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how do i unhide an app

You can unhide an app in a few different ways depending on your phone (iPhone vs Android) and what you mean by “hidden.” Below is a friendly, forum-style guide that covers the main situations.

How do I unhide an app?

“My app is gone, but I know I didn’t delete it. How do I get it back?”

Let’s walk through the most common cases, step by step.

On iPhone: “Hidden” from Home Screen or put in Hidden folder

1. App is removed from Home Screen (still in App Library)

If the app doesn’t show on your Home Screen, but you can still find it by searching:

  1. Swipe left through all Home Screen pages until you reach the App Library.
  1. Use the search bar at the top or browse the categories to find your app.
  1. Long‑press the app icon.
  1. Tap Add to Home Screen.

If you can’t find it in the App Library at all, it’s probably deleted or offloaded; reinstall it from the App Store.

2. App is in the new Hidden apps section (iOS 18 style behavior)

Recent iOS versions introduced a Hidden area inside App Library that can require Face ID.

To unhide from there:

  1. From your Home Screen, swipe left until you reach the App Library.
  1. Scroll all the way down until you see a folder/section labeled Hidden.
  1. Tap Hidden and unlock it with Face ID (or passcode if prompted).
  1. Find the app you want to unhide and long‑press (tap and hold) its icon.
  1. Choose “Don’t require Face ID” or the Unhide ‑type option.

After that, the app will show as a normal app again in your App Library, and you can also add it to the Home Screen (same “Add to Home Screen” step as above).

3. Check in Settings → iPhone Storage (info only)

Some forum users mention Settings → General → iPhone Storage → Hidden Apps , but that’s mostly for viewing/storage – you usually can’t truly unhide the app from there.

To actually bring it back, you still need to use the Hidden folder in the App Library and change the Face ID/hidden setting from there.

On Android: Hidden in launcher settings

Android phones differ a bit by brand (Samsung, Xiaomi, etc.), but the general idea is:

  • Go to your Home screen settings.
  • Find Hide apps or Hidden apps.
  • Uncheck or remove the app from that list.

For example, on many Samsung phones:

  1. Long‑press on an empty area of the Home screen and tap Settings (or go to Settings → Home screen).
  1. Tap Hide apps.
  1. Uncheck the app you want visible again.
  1. Confirm; it should reappear in your app drawer/home screen.

Some third‑party launchers (Nova, etc.) have their own Hidden apps lists inside the launcher settings; you unhide apps there.

If the app still doesn’t show up

If you’ve tried the above and the app is still missing:

  • Search by name using system search (Spotlight on iOS, Google search bar/App drawer search on Android).
  • Check for offloaded/deleted apps :
    • On iPhone, open the App Store , search the app, and tap the cloud/download icon to reinstall if needed.
* On Android, open **Play Store** , search and reinstall.
  • Make sure you’re on the right user/profile (Android work profile, kids mode, etc.), since apps can be hidden per profile.

Mini FAQ (forum‑style)

Q: I see the app only inside “Hidden” and it always needs Face ID. Can I make it normal again?
Yes. Open the Hidden folder in App Library, unlock with Face ID, then long‑press the app and choose “Don’t require Face ID” / Unhide.

Q: I removed an app from Home Screen, is that the same as hiding it?
Not exactly. It usually just stays in App Library (iPhone) or the app drawer (Android). You can bring it back with Add to Home Screen or equivalent.

Quick HTML table: Where to unhide

[5] [7][9][1][3] [6] [2][10]
Device Where to look Key action to unhide
iPhone (iOS 17) App Library Find app → long‑press → “Add to Home Screen”.
iPhone (iOS 18 Hidden apps) App Library → Hidden folder Unlock with Face ID → long‑press app → “Don’t require Face ID” / Unhide.
Android (Samsung example) Home screen settings → Hide apps Uncheck the app from Hidden list.
Android (other & launchers) Launcher settings → Hidden apps/App lock Remove app from hidden/locked list, or disable app hider feature.
**TL;DR:**
  • iPhone: Use App Library ; if there’s a Hidden folder, unlock it and choose Don’t require Face ID to unhide, then Add to Home Screen.
  • Android: Open Home screen/launcher settings → Hide apps , and remove the app from the hidden list.

If you tell me your phone model (iPhone vs specific Android brand), I can give you a super‑exact set of steps.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.