Privacy is a key selling point for iPhones, renown for their top-notch security features. However, Apple does have its limitations, like the inability to hide app purchase history.
Hidden purchases are inaccessible and are stored on an iPhone’s Apple ID account. They’ll appear on any iPhone connected to that Apple ID. The App Store on your iPhone only allows you to hide or unhide items from history.
A quick fix to consider is replacing your Apple ID with a fresh one. The process is simple, and the rest of this guide will walk you through how to do it without hassles. Let’s dive right into it.
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How to Delete Hidden Purchases on iPhone?
You cannot delete hidden purchases from an iPhone unless you want to clear the purchases on your credit card statement. However, signing in with a fresh Apple ID will clear every record on the iPhone.
So, here are steps to replace your ID and remove hidden purchases.
Step 1: Sign out of your current Apple ID on App Store
First, open the App Store app on your iPhone by clicking the icon on your phone’s home screen. Click on ‘Apps’ at the bottom of your phone screen and click on your Apple ID profile at the upper right side of the screen.
The next screen shows your Account ID, Purchased, Personalized Recommendations, and a sign-out option.
Simply tap the “Sign Out” button at the bottom of your screen. This will disconnect your App Store and all other apps that operate with your Apple ID.
Note: This will not affect other apps on your devices except your App Store. So you won’t lose your contacts, files, and other contents synchronized on your iPhone.
Step 2: Sign in with your new Apple ID
Once you successfully sign out of your previous ID, you can enter the login details of your new Apple ID, including your email address and password. However, creating one is simple if you do not have another ID.
The steps below will guide you.
Step 3: Creating a new Apple ID
You can create a new Apple ID on your iPhone using the latest browser on your device, App Store, a Mac, or Windows.
Make sure you’re connected to the internet. This guide will carry out the steps to create an Apple ID on the Safari browser.
Open your browser and visit https://appleid.apple.com/account. You’ll see a form requesting your First and Last Name, Country/Region, new email address, and new password.
Complete the form carefully, providing an email address you can access for verification purposes. Enter your phone, confirm your new password, and hit the continue button.
Go to your inbox in the email provided and verify your account with the 6-digit code. Also, verify your phone number with a 6-digit code to complete the Apple ID setup. Now your new Apple ID is ready for use.
Go back to the App Store, and click the account icon (you won’t see any photo because there’s an account associated).
Enter the login details of your new Apple ID and follow the on-screen instructions to finish signing in to your new account. After this, you won’t find the hidden purchases on your iPhone again.
Step 4: Hidden Purchases Removed Successfully
To confirm that the hidden purchases are no longer in the App Store on your iPhone, follow these steps:
- Tap on your new Apple ID icon on the top right of your App Store page. This will take you to a screen that shows your Account ID, Purchased, Personalized Recommendations, and a sign-out option.
- Simply tap on your account ID and enter your new Apple ID password to verify that you own the account you want to access. This will give you full access to manage your account. Also, you can edit your account information, payment options, and subscriptions and see your purchase history.
- Scroll up till you find the “Hidden Purchases” tab. Tap on it, and the “You do not have any purchased apps available to download” message will appear on your screen. This means you’ve successfully removed all hidden purchases.
Note: Once you download/purchase and hide any item from the App Store using your new ID, you cannot get rid of it unless you create a new Apple ID again. It can be tiring, so be sure of the apps you may wish to have on your device before downloading or hiding.
How To Hide A Purchased App On iPhone?
Sometimes you may need to hide a purchased app for privacy and other issues. Use the following steps to hide a purchased app on your iPhone.
- Open the App Store on your iPhone and select your Apple ID profile from the top right side of the screen.
- You will have to find the Purchased from your ID account. This contains all the apps you purchased through your profile and those you’ve downloaded.
- Select and hide any app from the Purchased list. Just place your finger on any app you choose and swipe left to hide. This sends the selected app to hidden purchases on your iPhone.
How To Remove Unwanted Hidden Apps?
Removing unwanted hidden apps is very easy. Delete from your iPhone’s home screen, App Library, or Settings. If you only want to unhide but not delete, simply find the app in your App library, press and hold, and add it to the home screen.
On the other hand, you can follow these steps to delete hidden apps on your iPhone.
How To Delete Hidden Apps On iPhone?
There are 3 ways to delete hidden apps on your iPhone.
Delete Hidden Apps From The Settings
Here are the steps to follow from Settings.
- Open the Settings on your phone screen and click on General.
- Then click on iPhone Storage. You will wait for all the apps on your phone to load and display.
- Choose the app you want to delete and click on the app icon.
- From the pop-up menu, click ‘Delete App.’
- Confirm the request by clicking ‘Yes.’ This app will be removed from your phone.
Delete Hidden Apps Through Spotlight Search
Use the following steps via Spotlight Search.
- Locate the Spotlight Search from the Home Screen on your phone.
- Search for the hidden app by typing its name in the search box.
- Once the app displays, tap the icon and hold for a few moments.
- From the pop-up menu, select ‘Delete App.’ The app will be permanently removed from your phone.
Delete Hidden Apps From the App Library
Here are the steps to follow from the App Library.
- Swipe left from the Home Screen to locate the App Library section on your phone.
- Search and find the hidden app from the categories in the Library.
- Tap and hold the app icon for some time.
- Select the ‘Delete App’ button.
- Tap Delete to remove the hidden app finally.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Block An App On Apple?
To block an app on Apple is simple. Click on the device Settings and select Screen Time. Then, select Content & Privacy Restrictions and input your passcode according to the system’s demands. Click on iTunes & App Store Purchases and select ‘Don’t Allow on the setting.’
Can I restore a deleted Purchase?
It’s possible to restore a deleted purchase on your iPhone. Click and open the App Store and hit the ‘Today’ button. Click on your ID profile and then the Purchases. From the list of purchases, select and restore any purchase.
How Do I Unhide An App On iPhone?
To unhide an app on iPhone, locate the App Library by swiping to the left from the Home Screen. Search for the app icon in the category groups or type the app’s name in the search box.
Once the app displays, tap and hold the icon for a few moments and click on Add to Home Screen. The app will appear on the Home Screen as the last entry.
Currently, there’s no command for permanently deleting hidden purchases on an iPhone. You can only hide/delete, but the purchase record won’t wipe off.
However, changing your App Store account can remove all hidden, deleted, and even recent purchases on your device. Simply follow the steps above to change your App Store ID.
Can I delete App History On iPhone from iCloud?
You can delete app history on your iPhone through iCloud. After deleting the app you wish to clear its history, navigate to Settings, tap on your Apple ID and select iCloud.
Tap on Manage Storage and tap on the app you’d deleted. Once the next screen opens, tap on Delete Data and the app history is gone.
Conclusion
Although it may seem impossible to delete these hidden purchases, you can break through by simply changing to a new Apple ID. With the steps above, you don’t have to worry about hidden purchases clustering your iPhone.
Sign out of your previous Apple ID with “Hidden Purchases,” create a new Apple ID and sign in with it.
Check your App Store Purchase History and see that the Hidden Purchases are gone. On the other hand, if you want to delete hidden apps instead, go through Settings, Spotlight search, or the app library.
