Important points
With the iOS 18 update, you can now add Face ID to your apps for added security, including hiding them from your home screen. Hidden apps will be accessible in the App Library after a Face ID scan, but this method is not completely foolproof. Face ID’s protection and hidden features protect apps from access, but allow tech-savvy users to spot them.
Thanks to the new iOS 18 update, you can now add extra security to certain apps on your iPhone. Newly available features allow you to add Face ID (password or Touch ID) recognition or hide apps from your home screen.
If you want to keep your apps hidden for privacy or security reasons, iOS 18 now lets you build two safety walls. The available (Hidden) and (Require Face ID) options allow Apple users to ensure that their biometrics are scanned before unlocking the app. Additionally, users must use Face ID to view apps stored in the hidden section of their app library.
If you want to hide an app or two from your kids who use your device, or for any other reason (I’m not here to judge), here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it.
How to add Face ID requirements to your app
Adding Face ID prevents app content from appearing in Spotlight notification previews
If you want to add an extra layer of security to any number of apps on your iPhone, iOS 18 makes it super easy. This can be done with any app available on Apple’s smartphones, including the company’s core apps.
To add Face ID to your app:
Open your iPhone and go to the Home screen. Touch and hold the app you want to add Face ID to. Select “Require Face ID.” Check “Require Face ID”. Apple iPhone 16 Pro
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During this process, Apple will notify you that by adding this layer of security, “Face ID or a passcode will be required to open other apps or view content.” “Once you confirm the addition of the Face ID requirement, your iPhone will display a green checkmark in the dynamic island when it scans.
To undo this process:
Long press the app that has Face ID added. Select “Don’t require Face ID.”
Your iPhone will perform another facial scan. Once confirmed, a green checkmark will appear on the dynamic island. Once done, anyone using your device will be free to open the app in question.
How to hide apps using iOS 18
iOS 18 now supports hidden sections within the App Library
If for some reason adding Face ID to your app isn’t enough, you can remove it completely from your home screen and app library. iPhone owners still have full access. Once you enable this feature, your apps will be found in a new hidden section at the bottom of your app library. At first glance, the box appears to be empty. However, once the Face ID scan is enrolled, the hidden apps will appear for selection.
Here’s how to hide apps on your iPhone.
Open your iPhone and go to the Home screen. Long press on the app you want to hide. Select “Require Face ID.” Instead of checking “Require Face ID,” select “Hide and Require Face ID.”
Once your iPhone performs Face ID authentication, the app will be removed from your home screen. On the surface, it appears that the app is not installed. However, if you scroll to the right of the App Library, you will see a box that says (hidden).
The (Hidden apps) box will remain empty until you tap it. Your iPhone will perform a Face ID scan and once authenticated, the app will appear in the box and you can open it immediately. When you close the app, the (hidden apps) box will appear empty again. A subsequent Face ID scan must be performed every time you open a hidden app.
Hidden apps are mostly hidden on your iPhone
iOS 18 is great at adding security to your apps, but it’s not completely secure
Between standard Face ID safeguards and the ability to completely hide apps from your app library, iOS 18 gives users some great secure tools. However, these methods are not completely foolproof. If other users are tech-savvy, they may be able to sniff out whether an app is installed on your device. With tools in iOS 18, your app will appear to be out of nowhere. However, when you go to the App Store and search for that app, you’ll see an “Open” option instead of “Get.”
However, there are other ways Apple tries to cover up the traces left behind by hidden apps. When a user goes to the (Storage) option in (Settings), all hidden apps will be hidden until Face ID authentication is complete. Hiding an app removes it from the share menu of other apps like X, Instagram, and Facebook.
