Chances are you don't want prying eyes snooping on your apps. Google Pixel Phones don't have an official way to hide apps, at least not yet. Thankfully, that's changing with Android 15which is launching with a feature called Private Space.
Private Space lets you create a second hidden app ecosystem inside your phone, with its own copy of the Google Play Store and other apps. Here's how to use it to hide apps on your Pixel phone.
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With Private Space on Pixel phones, Android 15 users can quickly set up a hidden area on their phone where apps, photos, and other content can be stored away from prying eyes. For those using older Pixel devices, the easiest way to hide apps is using a third-party launcher.
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How to Enable and Use Private Space on Android 15
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Private Space is disabled by default, so you’ll need to enable it to proceed. To do this:
- Go to the Settings app.
- Tap on Security and privacy.
- Select Private space.
- Enter your PIN code.
- Tap on To set up.
- You can now create a new Google account so that downloaded apps and other information don't appear in your main account.
- For example, you might not want secret apps to show up in your Google Play history, or your hidden photos to sync to your main Google Photos account. To make this happen, click I get it and follow the instructions. If you don't want to do this, tap Skip.
- You can now select Using screen lock or Choose a new lock. This is useful if people around you know your headphone PIN. You can set a completely different one to guard your Private Space.
- Hit Finished.
Private Space is now enabled. To access it:
- Open the app drawer by swiping up from the home screen and then scrolling down.
- You will see a bar that says 'Private'. Tap the lock and enter your PIN.
- All your hidden apps, photos, files, contacts, and more will be displayed here. These apps run completely separately from the apps in your main app drawer.
- To add new hidden apps, select Install or open the Google Play Store. Download apps and they will appear in this top section.
How to Hide Apps on Pixel Phones Using a Third-Party Launcher
Damien Wilde / Android Authority
If you’re not running Android 15, you can still hide apps on Pixel phones; it just requires a little bit of fiddling. The easiest method is to use a third-party launcher.
Many launch facilities will allow you to hide apps, but we will use Nova launcher for this example. It is very popular, capable and easy to use. Keep in mind that you have to pay for Nova Launcher Prime to get extra features, including the ability to hide apps.
- Go to Google Play Store and download Nova Launcher and Nova Launcher Prime.
- Open the app and tap Nova settings.
- Set it as your default launcher.
- Now go to the app drawer.
- Select Hide apps.
- Select the apps you want to hide. Just go back when you're done.
How to Disable Apps on Pixel Phones
If you just want to hide system apps, you can disable all this junk. Be careful with this method though, because disabling apps will stop them from working altogether. Some of these may be important to other Android operations or apps. It may break certain functionality. Again, this only works for system apps, not apps you downloaded from the Play Store.
To disable an app:
- Go to Settings.
- Select Applications. You may need to tap View all apps to expand the list.
- Find the app you want to disable. Let's say it's Android Beta Feedback.
- Tap on To expandand got hit Disable App.
If you ever want to get it back, tap the app again and press Enable.