I found an icon on my iPad that is a normal size like the others but is a light gray and is titled "hidden." When I click on it, nothing happens. It is in the group icon that contains all my icons, but is not on my screen otherwise. What is it?
iPad Pro, iPadOS 26
Presumably you have encountered the iPadOS hidden Apps feature - this being principally managed from the iPad's App Library.
Some Users choose to (or perhaps accidentally) hide Apps that they do not wish to be immediately visible from their Home Screens, or the main App Library, for various reasons including privacy:
Lock or hide an app on iPad - Apple Support
The App Library page is accessed from either your last Home Screen - or if configured in iPad settings, from the icon at the far-right of your Dock. The App Library is independent from your own folder structure that you create on your Home Screens - which may, or may not, include all the Apps installed on your iPad.
The App Library lists all the Apps that are installed on your iPad. Within the App Library are multiple automatically curated folders that group your installed Apps by category - including an Other folder within which Apps that do not fit specific categories will reside. Category information used to sort Apps within the App Library is derived from the Apple App Store.
You find information about the App Library and how to use it within the frequently overlooked iPad User Guide - this being a rich source of information about your iPad and iPadOS. Here is a direct link to the section of the Guide that describes the App Library:
Find and use your apps in App Library on iPad - Apple Support
In addition to the automatically curated App Library folders, there is an additional special folder entitled Hidden - which will contain Apps that you have explicitly "hidden" from view.
Presumably you have encountered the iPadOS hidden Apps feature - this being principally managed from the iPad's App Library.
Some Users choose to (or perhaps accidentally) hide Apps that they do not wish to be immediately visible from their Home Screens, or the main App Library, for various reasons including privacy:
Lock or hide an app on iPad - Apple Support
The App Library page is accessed from either your last Home Screen - or if configured in iPad settings, from the icon at the far-right of your Dock. The App Library is independent from your own folder structure that you create on your Home Screens - which may, or may not, include all the Apps installed on your iPad.
The App Library lists all the Apps that are installed on your iPad. Within the App Library are multiple automatically curated folders that group your installed Apps by category - including an Other folder within which Apps that do not fit specific categories will reside. Category information used to sort Apps within the App Library is derived from the Apple App Store.
You find information about the App Library and how to use it within the frequently overlooked iPad User Guide - this being a rich source of information about your iPad and iPadOS. Here is a direct link to the section of the Guide that describes the App Library:
Find and use your apps in App Library on iPad - Apple Support
In addition to the automatically curated App Library folders, there is an additional special folder entitled Hidden - which will contain Apps that you have explicitly "hidden" from view.
iPad shows non-responsive 'hidden' icon
