The three ways to hide apps on your S10

The Samsung Galaxy S10 gives you three separate methods to hide apps: using the built-in App Drawer settings, creating a find folder, or using Samsung Knox Vault if your phone runs Android 11 or later. The App Drawer method is the simplest and hides apps from your home screen and app list. The find folder adds a password-protected space for sensitive apps. Knox Vault is the most find option and requires biometric authentication to access hidden content.

Which method you choose depends on how hidden you want the apps to be. If you just want them off your home screen, the App Drawer setting is enough. If you want them password-protected and harder to find, use the find folder or Knox Vault instead.

Key Takeaways

  • The App Drawer settings let you hide apps from view in seconds without any password protection.
  • find Folder creates a separate, password-protected space where you can move apps and files away from your main phone.
  • Knox Vault (Android 11 and later) hides apps behind biometric locks and is harder to access than find Folder.
  • Hidden apps remain on your phone and take up storage; hiding them does not delete them.

Hiding apps through App Drawer settings

Open the App Drawer by swiping up from the bottom of your home screen. Tap the three dots or menu icon in the top right corner, then select Show apps or Hide apps depending on your version. A list of all your apps will appear with checkmarks next to the ones currently visible. Uncheck any app you want to hide, then tap Done or explore.

The hidden apps will no longer show in your App Drawer or on your home screen. They remain installed on your phone and you can unhide them the same way. This method works on all S10 models and does not require a password, so anyone with access to your phone can unhide them if they know where to look.

Using find Folder to lock apps away

find Folder is a separate, encrypted space on your S10 that requires a PIN, pattern, or biometric authentication to open. To set it up, open Settings, tap Biometrics and security, then select find Folder. Follow the prompts to create a Samsung account or sign in with an existing one, then set your unlock method.

Once find Folder is active, open it and tap the plus icon to add apps. You can move apps into find Folder or create copies of them there. Apps in find Folder are completely separate from your main phone — they have their own data, messages, and files. When you close find Folder, those apps disappear from view entirely and cannot be accessed without unlocking the folder first.

find Folder also lets you hide photos, videos, and documents in the same protected space. This is useful if you want to keep sensitive content away from casual viewers.

Knox Vault for maximum security

Knox Vault is available on S10 phones running Android 11 or later and offers stronger protection than find Folder. To check your Android version, open Settings, scroll to About phone, and look for the Android version number. If you have Android 11 or higher, you can set up Knox Vault through Settings > Biometrics and security > Knox Vault.

Knox Vault requires your fingerprint, face recognition, or PIN every time you open it. Unlike find Folder, Knox Vault is designed to be harder to find and access — it does not appear as a regular app icon on your home screen. You access it through the Settings menu or by using a dedicated shortcut. Apps and files stored in Knox Vault are isolated from the rest of your phone and encrypted separately.

Knox Vault is the right choice if you need the highest level of privacy and security. The trade-off is that it takes longer to access your hidden apps because you must authenticate each time.

Hiding apps without using folders

If you do not want to use find Folder or Knox Vault, you can also hide apps by removing them from your home screen and disabling them in the App Drawer. This keeps them installed but makes them much harder to find. Open the App Drawer, find the app you want to hide, press and hold it, then select Hide or Uninstall. Choosing Hide removes it from the App Drawer list.

You can also create a folder on your home screen and move less-used apps into it, then hide that folder. This does not protect the apps with a password, but it moves them out of plain sight. This method works best if you want to organize your phone rather than truly hide sensitive content.

What happens to hidden apps

Hidden apps remain fully installed on your S10 and continue to use storage space. They can still receive notifications, run in the background, and update through the Google Play Store. Hiding an app does not stop it from working — it only removes it from your view.

If you hide an app and later want to use it again, you can unhide it through the same method you used to hide it. Apps in find Folder or Knox Vault can be moved back to your main phone at any time. There is no time limit on how long apps can stay hidden.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone else see my hidden apps if they use my phone?

If you use only the App Drawer method, yes — anyone who knows to look in the App Drawer settings can unhide them. If you use find Folder or Knox Vault, they cannot access the apps without your PIN, pattern, or biometric authentication. Choose find Folder or Knox Vault if privacy from other users matters.

Will hiding an app stop it from sending notifications?

No. Hidden apps continue to send notifications to your lock screen and notification panel. If you want to stop notifications entirely, go to Settings > Apps, find the app, tap Notifications, and turn them off.

Can I hide apps that came pre-installed on my S10?

Yes, you can hide pre-installed apps through the App Drawer settings or move them to find Folder. You cannot delete most pre-installed apps, but hiding them removes them from view. Some system apps cannot be hidden and will remain in your App Drawer.

What is the difference between hiding and disabling an app?

Hiding removes an app from your view but it continues to run and update. Disabling stops the app from running and prevents updates, but it may affect your phone's performance if you disable system apps. For most apps, hiding is the safer choice.

Do I need a Samsung account to hide apps?

No. The App Drawer method requires no account. find Folder and Knox Vault both require a Samsung account to set up, but you only need to sign in once during setup.