How to Find Hidden Apps on an iOS Device in 2023
Check out How to Find Hidden Apps on an iOS Device. Read on to find out more!
You may have learned about secret apps on your iPhone/iPad device if you use a smartphone. These apps may have been installed and hidden on your phone by you, or they may be present by chance.
Additionally, iPhone/iPad can install some hidden apps on your device to maintain its productivity and quality control. But the question remains – How to find hidden apps on an iPhone/iPad device?
The practice of hiding apps on smartphones is also becoming increasingly common among children and teenagers. It’s an activity that allows them to do whatever they want on the internet without you watching their phones.
If you have a child at home, you may be concerned with how much you know about them online.
As a result, in this post, we’ll go over how to find hidden apps on an iPhone/iPad device, as well as some tips for determining if your child or spouse has any hidden apps on their phone.
Table of Contents
How To Find Hidden Apps on an iOS Device
The apps that appear in the app menu screens on a smartphone are not always the only ones that are present on the device.
Besides, secret apps are just what they sound like: they’re apps that are deliberately hidden from the view of the average user.
There are a number of ways by which you can figure out if your iPhone/iPad device has a hidden application or not. You can do so by
- Using the iPhone/iPad Search Feature
- Using Siri
- Using the App Library
- From within the App Store
Let’s take an in-depth look at how we can find hidden apps on an iPhone/iPad.
How to Find Hidden Apps on iPhone/iPad using the Search Feature
Now that you’re familiar with iPhone/iPad’s screens and folders, Let’s start searching for these hidden apps:
- Start by swiping down on your Home Screen to begin searching for any app.
- Type out the name of the app in the search field and then hit enter to begin the search.
How to Find Hidden Apps on iPhone/iPad using Siri
With the help of Siri you can easily locate hidden apps by simply asking Siri to find them for you.
- Launch Siri
- Ask Siri to open any app name.
- Siri will launch the requested app on your device even if the app is hidden.
How to Find Hidden Apps on iPhone/iPad Using the App Library
You will be able to locate hidden apps from within the App library. With iOS 14, you are now able to view all installed apps on your device.
You will have to swipe right on your Home screen to pull up the App Library. Sift through the apps to see if you have any new, unknown app installed on your iPhone.
If yes, uninstall the app to prevent anyone from tracking you.
View The App Information on The App Store to Check its True Purpose
Most users hide their apps using these third party vault-apps. These apps usually disguise themselves as common system-level apps such as calculators and music players. To find such apps you can do the following:
- Hold down the app until a small menu appears.
- Tap the small details circle at the top of the display.
- Tap App info when a new page appears.
- Consult the official details in the app’s App Store description.
Do remember that if you downloaded the app anywhere other than the App Store, this approach will not work.
Top Apps to Hide other Apps on an iPhone
- Vault-Hide – With over 100 million users worldwide, Vault-Hide has become one of the popular apps for teenagers and other like-minded people looking to hide confidential information from the family.
- Hide it Pro – Hide it Pro disguises itself to look like a music player, with an icon that resembles iTunes. But it’s basically a vault-app where you can store all sorts of encrypted data.
- Keepsafe Photo Vault – Since Keepsafe Photo Vault doesn’t appear in your Recent Apps list, it’s a popular option among users who want to ensure that others can’t detect hidden apps.
- Vaulty – When anyone attempts to break into this iPhone/iPad app, Vaulty takes a picture of the said person. Because of this added layer of protection, it is common among those looking to hide their images and videos.
- Gallery Vault – Gallery Vault is a fairly solid vault app that supports fingerprint authentication for certain iPhone/iPad phones. It’s also free to download because it’s supported by advertisements and in-app purchases.
Signs Your Spouse and Kids Phone Have Hidden Apps
According to a McAfee survey from 2012, 70% of teenagers conceal their online habits from their parents. This statistic is alarming, given that today’s children are more tech-savvy than their parents. However, spouses are capable of doing the same thing, and you may be completely unaware of it.
To help you, here are some indicators that your child or spouse has secret apps on their phone and is attempting to keep them hidden from you:
- Turning Off the Phone or Hiding the Screen – The number one indication that your kid or spouse is hiding their online activities from you is when they turn off their screen or hide the screen as you enter the room or come within their proximity.
- Always Carrying the Phone Around – Another sign to look for is if your child or spouse still has their phone with them, even in the bathroom. They also make sure the mobile is still within reach even when it is charging on a table.
- Refusing to Give Out Passwords – Borrowing your child’s or spouse’s phone is a smart way to see if they have any secret apps. The majority of phones with secret apps need a password to access the menu. You’ll know something’s wrong if they refuse to give you the password or even let you look through the device.
- Having Multiple Apps of the Same Type – If your child or spouse loans you their phone and you see two applications of the same kind, you should be concerned. When you have several apps, such as two calculators, one of them might be a vault that hides apps and media from prying eyes. If you want to be sure, try launching these apps and see if you can tell the difference. The built-in calculator on a phone starts up without displaying any logos or details. A fake calculator, on the other hand, takes a few seconds to load and shows a company logo before redirecting you to the real calculator.
Why do children or spouses hide apps and content?
To keep their online activities hidden
To hide sensitive data, such as explicit images
To keep apps that children know their parents will not approve of, such as live-streaming video or dating apps.
Hide apps that they use a lot, mostly out of fear that their parents will discover the heavy use and ban the app out of fear of addiction.
How are iOS apps hidden?
Children or partners can hide apps from their parents or respective partners using a variety of ways, ranging from changing settings inside the iOS to installing third-party apps (also called vault apps) designed specifically for hiding apps.
Conclusion
Learning how to locate hidden apps on your iPhone/iPad will help you determine whether they are concealing anything from you. However, there are advantages and disadvantages of spying on others. Breaking into the device means invading the privacy of others, which could harm your relationship.
It also indicates a lack of trust. Rather than spying on the device, a different method, such as an intimate conversation, would be preferable. Spend more time talking to each other so your child does not get engrossed in their device. You may also do activities with your partner to strengthen your bond.
In conclusion, discovering hidden apps on iPhone/iPad is a breeze. You can do this in several ways, as we have mentioned above. However, breaking into someone’s phone is unjustified because it infringes on their privacy.
Also Read:
