Forum Discussion
iOS device configuration policy
Does a home screen with visible apps need to be configured to hide the phone and messages apps on a iphone under show and hide apps?
If you want to hide those apps, yes. You can hide them using the Show or Hide Apps portion of the Device Restriction Template.
If you have a standard list of approved applications, I recommend using the visible apps option, since it saves you from the trouble of having to update each time a new app needs to be hidden. Otherwise, the hidden apps option works well for hiding a few apps that aren't necessary in your environment.
Please note, hiding apps does not necessarily disable them, especially for apps like phone and messages which are tied to the core functionality of an iPhone. Users will still be able to find workarounds to access those apps using the share menu.
If you have a standard list of approved applications, I recommend using the visible apps option, since it saves you from the trouble of having to update each time a new app needs to be hidden. Otherwise, the hidden apps option works well for hiding a few apps that aren't necessary in your environment.
Please note, hiding apps does not necessarily disable them, especially for apps like phone and messages which are tied to the core functionality of an iPhone. Users will still be able to find workarounds to access those apps using the share menu.