How to Remove Apps from Secure Folder

Decide whether you want to uninstall, hide, or move the app

Before you tap anything, decide what you want the result to be. Uninstalling, hiding, and moving an app are separate actions in Samsung Secure Folder.

• Uninstall an app: Removes that app from Secure Folder. This is the usual choice when you no longer want the app there.
• Hide an app: Keeps the app in Secure Folder but removes its icon from view.
• Move an app out: Means putting the app back in your regular phone or tablet space without uninstalling it.

That last option can be confusing. The available Secure Folder instructions mainly describe removing an app by pressing and holding it, then choosing Uninstall. They don't confirm a general “move out” command that sends the app back to your normal home screen.

So, don't choose Uninstall if your goal is to keep the Secure Folder copy and simply use the app outside it. First check whether your device shows a move or export option. If it doesn't, you may need to install or add the app separately in the regular part of your device.

Also remember that an app inside Secure Folder may be a separate copy from the same app outside the folder. Removing the Secure Folder copy doesn't automatically mean you have removed every copy from your phone.

How to remove an app from Secure Folder

If you want to delete an app from Secure Folder, use the app's menu inside the folder.

1. Open Secure Folder.
2. Find the app you want to remove.
3. Press and hold the app icon.
4. Look for Uninstall.
5. Follow the on-screen prompt to confirm.

The Uninstall option may not appear for every app. Some stock or default apps that Samsung places in Secure Folder can't be removed this way.

If you see an uninstall confirmation, read it carefully before accepting. You're removing the app from Secure Folder, not simply taking its shortcut off the screen. If the app contains information stored inside Secure Folder, check that you no longer need it before continuing.

You can also try selecting more than one removable app if your device offers a multi-select mode. The exact buttons can vary by Galaxy phone, tablet, and software version, so use the option shown on your screen rather than assuming every model has the same menu.

How to hide an app in Secure Folder instead

Hiding is the better choice if you still want the app available but don't want its icon sitting in Secure Folder.

1. Open Secure Folder.
2. Choose the option to select apps, if it appears.
3. Select the app or apps you want to hide.
4. Tap Hide.
5. Confirm if your device asks you to.

This removes the selected app icons from the visible Secure Folder screen. It doesn't uninstall the apps or erase their data.

Use hiding when you may need the app again later. It can also help if you want fewer icons visible without changing what is installed.

To bring a hidden app back, open Secure Folder and look for its app-management or visibility controls. Samsung can place these controls in different spots depending on the device and software version. If you can't find the hidden app, search the Secure Folder settings for an option related to showing or managing apps.

What to do when an app cannot be deleted

A missing Uninstall option doesn't always mean something is wrong. Some stock or default apps in Secure Folder are protected and cannot be removed.

Try these checks:

• Press and hold the app while you are inside Secure Folder, not on the regular home screen.
• Check whether you selected the actual app icon rather than a shortcut or folder.
• Look for an app-selection mode and see whether Hide is available.
• Open Secure Folder settings and review the app controls there.
• Restart the phone or tablet, then check the app again if the menu doesn't respond.

If Samsung treats the app as a default part of Secure Folder, you may be able to hide it but not uninstall it. In that case, hiding is the practical option.

Don't confuse this with deleting Secure Folder itself. An app that cannot be removed is an item inside the folder. Samsung provides a separate setting for uninstalling the whole Secure Folder, and that is a much bigger action.

How to remove files and other items from Secure Folder

Apps and personal files use different removal steps. If you're trying to remove a photo, document, video, or another item, don't press and hold the app icon and expect it to appear there.

Open the app where the item is stored inside Secure Folder. For example:

• Open Gallery inside Secure Folder for photos and videos.
• Open My Files inside Secure Folder for documents and downloaded files.
• Open the relevant app for other saved content.

Then select the item and use that app's Delete, Remove, or trash option. The wording can vary by app. Confirm the deletion only after checking that you're working inside Secure Folder and that you selected the right file.

This distinction matters because removing a file doesn't uninstall the app that opened it. Likewise, uninstalling an app doesn't mean every item in Secure Folder has been separately removed.

If you don't see the file, check the app's folders and storage locations inside Secure Folder. Content in the regular part of your device and content inside Secure Folder are handled as separate areas. Deleting an item from one area doesn't necessarily delete a matching item in the other.

How Secure Folder differs from the apps and files inside it

Think of Secure Folder as a protected space that contains apps, files, and other private content. The folder itself has its own controls. The things inside it have their own controls too.

That gives you several different actions:

• Remove an app: Uninstall that app from Secure Folder.
• Hide an app: Keep the app installed but remove its icon from view.
• Remove a file: Delete the file from Gallery, My Files, or the app where it is stored.
• Hide Secure Folder: Make the folder itself less visible on the device.
• Uninstall Secure Folder: Remove the Secure Folder feature through its settings.

These choices aren't interchangeable. If you hide Secure Folder, you're changing the folder's visibility. You aren't uninstalling its apps. If you uninstall Secure Folder, you're dealing with the protected space itself, not just one unwanted icon.

Before using the Secure Folder uninstall control, check any content you still need. Samsung includes separate controls for managing Secure Folder, including its apps, visibility, uninstall settings, and backups. Use the setting that matches the problem instead of deleting the whole folder to remove one app.

Adding an app back to Secure Folder later

If you removed an app and later want it in Secure Folder again, open the folder and use its Add apps control.

A common path is:

1. Open Secure Folder.
2. Tap Add apps or the plus button.
3. Select the app you want to add.
4. Tap Add or confirm the selection.

The wording and layout may differ on your Galaxy phone or tablet. Adding an app again may create or use a separate version inside Secure Folder. Check the app's sign-in and stored data before assuming it will look exactly as it did before removal.

If your goal is to use an app in both places, check whether your device lets you add it to Secure Folder while keeping the regular version outside. Don't uninstall the outside copy by mistake when you only meant to manage the Secure Folder copy.

Troubleshooting press-and-hold and uninstall options

If pressing and holding the app does nothing, try holding the icon for a little longer. Make sure you are inside the open Secure Folder and not viewing an app shortcut elsewhere.

If the menu appears but has no Uninstall option, the app may be a stock or default app that Samsung doesn't allow you to remove. Look for Hide or an app-selection control instead.

If you expected to move an app out without uninstalling it, stop before confirming removal. The standard instructions for Secure Folder focus on Uninstall, and that isn't the same as sending the app to your regular home screen.

For a folder-level problem, open Secure Folder's settings and look for the controls for hiding, uninstalling, or managing the folder. Those settings are separate from the menu for an individual app.

If the app still cannot be removed, check Samsung's Secure Folder guidance or related Samsung setup help for your specific Galaxy model and software version.