Hiding apps on an Android device may seem a bit sneaky, but it’s actually a great way to ensure that if your device is lost or stolen, your personal and private data is safe. The Android operating system doesn’t make it easy to hide your sensitive apps, but there are a few ways to remove the bloatware and keep your personal data out of sight of prying eyes.

The first thing you need to know about hiding apps on an Android device is that there is no built-in way to keep your apps secret. That doesn’t mean you have no options at all. It just means that hiding your apps isn’t going to be as easy (or intuitive) as it could be. That said, one way to hide apps doesn’t actually hide them at all.

Instead of hiding apps, you can disable them to remove them from your App Drawer and prevent them from using system resources. It's easy to disable an app:

Apps that aren’t pre-installed on your device (those you download from the Google Play Store or other sources) usually can’t be disabled. Hiding those apps is a bit more complicated. You’ll need a third-party app to do it.