Published 15:50 IST, February 12th 2020
How to hide apps in Vivo mobile phones using in-built features?
Vivo phones come packed with a range of exciting apps and features. Among other things, most smartphones also allow users to hide apps on the home screen
Most of the smartphones coming out of China do not feature an application drawer. Similar to that on iOS, all the apps on your Vivo mobile are stored on the home screens. This leads to a lot of clutter and you may not even need most of the apps at times, especially those which are used for additional setup and configuration purposes.
So if you are looking to declutter your home screen or simply hide them for any other reasons, you can follow this simple step-by-step guide on how to hide apps in Vivo mobiles.
For Funtouch OS 3.0:
Step 1: Go to your Vivo Home screen and long tap on a blank space to bring up the ‘Hide icon’ option.
Step 2: Users can also set up a password during this step so if someone tries to unhide a certain app, the device will ask for a pin. Set up the privacy password which is the same as 'Hide icon' password.
Step 3. Slide the apps downwards to hide them.
For Funtouch OS 2.6 and lower versions:
Step 1: Go to your Vivo Home screen and click on ‘menu’ capacitive touch key (left side of home key).
Step 2: Two options will show up – ‘Widgets’ and ‘Hide icon’. Select ‘Hide icon’ which will be on the right side of the screen.
Step 3. You will be able to see all the apps that you have installed on your Vivo mobile phone. You may choose the ones that you wish to hide, and they will disappear from the app list.
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How to restore the hidden apps on the application screen?
Restoring your mobile apps to the home screen is just as simple. Follow the same steps as above and you will be able to see all the apps that are currently not visible on the main screen. Deselect by tapping on the app icons.
*Note: The ‘Hide icons’ feature has been discontinued with Funtouch OS 3.1 and higher versions except for a few Vivo mobiles like V5s and V5 Plus.
Why should you hide apps on Vivo mobiles?
The app icons on your Vivo mobile are just shortcuts to the actual apps, and hiding them will not lead to uninstallation of the app or losing any of your data. Hiding these apps will only mean that they no longer show up on your home screen while still performing their functions in the background, if and when needed.
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What if your Vivo mobile does not support this feature?
As the ‘Hide icon’ feature is not available on all the Vivo devices, users can alternately use the app encryption feature to protect them. The feature is available on most Vivo mobiles. Follow these steps -
Go to your phone settings by tapping on ‘Settings’, select ‘Privacy’ – choose ‘App encryption’ and set up a password.
*Note: App encryption will not hide apps but will prevent others from opening your applications.
To disable app encryption in the future, you can follow the same steps and click on ‘Disable privacy password’. Enter the password and you’re done.
(Image credits: Instagram | Vivo Global)
Updated 15:50 IST, February 12th 2020