Learn how to protect your apps and safely use all the features on your cell phone!
Smartphones have become an extension of human existence, bringing together all functions in one place. They provide access to everything: media, email, personal conversations and even banking data. Given this scenario, it becomes important to properly store and protect personal and confidential information on your device.
There are apps like banking apps, or apps for photos and documents, that are best kept hidden from other people to avoid scams. So, if you want to protect your apps, keep reading and find out how.
Useful tips
To make things easier, this article is divided into blocks, with options for Samsung, Xiaomi and other brands with Android operating systems. In addition to the suggestions presented, it is also worth remembering the relevance of hiding banking applications on WhatsApp through PIN or biometric lock.
Additionally, another tip is to prevent credit card data from being stored on your cell phone and allow payments to be made without biometrics or passwords.
Finally, don't click on any questionable links and don't download any apps outside the Play Store.
Hide on Samsung
The first option is to hide apps on your Samsung phone. There is a Samsung-made tool that allows you to hide apps from your home screen and downloaded apps list. This list can only be found in the app library search field. Check out the step-by-step guide:
Open Settings on your smartphone and select “Home screen”. Click “Hide apps”. A list of all the apps installed on your device will be available. Select the apps you want to hide and click OK.
Hide apps on Xiaomi
The same tool to hide apps on Samsung can be used on Xiaomi devices. The difference is that you need to move two fingers on the home screen to access hidden apps.
In the “Security” section of the main screen, click “Additional features”. Click Hide apps and select the programs you want to hide. Click “Finish” to complete the operation.
Create a “second place” on your smartphone.
The tool known as “Second Space” is a modification of the native Android service on Xiaomi, which allows you to create more than one account on a single device. In this way, the brand’s customers can protect all sensitive applications in this new space. Follow the steps below to access it.
In the “Settings” section, select “Special Features”. Click “Second Space” and then select “Move to Second Space”. Enter your password and add your fingerprint to access your virtual environment.
Enable Guest Mode
If your phone is not a Samsung or Xiaomi, you can use guest access on your smartphone to hide apps on Android, thus preventing children or strangers from accessing your personal data. Here's how:
In the “Settings” section, click on “System”. Select “Add” and “Multiple users”. Go to “Add guest” and then click on “Change/Switch to guest”. This new profile shows a different home screen, with only pre-installed apps. The device must be enabled to make calls from this profile, otherwise you will not be able to make calls.
Protection applications
A final alternative to hiding apps on Android is using vault and security apps. App Hidder, for example, is a great alternative for installing apps securely and is available on the Play Store for free.
