick the apps you want to hide. Tap Done, and the apps leave the drawer at once. This method is fast and free, but it only removes the icon and does not lock the app.
Where is the Hide apps option on Samsung?
Long-press an empty spot on your home screen and tap Settings or Home screen settings. The Hide apps option sits in that list on One UI 5, 6, and 7. If you see no Settings button, tap the gear icon. If it is still missing, your phone may use a third-party launcher or need an update.
Does Secure Folder hide apps from search?
Yes, apps inside Secure Folder stay out of Finder search, the drawer, and the recent apps view while the folder is locked. The apps also send no notification previews when the folder stays locked. Make sure the folder itself is locked and its icon is hidden for the strongest result.
How do I unhide apps on Samsung?
Long-press the home screen, open Home screen settings, tap Hide apps, and untick the apps you want back. Tap Done, and the apps return to the drawer with their data intact. For Secure Folder apps, open the folder and move the app out. Our guide on how to unhide apps on Android covers both ways.
Can I hide apps on Samsung Galaxy A series phones?
Yes, most Galaxy A series phones include the same Hide apps setting in Home screen settings. Many also include Secure Folder, though a few entry models may not. Check Settings, then Security and privacy, for Secure Folder on your model. If it is missing, use the Hide apps toggle plus notification controls.
What is the difference between Hide apps and Secure Folder?
Hide apps only removes the app icon from the drawer, and anyone can undo it from the same setting. Secure Folder locks the apps behind a PIN or fingerprint and hides them from search, recents, and notifications. Hide apps suits games and shopping apps, while Secure Folder suits banking, health, and dating apps.
How do I lock Secure Folder with a fingerprint?
Open Secure Folder, tap the three dots menu, then Settings, then Lock type, and choose Fingerprints. Register your fingerprint and set a PIN as a backup. The folder will then ask for your fingerprint each time you open it. Keep the PIN known, in case the fingerprint fails.
Why did my hidden apps come back after an update?
A One UI update can reset home screen settings or move the Hide apps option, so hidden apps may return to the drawer. Open Home screen settings after the update and hide the apps again. Secure Folder apps usually stay hidden, because the folder keeps its own lock. Test the hiding after every major update.
Can I hide the Secure Folder icon?
Yes, open Secure Folder, tap the three dots menu, then Settings, and turn off the option to show Secure Folder on the home screen and drawer. The icon vanishes from both places at once. You can still open the folder from Settings, then Security and privacy.
Do hidden Samsung apps still get updates?
Yes, apps hidden with the Hide apps toggle still update through Google Play as normal. Apps inside Secure Folder also update, but they may need the folder to be unlocked first. Check for updates inside Secure Folder from time to time, so your private apps stay current. Hiding never stops updates.
How do I hide apps on Samsung with a launcher?
Install a launcher like Nova Launcher from Google Play and set it as your default home app. Open its settings, find the hidden apps option, and pick the apps to hide. Treat this route as a last resort, because a launcher asks for wide access to your home screen. Use the built-in Samsung tools first whenever they are available.
Is hiding apps on Samsung free?
Yes, both the Hide apps setting and Secure Folder are free and built into Samsung Galaxy phones. You need no paid app and no extra download to use either one. You only need a free Samsung account to set up Secure Folder. Avoid paid hiding apps, because the built-in tools already cover the same need safely.
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