[Tip] How to Hide and Lock Apps with Password in App Drawer in Android Smartphones

Today in this article, we’ll tell you how to hide desired apps in the app drawer in your Google Android smartphone. We’ll also tell you how to lock those apps using a password or PIN, so that no one can access those apps without your permission. Anyone will need to enter password/PIN to access and open those apps.

Many times we need to give our mobile phone to family members, friends, etc to show videos, photos. Now-a-days many parents are giving their mobile phones to their children for online classes.

In such situations, when we have to give our mobile phone to others, we may want to hide some apps in our mobile phone so that no one can access and open those apps. For example, we may want to hide Mail app so that no one can view and read our important emails. We may want to hide OTT apps so that kids do not waste their time in watching movies/videos on these apps. We may want to hide some games, gallery or anything else.

Apart from hiding apps, we may also want to lock or password protect apps so that no one can find and launch those apps. Even if a person is able to open an app, your mobile phone should ask for a password or PIN code to launch the app.

If you also want to hide and lock apps in your mobile phone, you have come to the right place.

Now-a-days many smartphones companies such as Samsung provide an option to hide apps in app drawer in Home Screen settings. If you are using other brand smartphone which doesn’t come with such option to hide apps, following method will help you.

We’ll take help of Microsoft’s official Android Launcher app called “Microsoft Launcher” to achieve this goal. Microsoft Launcher is a free app and can be used to replace default or stock launcher present in your Android smartphone.

Microsoft Launcher comes with a hidden secret feature which is very less known to people and this hidden secret feature allows users to hide and lock apps in app drawer.

To hide and lock apps in your Android mobile phone, do as following:

STEP 1: Download and Install Microsoft Launcher

First of all download and install Microsoft Launcher app using Google Play Store. For your convenience, we are also providing direct download link of Microsoft Launcher:

Install Microsoft Launcher from Google Play Store just like any other app.

STEP 2: Finish Setup/Installation Process and Welcome Wizard

After installing Microsoft Launcher in your smartphone, launch the app from app drawer and tap on “Get started” button to skip the guide and information page. On next page, Microsoft Launcher will ask to help Microsoft in improving the launcher by sharing and sending your usage data, you can tap on “Not now” button to deny sharing data or tap on “OK” button to accept sharing data feature.

Next Microsoft Launcher will ask for a few permissions such as device’s location, photos/media/files, tap on Allow option to grant required permissions.

Select the wallpaper option and tap on Continue button. On next screen, Microsoft Launcher will ask to sign in using your Microsoft account. If you don’t want to use your Microsoft account, tap on “Skip” option present at the bottom-left corner of screen.

Again tap on Continue and then Let’s go buttons to finish installation process. At last Microsoft Launcher will ask to set it as default launcher in your mobile phone, tap on Set as default option.

Once you have set Microsoft Launcher as default launcher in your smartphone, you’ll get a new UI experience on Home screen as well as app drawer.

STEP 3: Hide Apps Using Microsoft Launcher

Now let’s start process of hiding apps in app drawer.

On Home screen, swipe up to launch app drawer. Now tap on 3-dots icon showing at the top-right corner in app drawer. Select “Hidden apps” option from the list.

It’ll open Hidden apps page. Tap on “Hide Apps” button and select desired apps which you want to hide in app drawer.

Once selected, tap on “Done” button.

That’s it. It’ll immediately hide selected apps from app drawer. Now everyone will see only those apps which you want to display in the app drawer.

If the app shortcut icons were also present on Home screen, Microsoft Launcher will also hide/remove them from Home Screen.

Now the hidden apps can be accessed using “Hidden Apps” option from 3-dots menu on app drawer page. You can hide more apps or unhide desired apps using “Hidden Apps” page.

STEP 4: Lock or Password Protect Apps Using Microsoft Launcher

You can set a password/PIN to lock the “Hidden apps” page and no one will be able to access and open those hidden apps.

Again on Home screen, swipe up to launch app drawer. Now tap on 3-dots icon showing at the top-right corner in app drawer. Select “Hidden apps” option from the list.

It’ll open Hidden apps page. Tap on Cog Wheel icon (customize or control icon) present at top-right corner of the page.

Now enable or turn ON “Set Password” toggle button. Microsoft Launcher will ask to sign in using Microsoft account again, tap on “Skip” button.

Now set your desired password or PIN code and you are done.

Now whenever any one tries to access hidden apps using 3-dots menu, it’ll ask to enter password/PIN.

PS:

In future, if you decide to restore default stock launcher in your smartphone, simply uninstall Microsoft Launcher app and it’ll restore your previous default launcher.

Also Check:

[Tip] Create Shortcut to Any Settings or Options on Home Screen in Android Mobile Phones