To hide apps on Android, use private space: open Settings, tap Security & privacy, then Private space, and follow the setup. Google's Android Help says it's a separate, locked area for sensitive apps that needs Android 15 or higher, and it can hide the space itself from All Apps, though Google lists cases where its existence can still be detected, as of Nov 2026.
Before you start, a myth worth clearing up. Taking an icon off your Home screen hides nothing. Google's own help says you'll find some apps on your Home screens and all of them in All Apps, so anyone who swipes up can still see the lot. Private space is the built-in way to take an app out of that list.
Can your phone use private space?
Google sets out who can and can't use it, and the list is longer than you'd think:
| You can use private space when | You can't use it when |
|---|---|
| The phone runs Android 15 or higher | The phone maker or an Enterprise Admin has switched it off |
| The phone has the supporting hardware (your manufacturer can confirm) | You're signed in as a secondary user or a guest |
| The phone isn't a managed device | The phone has more than 4 users or profiles |
| No supervised account is signed in on the main space | Your launcher app doesn't support private space |
In short, it's for the main user of a personal phone. If your phone can't run Android 15, private space isn't available to you.
Setting up private space
- Open your phone's Settings app.
- Tap Security & privacy.
- Under Privacy, tap Private space.
- Confirm with your screen lock. If you haven't got one, you'll be asked to set one up.
- Tap Set up, then Got it.
- Optionally, sign in to a Google Account. Google recommends using a different account from your main one, and I'll explain why below.
- Choose a lock: Use device screen lock to share your normal lock, or Choose new lock for a separate one. If you pick Continue without fingerprint, you can use a pattern, PIN or password instead.
- Tap Done.
You can also hide the private space container in All Apps. Once that setting's on, Google says the container disappears every time the space is locked and shows again when it's open.
Getting apps and files into the hidden space
There are two ways to install an app there, and both work only while the space is open. From All Apps, touch and hold an app, tap Install app in Private space, then follow the installer. Or open private space and tap + Install, which lets you use the Play Store or other app installers.
Here's the catch that's easy to miss. Google says installing an existing app into private space creates a new instance; the original isn't copied or changed, and private space won't let you move an app's data from the main space across. So you're starting that app fresh, and the original stays visible where it was until you deal with it.
Files work differently. Open private space, tap + Add, then Add files, pick what you want and choose Copy or Move. Copy leaves the original in place; Move deletes it from the main side. Either way the file lands in the Downloads folder inside private space. Google says the move fails if the file's in use, renamed or deleted mid-move, if there isn't enough space, or if private space locks while it's working. If it's mainly photos you're trying to keep private, my round-up of the best photo vault apps covers that job.
What happens when the space is locked
| Private space locked | Private space open | |
|---|---|---|
| The apps inside | Completely stopped, no foreground or background activity | Run as normal |
| Notifications | None | Shown, marked with the private space icon |
| Quick search | Not searchable | Searchable |
| Recents, photo picker and docs sharing | Hidden | Visible, with a Private tab in sharing apps |
| Settings, permissions and Privacy dashboard | Hidden | Visible |
That first row matters more than it looks. Google's example is a health app: it can't track anything while the space is locked. So don't put apps in there that need to work in the background, like fitness trackers or anything you rely on for alerts.
Where the hidden space can still show up
Google is honest that private space isn't invisible. It says the space's existence can't always be hidden from:
- People who install apps on your phone
- Anyone who can connect your phone to a computer, including Android Debug Bridge (adb) access
- Other apps that can detect private space being used
- Device logs
There are other limits too. Apps in private space bypass any VPN on the phone. You can send things over Bluetooth from a private space app without revealing it, but you can't receive Bluetooth content into it, and Quick Share can't deliver straight into it either. You also can't add home screen widgets or shortcuts from private space, set up a work profile from it, pair smart home devices, use Find Hub or use voice commands there.
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Why a separate Google Account matters
Private space doesn't read the accounts on your main space, so you sign in again inside it. If you use the same Google Account as your main space, Google says data can leak outside: synced photos, files, emails, contacts and calendar events, your app download history and recommendations, browsing history, bookmarks and saved passwords. A dedicated account that hasn't been signed in anywhere else avoids that.
Two things that can't be undone
Google says there's no way to recover a forgotten private space lock: forget it and you can't get back in. And if you delete private space, its apps and their data go with no backup. Restoring the phone from a device backup won't bring private space back either, although apps that sync to their own cloud servers can recover that data once you sign in again.
On an iPhone instead? The steps are completely different, and they're in my guide to hiding apps on iPhone.
How I'd set it up
I'd use private space with its own lock, not the screen lock, and a Google Account made just for it, then switch on the setting that hides the container from All Apps. I'd skip it for anything that has to run while you're not looking, because Google says locked apps stop completely. And I'd write that lock down somewhere safe, since Google offers no way back in if you forget it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Android 15 to hide apps with private space?
Yes. Google's Android Help says private space needs Android 15 or higher, supporting hardware, and a device that isn't managed or running a supervised account on the main space.
Will apps in private space still send notifications?
Only while private space is open. Google says that when it's locked, the apps inside are completely stopped and can't show notifications.
What happens if I forget my private space lock?
Google says there's no recovery option for a forgotten private space lock, so if you forget it you won't be able to get into the space.
Can someone still tell I've got a private space?
In some cases, yes. Google lists people who install apps on your phone, anyone who connects it to a computer, including adb access, apps that can detect it, and device logs.
Is private space included in my phone backup?
No. Google says on-device data in private space isn't backed up, and restoring the phone from a device backup won't restore private space.
