iPhone
Block access on iPhone
Shield Mode keeps an app icon visible and displays an Apple system shield when someone taps it.
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Private Me gives you platform-specific ways to control which apps appear on your home screen. On iPhone, choose between Screen Time app shielding and hiding. On Android, hide apps from the Private Me launcher grid. The options differ by operating system, and apps remain installed on your device.
Choose the option that fits your device and what you want to change.
App protection covers two different actions: blocking access to selected apps on iPhone, and hiding app icons from a home screen or launcher. It does not uninstall apps or remove them from the system Settings app.
iPhone
Shield Mode keeps an app icon visible and displays an Apple system shield when someone taps it.
iPhone and Android
Hide Mode on iPhone removes selected apps from the Home Screen and Spotlight. On Android, apps are hidden from the Private Me launcher grid.
Both platforms
The options can be reversed in Private Me. Apps stay installed; hiding changes where they appear, not whether they are installed.
Private Me uses Apple’s FamilyControls and ManagedSettings frameworks. iOS asks you to grant Screen Time permission before these options can be used.
Shield Mode and Hide Mode do different things. Use Shield Mode when you want the app to remain visible but show a system blocking screen when opened. Use Hide Mode when you want selected apps removed from the Home Screen and Spotlight results.
Blocks access
Select apps in Apple’s system picker and turn on Shield Mode. Their icons remain visible. Tapping a selected app displays the iOS system shield instead of opening the app. Turn the mode off in Private Me to restore access.
Hides from view
Choose apps and enable Hide Mode to remove them from the Home Screen and Spotlight search results. The apps are still installed and remain visible in iOS Settings. You can turn Hide Mode off from Private Me to show them again.
A one-time Screen Time authorization is required before you select apps.
Private Me supports these Screen Time options on iOS 16 and later. On iOS 26 and later, the supported token-based hiding flow can be enabled with the current in-app controls. On iOS 16 through 25, follow the guided first-time setup to prepare the app selection before enabling Hide Mode.
Open Private Me on your iPhone and choose the app protection option.
Respond to the iOS authorization prompt. If permission is denied, review the Screen Time permission for Private Me in iOS Settings.
Use Apple’s system app picker to choose the apps you want to shield or hide.
Turn on Shield Mode to block access while keeping icons visible, or Hide Mode to remove selected apps from the Home Screen and Spotlight.
Open Private Me and turn off the selected mode to show apps again or allow them to open.
On Android, Private Me hides selected apps from its launcher grid. Set Private Me as your active default launcher for the hidden-app view to apply.
The Android app-hiding option uses a custom launcher and standard Android APIs; root access is not required. Apps hidden from the Private Me launcher remain installed and are still listed in Android Settings. If you switch to another launcher, the apps can appear in that launcher’s app list.
Install Private Me from the official Google Play listing and open the app.
Choose Private Me when Android asks which launcher to use, then select the option to use it by default.
Open the hidden-apps controls in Private Me and select the apps you want removed from its launcher grid.
Use the Hidden Apps section in Private Me to launch a hidden app, or choose the show/unhide control to return it to the launcher grid.
Hiding applies to the Private Me launcher. Apps remain visible in Android Settings → Apps and may reappear when a different launcher is active. Leaving the Private Me launcher uses the in-app password verification described in the original setup flow.
The result depends on the operating system and the mode you choose.
Use this comparison to choose the right setup for your phone.
| Option | iPhone (iOS) | Android |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Screen Time controls provide Shield Mode and Hide Mode. | The Private Me default launcher hides selected apps from its grid. |
| What changes | Shield keeps icons visible and blocks opening; Hide removes apps from Home Screen and Spotlight. | Selected apps are removed from the Private Me launcher grid. |
| System Settings | Apps remain installed and visible in iOS Settings. | Apps remain installed and visible in Android Settings → Apps. |
| What is required | iOS 16 or later and Screen Time authorization. | Android 5.0 or later, with Private Me set as the active default launcher. |
| Restore or switch | Turn off Shield Mode or Hide Mode in Private Me. | Show an app again in Private Me or switch launchers; apps may reappear in another launcher. |
Keep the home screen focused on the apps you want to see there.
For example, you can hide apps you do not use every day from the launcher grid, or use iPhone Shield Mode when you want an extra step before opening selected apps. Choose the mode that matches your device; the controls and what other parts of the system show are different on iOS and Android.
Move less-used apps out of the launcher view while keeping them installed.
Keep an icon visible with Shield Mode or remove it from Home Screen and Spotlight with Hide Mode.
Use the Private Me launcher’s hidden-apps controls to launch an app or show it in the grid again.
Answers about hiding apps on iPhone and Android.
No. Hiding changes whether the app appears in the Home Screen or launcher view. The app remains installed. On both platforms it can still appear in the system Settings app.
Yes. Private Me uses Apple’s Screen Time frameworks for these iPhone options. You need to grant the Screen Time permission requested by iOS; a jailbreak is not required.
No. The Android option uses the Private Me launcher and does not require root access. Private Me must be the active default launcher for apps to stay hidden from its grid.
The app protection options require iOS 16 or later and Screen Time authorization. The setup flow differs between iOS 16–25 and iOS 26 and later.
Shield Mode leaves app icons visible and shows an iOS system blocking screen when a selected app is opened. Hide Mode removes selected apps from the Home Screen and Spotlight results. Both are managed from Private Me.
Get Private Me for iPhone or Android and follow the platform-specific setup in the app.
Review the official store listing for the version and compatibility details available for your device.
Yes. On iPhone, turn off Hide Mode to show the app again, or turn off Shield Mode to allow it to open. On Android, open a hidden app from Private Me or use the show/unhide control to return it to the launcher grid.
The hidden-app view applies to the Private Me launcher. If you switch to another launcher, hidden apps may appear in that launcher. Return to Private Me to use its hidden-app view.
Yes. Hiding affects the Home Screen, Spotlight, or Private Me launcher grid as described for each mode. It does not uninstall apps or remove them from the system app list.