Whatever your reason for hiding the contents of your smartphone there are a variety of ways on the best way to do it. This article will take an in-depth look at the techniques and tricks that work with Android and other Android-based operating systems that can assist you in hiding sensitive information from scrutiny.
How to hide apps on Android phones.
Regardless of the brand of your phone, you can hide various apps.
The first technique works well for hiding apps you don’t use and hiding apps you do use but don’t want anyone to see.
The second approach is much more constrained. Only system apps that you can’t uninstall can use it. But unlike the first method, it requires less work and won’t alter how your device feels.
Method 1. Try Nova Launcher
You can quickly and easily hide apps with the help of many Android launchers. The one we advise using is Nova Launcher because it is very quick and has a tonne of features. The only drawback is that the free version does not support hiding apps, so you must have a Prime subscription to complete the task.
The steps below should help you activate Nova Launcher on your device:
- Get Nova Launcher Prime installed.
- Make it your device’s default launcher.
- Open the app’s settings.
- To hide applications, go to the app drawer.
- Choose the applications you wish to keep private.
- In fact, even if the applications are hidden, you can still use them.
To launch an app, simply open the app drawer, type its name into the search bar, and press Enter when the app appears.
Try Apex Launcher if you’re looking for an accessible alternative to Nova Launcher Prime. Although it isn’t as effective as Nova Launcher, you can use it to hide apps without spending any money.
Method 2. Disable Apps in the Settings
You can remove an app from use and hide it from the app menu by disabling it.
Also, this method only works for system apps, which are apps that came with the device from the manufacturer and can’t be deleted.
Disabling an app entails:
- Go to your phone’s settings now.
- Pick “Apps & Notifications” from the menu.
- Then select “See All Apps.”
- Discover the app you want to conceal.
- Select “Disable.”
Keep in mind that the precise route to these settings may vary slightly depending on the model of your phone and the Android version.
How to Hide Apps on Phones Using Android-Based OS
In fact, a few manufacturers create their phones with an Android-based operating system. They may resemble standard Android devices in terms of appearance, but they still have distinctive technical features. We won’t give instructions for all Android-based smartphones available, but we will demonstrate how to use OnePlus and Huawei devices to complete the task.
OnePlus Phones
You must locate the Hidden Space feature on your phone in order to hide apps on the OnePlus.
Simply follow the directions listed below to access it:
- Activate the app drawer.
- To access the Hidden Space folder, swipe right.
- In the top right corner, click the plus sign.
- Select the apps you want to keep private.
- In the top-right corner, tap the checkmark.
To make sure that nobody else can access the Hidden Space folder, you can also enable password or fingerprint protection. To do this, select “Enable password” by tapping the three vertical dots in the top-right corner and then following the on-screen directions.
Huawei Phones
Huawei devices have a feature called PrivateSpace that allows you to conceal apps. You can fill a new “space” on your phone with various apps, files, and other things thanks to it. It is easily accessible by using the fingerprint associated with the new space you’ve created to unlock the phone.
Put Private Space together by doing the following:
- To access PrivateSpace, go to Settings > Security & Privacy.
- To configure PrivateSpace, adhere to the instructions displayed on your screen.
- Use the fingerprint assigned to access PrivateSpace to unlock the device.
- Install any programs you wish to keep secret by downloading them.
Keep in mind that PrivateSpace apps won’t appear in your main account and will only be accessible through a separate account. To download them again to your PrivateSpace account, you must delete them from your primary space. Even though it may seem a little tedious, it won’t consume much of your time.
How to Hide Pictures and Files on Most Android Devices
Two of the concealing techniques (at least) for files and photographs seem to be quite similar to those used for hiding programs. Both approaches are effective, but they do so in quite different ways. You must download an app from the Play Store for both procedures. However, the finest feature about them is that they are totally free.
Method 1. Download the GalleryVault App
This app serves as a vault for your photos and other files, as you can see. Private photos and files from your gallery and other apps can be dragged into GalleryVault, where they can be secured with a password or fingerprint. Although the app is completely free, the process is a little annoying because it is ad-supported.
Take the following actions to use GalleryVault:
- Create an account and download the GalleryVault application.
- Run the application and click the “+” in the bottom-right corner.
- Select the kinds of documents you want to store in the vault.
- Choose the files.
- Select “Add” from the menu.
- Pick the folder where you want the files to go.
Method 2. Use the AppLock App
AppLock is a preferable option if you are not eager to relocate your data from one location to another. You may use it to lock any app on your smartphone so that only your fingerprint can access it. For instance, you may disable access to the Gallery and Google Photos applications so that if someone steals your phone, they won’t be able to see any of your photos.
Follow these steps step-by-step to enable AppLock:
- Install AppLock after downloading it.
- Scroll down until you see the list of applications on your phone to lock an app.
- Turn on the “Fingerprint Lock” feature by going to the “Protect” tab.
- To prevent using the default pattern, we advise you to activate the fingerprint lock.
How to Hide Pictures and Files on Phones Using Android-Based OS
You might have some options to hide files and images without downloading additional apps, depending on the operating system of your phone. The features included in phones made by OnePlus and Huawei are described below. Take a look at the detailed instructions for the brands mentioned in this article.
OnePlus Phones
Many customers are unaware of the fascinating Lockbox feature that OnePlus offers since it is buried so deeply. Here are specific instructions on how to locate it in the File Manager app:
To access LockBox, open the File Manager application.
- To view it, scroll to the bottom of the page.
- Launch your preferred directory (videos, images, documents, or audio).To conceal a file, long-press on it.
- In the top-right corner, tap the three vertical dots.
- To finish the process, click “Move to Lockbox.”
Huawei Phones
Huawei phones offer an intriguing opportunity to conceal various information and photographs using the built-in safe.
Drag all sensitive files here once you’re inside the safe. The safe is also fingerprint and password protected to ensure that only the device owner has access to the material.
All you need to do to use Safe is:
- Access Safe by going to Settings > Security & Privacy.
- At the bottom of your screen, choose “Add.”Select the file types you wish to conceal (videos, images, and audio).
- Choose the files.
- Press “Add” once more.
Conclusion
You can now easily protect private images, programs, and other items on your phone from prying eyes. All of the tips and tricks mentioned above are simple to implement on any Android smartphone (Samsung, Xiaomi, LG, Honor).
Owners of OnePlus and Huawei devices are fortunate to have access to the native apps. If your phone (or OS version) doesn’t support safe folders, don’t worry—there are a tonne of fun third-party applications you can use in their place.