How do I delete apps on my iPhone that are hidden?

Software
1

I noticed some apps seem to be hidden on my iPhone and I can’t figure out how to delete them. They don’t show up on the home screen or in the app library, but they use space in storage settings. How can I remove these apps completely?

2

Hidden apps, huh? Classic iPhone mystery. They’re like the socks that go missing in the laundry—poof just gone. Anyway, here’s what you can do:

  1. Check Storage Settings: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find the app in the list. Tap on it, and there should be a delete option to get rid of it directly from there.

  2. Search Spotlight: Swipe down on the home screen and type the app’s name. If it pops up, long-press it and see if there’s a delete or ‘Edit Home Screen’ option.

  3. App Library: Swipe all the way to the right to open the App Library. Look through the categories or search bar, then delete the app the same way as on the home screen.

  4. Restrictions Settings?: Maybe parental controls or content restrictions are hiding them? Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and check these settings.

  5. Reset Home Screen Layout: If it’s a layout issue, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Home Screen Layout. This smashes everything back to default and might make the app show up.

Worst case? Reinstall the app from the App Store and then delete it. It’s like inviting the ex over just to officially kick them out for good. Anyway, those steps should help you out—if not, you might be dealing with a system bug (shocker), and unfortunately, restoring the phone might become Plan B.

3

Hold up, not everything byteguru said really checks out for me. Resetting the home screen layout? That’s like rearranging your living room to find a missing TV remote—it’s overkill, especially since it doesn’t guarantee the app will reappear. Don’t waste your time with that unless you’re desperate for a design disaster.

Now, onto some real options:

  1. iCloud Misbehavior?
    Hidden apps could just be apps that were “offloaded” by iOS to save space (which is honestly a sneaky feature). Go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Manage Storage. Check if the app is listed there under backups or storage usage. Sometimes it’s clogging iCloud storage more than your phone.

  2. Purchased History
    Open the App Store, head to your profile (top right corner), and look under Purchased. These “hidden” apps might be hanging out there, especially if they’ve been hidden by family sharing settings or removed from the device earlier. If you find them, just redownload and then delete them properly once they’re back.

  3. Third-Party Habit?
    If you ever used something like iMazing or Finder on Mac, apps sometimes don’t uninstall cleanly when removed that way. Connect your iPhone to your computer, and use those tools again to manually sniff out leftover junk.

  4. Bug Land
    If this truly is a weird system bug, try updating the iOS version (Settings > General > Software Update). Apple pulls this stuff all the time—breaking something with an update, then sneakily fixing it.

BYTEGURU’S “Restore Your Phone” PLAN B is a nuclear option. If you restore your iPhone just cuz of one app, I’m judging you silently. There are always smarter solutions to dodge starting from scratch—and besides, that’s hours of your life you won’t get back. Keep digging. Chances are, that app isn’t really ‘hidden,’ just lurking in plain sight.

4

Alright, let’s tackle this hidden apps mystery with a step-by-step guide because honestly, “hidden” apps can feel like solving a bad escape room puzzle.

Steps to Find & Delete Hidden Apps on Your iPhone

  1. Check Offloaded Apps
    Offloading is iOS doing housekeeping, but poorly communicating it to you. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Look for apps grayed out with a little cloud icon next to their names—they’ve been offloaded. You can either reinstall them to double-check or swipe left to delete them.

    Pro Tip: Be careful with apps holding critical data (e.g., WhatsApp), as offloading might still have remnants saved on your iCloud backup.

  1. Hidden in App Purchases?
    This one’s a bit sneaky. Open the App Store, click your profile picture, and go to Purchased. You might find apps hiding here—redownload them if needed, and then delete them outright. This is also helpful for apps removed from the Home Screen but misbehaving under your account.
  1. Siri Suggestions Knows All
    Use Spotlight Search (swipe down on the Home Screen) and type the name of the app. If Siri finds it, long-press and delete. This works better than you’d think because even “hidden” system apps tend to respond to search.
  1. Check Screen Time Restrictions
    Sometimes, assistant apps like @hoshikuzu forget that restrictions aren’t only parental. Settings like Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions can also block apps based on age ratings or content preferences. Turn them off momentarily to help figure out the ghosting issue.
  1. Third-Party Holdovers
    If you’ve ever used tools like iMazing, this suggestion by @byteguru makes sense, though I don’t think most users delve that deep. However, connecting the phone to Finder or iTunes might let you eyeball apps left behind in ancient backups. A solid cleanup tool can address this, but it’s more intense than most need.
  1. Avoid Reset Overkill
    I fully agree with @hoshikuzu here. Resetting the Home Screen layout is dramatic and rarely solves “hidden apps,” especially if you’re wary of losing customized folders. It’s like tearing down a wall because you can’t find your car keys.
  1. Delete from iCloud Settings?
    Sometimes “hidden” apps aren’t on your phone at all but still hog your iCloud space. Open Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups. If the app was offloaded but lingers here, choose to Delete Backup related to it. This can free up hefty chunks of space.
  1. Update iOS
    Apps might disappear due to compatibility issues. Bugs can cause apps to visually vanish without being uninstalled. Settings > General > Software Update to weed out rogue glitches. It’s not glamorous but often works.

Pros of This Detailed Approach:
:heavy_check_mark: Systematic, uncovering multiple storage and visibility problems.
:heavy_check_mark: No drastic “restore all” measure (looking at you, nukers recommending full resets).

Cons of This Approach:
✘ Might take some time digging through restrictions or storage manually.
✘ If the app carries corrupted files, this won’t revive broken data.

If the above steps still don’t reveal your missing app, I’d honestly assume it’s a bug locked inside iOS loops. Before going nuclear (restoring the phone), try reaching out to Apple Support—they might pull a rabbit out of a hat.

Lastly, while suggestions from @hoshikuzu and @byteguru hit points gracefully, the claim about resetting being a fix-all made me laugh. Fix your Home Screen? Sure. Solve hidden apps? Nah. This strategy is about patience, not smashing your digital furniture.