How to Hide Apps on Your Google Pixel Phone

Almost all Third-party Android UIs, like OxygenOS and Hyper OS, offer dedicated ways to hide apps, but the Pixel UI on Google Pixels lacked the ability until Private Space made it to Android 15. Google doesn’t directly market it as a way to hide apps, but it feels like one of the serendipitous features of Private Space. There are other ways to hide apps on Google Pixel, so let’s comprehensively look at each method.

How to Hide Apps on Google Pixel

There are several ways you can hide apps on your Google Pixel device. You can take advantage of the new Private space feature on Android 15, disable an app, use a custom launcher or a third party app to hide them on your Pixel phone.

Method 1: Hide Apps Using Private Space

Private Space is part of the new Android 15 features, and it lets you hide, lock, and run duplicate apps on a Google Pixel. Notifications from apps in Private Space don’t show up when using the device when Private Space is locked, unless you set it up differently. It’s pretty customizable, too.

We have a guide on how to set up Private Space, but if you’re looking for a quick rundown, go to Settings > Security and privacy > Private Space and start setting it up. Once the Private Space is set up and ready, here’s how to add apps you want to hide.

1. Swipe upwards on the home screen to open the apps list and scroll all the way to the bottom.
2. Tap on Private Space and enter your Google account credentials or biometrics to authorize this action.
3. Considering you’re signed in to the same Google account as the one on your main profile, tap on Install.

4. This will open the Play Store. Search for the app you want to hide and hit Install. If it’s already present on your phone, it should install instantly.
5. Once done, launch the app and set it up. You can remove the app from your main profile, and you’ll have a hidden app accessible only inside Private space.

If you want to receive notifications from the app in Private Space, you can configure it to “Lock only after the device restarts”.

Method 2: Use a Home Screen Launcher to Hide Apps

Third-party launchers are your next best shot at hiding apps. There are plenty of Android launchers out there that can hide apps for you, and one of them is Niagara Launcher (free).

It’s a unique launcher with lots of features, including support for Private Space. One of the features is the ability to hide apps, and it’s extremely easy to use. The feature is also available on other launchers like Lawnchair, Nova, and Smart Launcher.

Just head over to Settings > Features > Hidden apps and start adding more apps you want to hide to the list. Launchers hide app labels and to access the hidden apps, you can search them using the launcher’s search options.

Method 3: Hide Apps on Google Pixel Using a Third-Party App

There are a bazillion apps on the Play Store that claim to be excellent app lock apps, but most of them are spyware. Hence, we don’t recommend using them. However, there’s one app that you can use; it’s completely free and open source. That’s Amarok Hider.

1. Install the Amarok Hider app from its official repository (Github).
2. Then, install the Shizuku app from the Google Play Store (free).
3. Once you launch Shizuku, enable the service by going to Start via Wireless Debugging > Pairing > Developer options.
4. Now, enter the “Pair with device” code inside the “Pairing service found” banner that appears at the top.

5. Once done, tap on Start to start Shizuku.
6. Then go to Authorized applications and turn on the Amarok toggle.

7. Now launch the Amarok app and tap on Set Hidden Apps.
8. In the dialog box that appears, tap on Switch app-hiding mode.
9. On the next screen, select Shizuku (Sui) mode and then tap on OK.

10. Select the apps you want to hide by checking the adjacent boxes.
11. Now, go to the previous screen and hit the Hide button.

The selected apps should now be hidden on your Pixel device and will no longer be visible.

Method 4: Disable Apps on Your Pixel to Hide Them

If you want to hide an app simply because it serves no purpose in the apps list, you could disable it. Disabling apps is an easy affair and here’s how to do it.

1. Head over to Settings > Apps > See all apps.
2. Here, search for the app you want to disable.
3. On the App info screen, tap on Disable.
4. This will open a dialog box. Here, tap on Disable app.

The selected app will no longer appear in your phone’s app drawer and will only be accessible once you enable it again on the App info screen.

And those were all the ways you can hide apps on your Google Pixel device. Do you think Google should still consider bringing app hiding ability to the Pixel Launcher? Let us know in the comments.