How to hide App Store: on iPad, on iPhone, hide apps

How to hide App Store: on iPad, on iPhone, hide apps

Whether to improve privacy, clear up space on the main screen of your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, or prevent others accessing the App Store. It is possible to hide the apps installed on your Apple iOS and MacOS device and the App Store icon itself. In this article we'll explain how to hide App Store on iPad and hide other apps.

How to hide the App Store icon from the home screen?

Disclaimer: As of 2020, this option is no longer available on the latest iOS updates. If you are running an older version of iOS, then this method should still work. 

  • Go to Settings > General. Tap on Restrictions and then on Enable Restrictions. You will be prompted to create a passcode to access the Restrictions section, which differs from the one you usually use to unlock your device.
  • Toggle off the Installing Apps entry. Back to your home screen, you will notice that the AppStore icon is no longer available!
  • Another type of restriction can also be enabled from this menu:
  • Deleting apps - Prevent anyone from uninstalling apps from your device. In-App Purchases - Prevent in-app purchases (e.g premium content for games, paid subscriptions,..)

How to hide iOS apps?

To hide iOS apps that you have downloaded from the app store, follow these steps:

1) First, open the App Store and go to the Today tab.

2) Then go to your profile by selecting your user icon (your photo is located in the upper right corner). Choose Purchased. If you have a family account, you will have to select your name so that only your purchases appear.

3) Find the application you want to hide, slide your finger to the left, and choose Hide. Press Ok to finish:

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How to open hidden iOS apps?

If you want to download or open an app that you have previously hidden, follow these steps below:

1) Open the App Store and go to the Today section.

2) Select your user icon located in the upper right corner. Then press your Apple ID. If your device asks you to log in, enter your account credentials and click OK.

3) Scroll down until you find the iTunes in the Cloud option. Then select Hidden purchases. Finally, find the application you want to download again and press the download from Cloud. If the app is downloaded but hidden, you can also select Open to access it:

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How to hide Mac apps?

You may want to hide apps on your Mac, too. To do this, follow these directions:

1) Open the App Store on your Mac.

2) Go to your profile by clicking your name at the bottom left. On the Accounts page, you will see a list of all the apps you have purchased. If your account is shared, you will need to fist select your name under Purchased to see your apps.

3) Place the mouse cursor over the app you want to hide, click on the three dots icon and choose Hide purchase. Finally, accept the confirmation message:

© CCM

How to unhide apps on Mac?

To unhide apps on your Mac that you have previously hidden, check out these steps:

1) Go to the App Store on your Mac, and log in if required.

2) Open your account by clicking on your name and then select View Information (in the top right corner).

3) Go to Hidden items, and click on Manage.

4) Find the app you want to unhide, activate the Show option, and click Ok.

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