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How to Hide Apps on Windows 10

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Clever Ways to Hide and Unhide Apps in Windows 10

As avid Windows users, we’ve all been there – endlessly scrolling through our Start menus, searching for that one application we want to launch. With hundreds of apps installed, navigating our way through the labyrinth of program icons can be downright frustrating. Wouldn’t it be great if we could simply hide the apps we rarely use?

Fortunately, Windows 10 offers some options to help tidy up our Start menus by hiding specific apps. In this tutorial, we’ll walk through the various methods available to hide or unhide applications in the latest Windows 10 release. After reading, you’ll be able to streamline your Start menu and keep only the apps you actually need regular access to. Let’s get started!

Hiding Apps Via Windows Settings

One of the easiest ways to hide apps is directly through the Windows Settings menu. Here’s how to do it:

How do you manage accessibility features in Windows 10?

Go to Settings>Ease of Access>Closed Captions and change the settings to your liking. Other Windows 10 accessibility settings you can customize include the caption’s transparency, size, style, and effects, though you’re limited to only eight colors.

Does Windows 11 have accessibility settings?

Windows 11 is loaded with top-notch accessibility features . Luckily, these features are easy to find and modify to suit your preferences. Learn how to start enjoying your computer’s accessibility settings today. What are accessibility settings?

  1. Click the Windows icon in the bottom left corner or press the Windows key to open the Start menu.

  2. Select the gear icon to open Windows Settings.

  3. Choose Personalization, then select Start.

  4. Toggle the switch next to "Show app list in Start menu" to the Off position.

  5. The app list will now be hidden from the Start menu.

This toggle essentially hides the entire scrollable list of apps from the Start menu. It doesn’t let you select individual apps to hide, but is a quick way to remove the app list altogether.

Hiding Apps Through Group Policy Editor

For more granular control over hiding apps, the Group Policy Editor lets you conceal individual programs. Follow these steps:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run command box.

  2. Type "gpedit.msc" and press Enter to launch the Local Group Policy Editor.

  3. Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Programs.

  4. Select "Hide specified Control Panel items" and enable the policy.

  5. Choose the specific apps you want to hide from the Programs list.

    What is easy of access in Windows 11?

    While these features fell under the Ease of Access menu in Windows 10, it is a direct tab under the Settings menu in Windows 11. This option helps users with hearing disabilities in one ear to make their system combine left and right audio channels into one.

    How does Windows 10 help people with disabilities?

    Technology is a tool for all, which is why Microsoft made several vital improvements in Windows 10 to help people with different disabilities have a better experience. Most priority features built into Windows 10 are based around user requests and feedback as the company seeks to make their products accessible, and easier to use for everyone.

  6. Click Apply to save the changes.

This method hides apps from the Control Panel’s Programs section. However, it won’t affect the layout of your Start menu.

Using Third-Party Tools

If you want to selectively hide apps just from the Start menu, third-party tools like "Hide From Uninstall List" provide more flexibility. Follow these steps:

  1. Download and install the Hide From Uninstall List app.

  2. Right-click on any program and choose "Hide from Programs and Features list".

  3. To hide multiple apps at once, click Edit and select the desired programs.

  4. The chosen apps will now be hidden from the Start menu’s programs list.

This gives you precise control to pick and choose which app icons you want removed from the Start menu, without actually uninstalling the programs themselves.

Limitations to Hiding Apps

There are a couple limitations to be aware of when hiding apps in Windows 10:

  • UWP apps installed from the Microsoft Store cannot be hidden – the only option is to uninstall them.

  • Apps hidden via Group Policy will still show up in Parts of the Control Panel like Programs and Features.

    How do you grant administrative permissions to an account in Windows 10?

    1. Hover your mouse over your profile icon. A dropdown menu will appear. 2. From the dropdown menu, click on Add control panel user. A pop-up window will appear. 3. (Required) Enter the email address for the user. 4. (Required) Set permissions- Select a permission set for the user. Your options will be limited by your level of control panel access.

    Does Windows 10 have accessibility features?

    Though Windows 10 does innovate on many features we’ve come to expect from older versions of the operating system, for the most part Microsoft has opted to keep much of the core functionality of its accessibility features the same to make it easier both on users and developers to adapt without much trouble in between the old system and the new.

So in summary, Settings toggles and third-party tools are best for hiding apps from the Start menu itself. For a more system-wide effect, Group Policy edits can help – but UWP apps will need uninstalling.

Unhiding Apps in Windows 10

Once you’ve tidied up your Start menu by hiding some apps, you may eventually want to bring them back. Here’s how to unhide apps in Windows 10:

  1. Return to the same menus or apps used to hide the programs in the first place.

  2. Reverse the previous steps:

    • Enable "Show app list" in Windows Settings.

    • Disable the "Hide specified Control Panel items" policy in Group Policy Editor.

    • Use Hide From Uninstall List to "Show" the hidden apps.

  3. The apps should now be visible again in the Start menu.

  4. You can also try restarting your PC to refresh the Start menu layout.

The process for unhiding apps mirrors the steps for hiding them in the first place. Just revert back to the original settings in Windows, Group Policy or third-party apps.

Can Windows 10 help with blindness?

Windows 10 can help you with anything from poor eyesight to color blindness or total blindness. Here’s how you access the accessibility settings for vision and what each of them does. Press the Start button and click the settings cog above the power button. Click the “Display” heading under the “Vision” section to access the size settings.

How do you enable the Guest account in Windows 10?

Follow the steps given below to enable it: Step 1.Click on the “Start” button and in the search box, type “guest” and hit “Enter”. Step 2.Select the “Turn guest account on or off” option from the result displayed. Step 3.On the following “Manage Accounts” window, select “Guest” option.

How do I make accessibility settings on Windows 10?

Select the four-square Start button on your taskbar, followed by Settings > Accessibility. From there, you can make changes to vision features, hearing features, and interaction features. In the vision section of accessibility settings, you can make changes to, enable, or turn off the following options:

How does Windows 10 help people with visual impairments?

Technology provides utility and serves the purpose of virtual assistance to users. Windows 10 also lets you enable the additional utility features if users need help or want to spice up the graphical interface. This also comes in favor of those who have any visual impairments or disabilities.

Customizing Your Windows Experience

With so many ways to hide and unhide apps, you’re sure to find a method that works to organize your Start menu. Hiding rarely used apps helps declutter your system while keeping the programs installed for future use.

We hope this guide gave you some new techniques to customize your Windows experience. Let us know if you have any other tips for managing Start menu apps. In our next tutorial, we’ll cover creative ways to arrange app icons and shortcuts on the Windows desktop.

References

  1. https://www.minitool.com/partition-disk/how-to-hide-apps-on-windows-10.html
  2. https://www.makeuseof.com/hide-installed-programs-windows-10/

How do I hide UWP apps?

Unfortunately the only way to hide UWP apps is to uninstall them. Im sorry. Was this reply helpful?

WindoQ