How to Delete Hidden Apps on iPhone

Before we start

Deleting hidden apps is necessary if your iPhone storage is running low. Doing so helps declutter your device, just like when you delete photo albums or remove duplicate photos. But why did some apps get hidden on your iPhone from view There are several reasons for an app not being visible on your iPhone. This brief article on how to delete hidden apps on iPhone will explain all the causes and solutions to fix this issue.

Why do apps get hidden on your iPhone?

To fix the cluttered Home Screen of your iPhone, Apple introduced the App Library on iOS 14. Using it, you may delete an app shortcut from the Home Screen but findable in the App Library section.

There is another way your apps might get hidden from view. Suppose you have gone to Settings > Home Screen and selected App Library Only; the newly downloaded apps will only show there. The next part of this article will show you how to delete hidden apps on your iPhone.

How to delete hidden apps on iPhone in three convenient ways

You have three possible options available to you when you want to delete a hidden app on your iPhone. You can remove any third-party hidden app from Settings, Spotlight Search, or App Library. The procedures are straightforward, and we will provide you with steps for each one.

Step by step procedure on how to delete hidden apps on iPhone from the Settings

steps on how to remove hidden apps on iPhone from Settings

Go to your Settings and tap on General
Next, tap on iPhone Storage and wait until all the apps are loaded
Then, find & select the app you want to delete
Finally, tap Delete App and confirm the process

Here is how to delete hidden apps on iPhone using Spotlight Search:

Swipe down from your Home Screen to bring up Spotlight Search
Now, type in the hidden app name
Then, tap and hold the app icon to bring up a popup menu
Finally, select Delete App to remove the hidden app permanently from your iPhone

Here are the steps to delete hidden apps on your iPhone from the App Library:

steps on deleting hidden apps on iPhone from the App Library

On your Home Screen, swipe left until you reach the App Library section
Find your app from the categories or by searching its name
Then, tap and hold the app icon and select Delete App
Finally, tap Delete to remove the app from your iPhone

Can you delete hidden apps on iPhone from the App Store?

The short answer is yes. However, you can only perform that when a hidden app is recently updated or pending an update. Below you will learn about the steps to remove a hidden app from the App Store.

Step by step instructions on how to delete hidden apps on iPhone from the App Store

step by step guide on how to remove hidden apps on iPhone from the App Store

While you are on the App Store, tap on your Profile Picture
Then, scroll down and see if any hidden app is available for an update or recently updated
Now, tap and hold the icon of the app and select Delete
Finally, from the popup menu, select Delete again to remove the app permanently

How to Unhide Apps on an iPhone to show on the Home Screen

Apps can get hidden accidentally or intentionally on your iPhone.

It can be frustrating when there are many apps on your App Store, and the one you want is missing. If you face this issue, you can easily bring up the app again on the Home Screen with a few simple steps. However, the steps to unhide and delete an app from the Hidden Purchases section of the App Store are different. We will show you two of the different approaches in the steps below.

Steps to unhide an app on your iPhone

steps on how to unhide an app on your iPhone

Swipe left from your Home Screen until you find the App Library section
Now, you can search the app by its name or find it located in the category groups
Then when you see the app, tap and hold the app icon and select Add to Home Screen
Finally, swipe right to find the app as the last entry on your Home Screen

Steps to unhide and delete an app from the App Store on your iPhone

steps on how to unhide and delete an app from the App Store

Open the App Store on your iPhone and tap on your Profile
Next, tap on your account name
In the Account Settings menu, scroll down and select Hidden Purchases
Unhide the app you want to delete, then go back to your Home Screen to delete the app

Final words

Apps get hidden on your iPhone deliberately or by mistakes. Sometimes you forget about an app and might struggle to find them. Hidden apps can silently fill up your storage space and make it difficult for you to store large files. This article on how to delete hidden files on iPhone has proven that finding and deleting them is an easy task.

For more easy steps on a different subject, you may check our post on – How to Create a Playlist on iPhone. Or, you can gain insight on how to recover deleted photos and many more topics we have covered on Applavia.