iOS 9.3 Will Officially Let You Hide Stock Apps, But It Won’t Be Easy

While we recently reported about a glitch discovered in iOS 9.2 that allowed users to hide the stock apps clogging up their home screens, several of you mentioned that the apps would return on their own after a short while, or a rebooting, or hard reset of the device.

Now, however, perhaps in a bid to satisfy the majority, Apple has announced that it will release an official feature, built into iOS 9.3, that will allow users to permanently hide these space sucking stock apps for good. The only downside, unfortunately, is that the process of doing so won’t exactly be a walk in the park with flowers and bumble bees.

This is How You Can Permanently Hide Stock apps in iOS 9.3

Recently, there have emerged a number of ways that users of iOS devices have tried to hide or remove the stock apps from their devices — jailbreaking or exploiting glitches, for example.

However, now it seems that an actual, legitimate solution for hiding the stock apps on iOS, and keeping them hidden, has dawned upon us. Thanks in part to Reddit user, bfodder, we can now use Apple’s Configurator 2.2 beta to get the job done, and done for good.

Step 1:

To download Apple Configurator 2.2, you’ll either need your own, or access to a friend’s Apple Developer account. Once logged in, you can download Configurator 2.2 here.

Step 2:

Launch Apple Configurator 2.2 beta once the download is complete, and then hit Command + N on your keyboard to create a new profile. Under General, you can then name the new profile you are about to create. (All other sections can be left blank.)

Step 3:

From the left-side menu list, select Restrictions > click on the Apps tab > and then select the Do not allow some apps under the “Restrict App Usage” section.

Step 4:

Click on the small + icon at the bottom to add apps that you would like removed from your home screen. A search option will then pop-up, where you can enter in the Bundle Identifier > Select the app from the list > and then click Choose. (The selected app will be added to the “Restrict App Usage” list; you can then repeat this same process for all of the stock apps you want to remove from your home screen.)

Once you’re done selecting the apps you want to hide, simply save and close out of your profile.

Step 5:

Plug your iPhone in using the USB cable, and then open Apple Configurator 2.2 beta. Once your device loads on the main window, Right-click on the device and select Add Profile > find and select the profile you just created.

Step 6:

Your phone will need to be unlocked, and any prompts on your computer and/or device will need to be followed accordingly. The prompts should automatically take you to Settings > General > Profiles & Device Management. It is here that you’ll need to install your new profile.

If done correctly, you should be able to see the apps you have hidden listed under “Restrict App Usage,” and they should immediately disappear from your home screen.

To undo these actions, you can go back into Apple Configurator 2.2 and remove listed apps from the “Restrict App Usage” section, or simply delete the saved profile by going to Settings > General > Profiles & Device Management.

So, as you can see, it’s not so easy. But we’re hoping that if you can make it happen, somehow, someway, everything works out for you in the end!

What do you think about this official option for hiding
those unwanted stock apps on your iOS device?
Is it worth the effort?
Let us know in the comments below!

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