How To Unhide Apps On IPhone: Your Guide To Finding Lost Icons

Maia Kirlin 28 Aug 2025

It's a common moment for many iPhone users: you're looking for an app, and it's just not there. Perhaps you tucked it away, thinking you wouldn't need it for a while, or maybe it vanished after a recent iOS update. Whatever the reason, finding those seemingly lost applications can feel a bit like a scavenger hunt on your own device. This guide is here to help you bring those hidden gems back into view, so you can get back to using your phone the way you want to, you know?

You might have moved an app to a special 'hidden' folder in the App Library, or perhaps it's on a home screen page you rarely visit. Sometimes, apps get hidden through features like the App Store's hidden purchases list, or maybe you've even used the new locking feature in iOS 18. It's really easy for an app to slip out of sight, and then you're left wondering where it went, and that's okay.

Luckily, whether you're running iOS 18, or an older version of your iPhone's software, there are several straightforward ways to find and unhide those elusive apps. We'll walk you through each method, from checking your App Library to using Spotlight Search, so you can access your applications quickly and with minimal fuss, just a little.

Understanding Why Apps Go Missing
Unhiding Apps Through the App Library
- Checking the Hidden Folder in App Library
- Adding Apps from the App Library to Your Home Screen
Finding Apps on Hidden Home Screen Pages
Using Spotlight Search to Locate Apps
Accessing Apps Hidden in Folders
Unhiding Purchased Apps from the App Store
iOS 18 Specific Methods for Locked and Hidden Apps
- Accessing Locked Apps in iOS 18
- Revealing Truly Hidden Apps in iOS 18
Using Siri to Open Invisible Apps
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Understanding Why Apps Go Missing

Apps can become invisible on your iPhone for several reasons, and it's not always because you've intentionally hidden them, you know. Sometimes, people move apps to less-used home screen pages, which then get tucked away, or they might put them deep inside folders. With newer iOS versions, like iOS 18, there are even more options for keeping apps out of plain sight, which is pretty handy but can also lead to confusion.

For instance, an app might be sitting in your App Library, perhaps in a hidden folder that the system creates, or maybe on a home screen page that you've chosen to keep hidden. Then there are those apps you've purchased from the App Store but decided to hide from your purchase history. It's all part of managing your device, but it can make finding things a bit of a puzzle, arguably.

Unhiding Apps Through the App Library

The App Library is really a central spot for all your apps, whether they're on your home screen or not. It organizes your applications into categories, and it's often the first place to look when an app seems to have disappeared, so it's a good starting point. You can get to it by swiping left past all your home screen pages, until you reach the very end, just a little.

Checking the Hidden Folder in App Library

In the App Library, you might find a specific 'hidden' folder, especially if you've used iOS 18's new privacy features. This is where apps you've intentionally hidden can reside, and you'll typically need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode to access it. This extra step keeps your private apps secure, which is pretty clever, you know?

From your main home screen, swipe left until you get to the App Library.
Look for a folder that might be labeled "Hidden" or a similar privacy-related category.
Tap on it, and your iPhone will likely ask for your Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode.
Once authenticated, you'll see the apps inside.
To unhide an app, you can simply tap and hold it, then drag it out of the folder and onto one of your home screens, or you might see an option to "Add to Home Screen," that is.

Adding Apps from the App Library to Your Home Screen

Even if an app isn't in a specific "Hidden" folder, it might just be living solely in your App Library. This happens when you choose to "Remove from Home Screen" instead of deleting an app. To bring it back, you can use the App Library's search bar or browse its categories, you know?

Swipe left until you reach the App Library.
You can either browse through the categorized folders or use the search bar at the top of the screen to type the app's name, which is often faster.
Once you find the app, tap and hold its icon.
You'll see options like "Add to Home Screen." Select this, and the app will reappear on one of your home screen pages.
Alternatively, you can keep holding the app icon and drag it directly to the home screen page you prefer, which is pretty neat.

Finding Apps on Hidden Home Screen Pages

Sometimes, it's not the app itself that's hidden, but an entire home screen page where the app lives. This is a common way to declutter your iPhone without actually removing apps, and it's easy to forget you've done it, arguably. To check for hidden pages, you can do this:

While on your iPhone's main home screen, tap and hold an empty area until all your app icons start wiggling, sort of.
At the bottom of the screen, you'll see a row of dots, which represent your home screen pages. Tap on these dots.
This brings up a view of all your home screen pages. Any page with a checkmark underneath it is visible. If a page is unchecked, it's hidden.
To unhide a page, simply tap the circle below it to add the checkmark back.
Tap "Done" in the top right corner, and your apps on that page will reappear.

Using Spotlight Search to Locate Apps

Spotlight Search is a powerful tool on your iPhone that can find almost anything, including apps that seem to be invisible. It searches across your device, no matter where an app is located, so it's a very reliable way to track things down, actually. You can access it by swiping down from the middle of any home screen, you know?

From any home screen, swipe down from the middle of the screen. This will open Spotlight Search.
Type the name of the app you're looking for into the search bar.
The app should appear in the search results.
Once you see the app, you can tap it to open it.
If you want to unhide it to your home screen, you might see an option to "Add to Home Screen" or you can tap and hold the app icon in the search results and drag it to a home screen page, which is pretty cool.

