Hiding a purchased app on your iPhone is a breeze with iOS 17. In just a few taps, you can make any app disappear from your purchase history and keep it out of sight. Ready to learn how? Let’s dive in!
You can also check out this video about how to hide a purchased app on your iPhone for additional info.
iOS 17 How to Hide a Purchased App on iPhone Tutorial
Before we start hiding apps, let’s understand why you might want to do this. Maybe you’ve downloaded a game you don’t want your kids to see, or you’ve tried out an app that you’d rather not admit to. Whatever the reason, these steps will help you keep your app purchases private.
Step 1: Open the App Store
Open the App Store app on your iPhone. This is where all your app purchases live.
When you open the App Store, make sure you’re signed in with your Apple ID. If you’re not, you’ll need to sign in before you can hide any apps.
Step 2: Tap on your profile picture
Your profile picture is at the top right of the screen. Give it a tap to access your account details.
Tapping your profile picture takes you to a page with all your account information. Here, you can see all the apps you’ve bought or downloaded before.
Step 3: Go to ‘Purchased’
Find and tap on the ‘Purchased’ option. It should be on the list of options on your account page.
‘Purchased’ is where you’ll find a list of all the apps you’ve ever downloaded with your Apple ID, even the ones you’ve deleted from your iPhone.
Step 4: Find the app you want to hide
Scroll through your list of apps until you find the one you want to hide. You might have to search for a bit if you’ve downloaded a lot of apps.
If you can’t find the app you want to hide, you can use the search bar at the top of the ‘Purchased’ page to make it easier.
Step 5: Swipe left on the app and tap ‘Hide’
Swipe left on the app’s name, and you’ll see a red ‘Hide’ button. Tap on it, and the app will be hidden from your purchase history.
After you tap ‘Hide’, the app won’t be visible in your purchase history anymore. But don’t worry, you can still re-download it if you change your mind.
Once you complete these steps, the app you chose to hide will no longer appear in your purchase history. It’s like it was never there!
iOS 17 How to Hide a Purchased App on iPhone Tips
- Make sure you’re connected to the internet before you start. You’ll need an active connection to access your purchase history.
- If you change your mind, you can unhide the app by going to your account settings and tapping on ‘Hidden Purchases’.
- Remember, hiding an app doesn’t delete it from your device or your purchase history. It just removes it from the visible list.
- Hiding an app won’t free up storage space on your iPhone. If that’s what you’re after, you’ll need to delete the app instead.
- You can also hide apps from your family members if you’re using Family Sharing. Just repeat these steps on their devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hide any app from my purchase history?
Yes, you can hide any app you’ve purchased or downloaded for free.
Will hiding an app delete it from my iPhone?
No, hiding an app only removes it from your purchase history. The app will still be on your device unless you delete it.
Can I re-download a hidden app?
Absolutely! You can always find and re-download any hidden apps in the App Store.
Is hiding an app the same as deleting it?
No, hiding an app is different from deleting it. Hiding removes the app from your visible purchase history, while deleting it removes it from your device.
Will hiding an app stop it from updating?
No, hidden apps will still update as usual. To stop updates, you would need to delete the app.
Summary
- Open the App Store.
- Tap on your profile picture.
- Go to ‘Purchased’.
- Find the app you want to hide.
- Swipe left on the app and tap ‘Hide’.
Conclusion
With the steps above, hiding a purchased app on your iPhone using iOS 17 is a simple and straightforward process. It’s a handy feature for those moments when you want to keep certain apps private or declutter your purchase history. Remember, the hidden apps are not gone forever; they are just out of sight. You can always bring them back if you need to.
As technology evolves, so do the features on our devices, making it easier for us to manage our digital lives. Hiding apps is just one of the many features that iOS 17 offers to enhance user privacy and experience. So go ahead, tidy up your App Store purchase history, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a more organized iPhone. And if you ever need to find those apps again, they’re just a few taps away. Happy hiding!
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.