How to Hide Apps on the Samsung Galaxy S10

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is one of the best smartphones currently available. It has all the staples of the Samsung Galaxy line, including the ability to hide your apps.

There are many reasons why you’d want to hide an app on your Samsung phone. Privacy comes to mind, but it’s also a smart thing to do in case you lose your phone.

In this article, we’ll show you how to hide any app in your Samsung S10.

Hiding Your Apps

When you’re dealing with a phone like the Samsung Galaxy S10, you’re probably going to install many apps and try them out. Pretty soon, your Home Screen or App Drawer might seem a bit cluttered.

There are apps you use all the time and those that you open only once in a while. That’s why hiding the apps instead of deleting is a good system to try out. Here’s how you use the “Hide Apps” feature:

1. Grab your Samsung S10 and open the App Drawer.
2. On the top of the screen, in your search bar, select the three vertical dots on the right.
3. From the drop-down menu, select “Home screen settings”.
4. Then scroll down and select “Hide Apps”.
5. You will see all the apps on your phone listed. You can tap on the ones you want to hide.
6. Review your selection and then click on “Apply”.

If you open your App Drawer, you’ll see that the apps are hidden. When you’re ready to use them again, just follow the same route and unhide them. Apply the settings, and they’ll re-appear next to the other visible apps.

The Secure Folder

The “Hide Apps” option on the Samsung Galaxy phones is incredibly useful. But when it comes to that extra layer of security, you might want to consider using the Secure Folder option. It’s exactly what it says it is – a safe, secure folder where you can put your apps, files, photos, and documents.

No one will be able to access them since you’re the only key holder. But how do you create a secure folder where you can hide your apps safely? Follow these steps to find out:

1. On your Samsung S10, open Settings and then select “Biometrics and security”.
2. Then select “Secure Folder” and sign in to your Samsung account.
3. Choose your lock. You can select pattern, PIN, or password. Enter the code twice and confirm.
4. You’ll see the list of your apps and the secure folder icon next to each. Select “Add apps” and then tap on the apps you want to hide in the Secure Folder.
5. Select “Move”, and the app will be removed from the App Drawer into the Secure Folder.

When you want to access the apps and files you’ve hidden in the Secure Folder, you can tap on the Secure Folder icon on your home screen. Enter your password, and you’ll be able to see the apps. In case you forget the PIN, pattern, or password, you don’t have to worry.

You simply have to reset your Samsung account. Click on the “Forgot PIN” option when accessing the Secure Folder and follow the onscreen instructions.

Hiding the Secure Folder

You can have the Secure Folder icon on your Samsung S10 home screen if you want. But if you don’t want anyone to know that you even have a secure folder, you can hide it entirely. Go to Settings>Biometrics and security>Secure folder, and then you’ll see the option to Show Secure folder.

If you toggle that feature off, a screen will pop-up asking you if you’re sure you want to hide it. If you are, select “Hide”. And if you’re not select “Cancel”.

When you hide the Secure Folder, it doesn’t mean that all the apps and files have disappeared into thin air. You can access hidden apps by following the same path to the Secure folder and entering your PIN or password.

Disabling the Apps

Like any other Samsung phone, Galaxy S10 comes with a set of pre-installed apps. These could include apps that you rarely if ever use. Most of them, however, can’t be uninstalled and simply got rid of. So, your next move might be to hide them.

But there is another option that does even more than that. You can disable the app. And by doing so, the app will take up less storage and won’t retain any data or use battery.

It will still be listed with the app, only with “Disabled” next to it. If you’re not sure how to go about doing that, follow these steps:

1. Open the Samsung S10 App Drawer and then select “Settings”.
2. Select “Apps”.
3. Tap on the pre-installed app and select “Disable”.
4. You’ll be prompted to confirm and select “Disable” one more time.

The app in question will no longer appear in your app drawer or home screen. And it won’t get any automated updates either.

But keep in mind that disabling certain apps might interfere with the function of other apps. So, make sure to read the disclaimer before hitting “Disable”.

Third-Party Lock Apps

The “Hide Apps” feature on your Samsung S10 will work great most of the time. But if you need a back-up plan, you can use a third-party app to do the job instead.

You can download a free app called AppLock from the Play Store. You’ll need to create a secure password and move all the apps and files into an online vault that the app creates.

Your Apps Are Your Business

The Samsung S10 lets you hide your apps in many ways. You can always use the “Hide Apps” feature, but that might not be the safest. Anyone familiar with Samsung phones will know how to figure it out.

A Secure Folder is a much safer option. But it does require a few extra steps. Disabling apps is great when you’re sure you won’t use them. Finally, the third-party app is an excellent solution if you want to make sure your app and files are untraceable and untouchable.

How would you hide your apps? Let us know in the comments section below.