Accessing Apps Hidden in Folders

Many of us use folders to organize our home screens, and sometimes an app gets buried deep inside a folder, or even within a folder on a hidden home screen page. It's a bit like a digital matryoshka doll, you know? This can make an app seem lost, but it's really just tucked away. To find it, you just need to open those folders.

Scan your home screens and App Library for any folders you might have created.
Open each folder and look for the app.
If you find it, you can tap and hold the app icon, then drag it out of the folder and onto your main home screen, which is pretty simple.
This method works for apps in regular folders as well as any special "hidden" folders within the App Library, so it's quite versatile.

Unhiding Purchased Apps from the App Store

When you hide an app in the App Store, it won't appear in your list of purchased apps. This is different from hiding an app on your home screen or in the App Library. You can't actually "unhide" an app in the App Store in the same way you unhide it from your home screen, but you can always redownload it, which is the main thing. This is particularly useful for apps you've bought but no longer want to see in your purchase history.

Open the App Store on your iPhone.
Tap on your profile picture in the top right corner.
Tap on "Purchased" (or "My Purchases" depending on your iOS version).
If you've hidden an app from this list, it won't show up here. To get it back on your phone, you simply need to search for the app in the App Store.
Once you find the app, you'll see a cloud icon with a downward arrow next to it, indicating you've purchased it before. Tap this icon to redownload the app.
After redownloading, the app will appear in your App Library, and you can then add it to your home screen if you wish, just like any other app.

For more information on hiding and unhiding App Store purchases, you might want to check out the official Apple Support page on the subject: Apple Support: Hide and unhide apps, that is.

iOS 18 Specific Methods for Locked and Hidden Apps

Starting with iOS 18, Apple introduced new ways to lock and truly hide apps, adding an extra layer of privacy. This means you can require Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode to open certain apps, and even remove them from Spotlight Search and Siri suggestions. It's a pretty big step for privacy, and it means there are new ways to unhide them, too it's almost.

Accessing Locked Apps in iOS 18

If you've locked an app, it will still appear on your home screen or in the App Library, but it will have a small lock icon next to it. When you try to open it, your iPhone will ask for authentication. To "unhide" it in the sense of removing the lock, you need to go into your settings.

Go to "Settings" on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap on "Apps."
You'll see a list of your apps. Tap on the app you want to manage.
Here, you'll find options to "Require Face ID/Touch ID/Passcode" for the app. Toggle this off to remove the lock.
This makes the app accessible without authentication, so it's a bit more open.

Revealing Truly Hidden Apps in iOS 18

iOS 18 allows you to not just lock but also "hide" apps in a more profound way, removing them from the home screen, App Library, Spotlight Search, and Siri suggestions. These apps are moved to a dedicated "Hidden" folder within the App Library, which requires authentication to view, that is. This is a powerful privacy feature, and it's how you really make an app disappear from casual view.

Swipe left on your home screen until you reach the App Library.
Scroll down or look for the "Hidden" folder. It might be at the bottom of the App Library or within a privacy category.
Tap on the "Hidden" folder. Your iPhone will prompt you for Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
Once authenticated, you'll see the apps you've truly hidden.
To bring an app back to your home screen, tap and hold its icon.
You can then drag it out of the "Hidden" folder onto any home screen page, or select the "Add to Home Screen" option, which is pretty straightforward.
This process makes the app fully visible again, including in Spotlight Search and Siri suggestions, so it's completely back to normal.

Using Siri to Open Invisible Apps

Even if an app is hidden from your home screen or deep within the App Library, Siri can often still find and open it for you. This is a quick workaround if you're in a hurry and just need to use the app without going through the unhiding process, you know? It's pretty convenient, actually.

Activate Siri by saying "Hey Siri" or by pressing and holding the Side/Home button.
Simply say, "Open [App Name]," for example, "Open Calculator."
Siri will then attempt to open the app directly.
If the app is locked in iOS 18, Siri will still prompt you for authentication before opening it, which keeps things secure.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can apps be completely hidden on an iPhone?

Yes, as of iOS 18, you can truly hide apps on your iPhone. This moves them to a special 'Hidden' folder in the App Library, making them invisible from your home screen, Spotlight Search, and Siri suggestions. You need Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode to access this folder and the apps inside, so they're pretty secure, you know?

How do I find an app that I accidentally removed from my home screen?

If you removed an app from your home screen, it's likely still in your App Library. Swipe left until you reach the App Library, then either use the search bar or browse the categories to find it. Once found, tap and hold the app icon, then choose "Add to Home Screen" or drag it directly to a home screen page, which is pretty simple, actually.

What's the difference between hiding an app in the App Store and hiding it on my home screen?

Hiding an app in the App Store means it won't show up in your list of purchased apps, but it doesn't remove it from your device. You can always redownload it by searching for it in the App Store. Hiding an app on your home screen or in the App Library (especially with iOS 18's new features) makes it invisible on your device's interface, requiring specific steps to bring it back into view, so they're quite different, you know?

Finding your apps again is usually a pretty straightforward process, whether they're just on a hidden page, tucked away in a folder, or truly hidden with iOS 18's privacy features. By using the App Library, Spotlight Search, or even Siri, you can quickly get back to using your iPhone the way you want to. For more helpful tips on managing your device, you can always learn more about iPhone tips and tricks on our site, and perhaps check out this page on new iOS 18 features for a deeper look, too it's almost.

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How to hide and unhide App Store purchases on iPhone, iPad, Mac

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