How to hide text messages on a Samsung Galaxy S10, and lock your Messages app with a password

You can also install a third-party app on your Galaxy S10 that locks your apps with a password or pattern lock, meaning only you can open them. This effectively hides your text messages even if someone gains access to your unlocked phone.
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Text messages are among the most private information on your phone, so you might want to add an extra layer of privacy to your Messages app.

There are two ways to hide messages on the Galaxy S10 : You can disable text message preview notifications on your lock screen, and you can hide your Messages app entirely, making it impossible for someone who has access to your Galaxy S10 to browse your messages.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Samsung Galaxy S10 (From $899.99 at Best Buy)

How to hide text messages on your Samsung Galaxy S10

Hide message preview notifications on the lock screen

By default, whenever you receive a text message, a notification for the message will appear on your lock screen. This means that anyone who can see your screen can see your messages.

Luckily, you can disable these message previews.

1. Start the Settings app.

2. Tap "Lock Screen."

3. Tap "Notifications."

hide 1 Dave Johnson/Business Insider

4. If you want to disable all notifications, swipe the button at the top of the screen to the left to turn the feature off.

5. If you want to continue to get notifications, but not display the content of the notification, turn on "Hide Content" by swiping its button to the right. If you do this, you'll know when you get new text messages, but the message itself will be hidden, and you'll need to open the app to read it.

hide 2 Dave Johnson/Business Insider

Hide the Messages app entirely using a third-party app

There was a time when it was possible to install a third-party app on Android phones that could hide individual text messages, but don't waste your time looking for it anymore. Changes to Google's guidelines for app permissions means apps can no longer access contacts or messages.

You can hide the entire Messages app, though, and protect it with a security feature like a passcode.

There are several apps in the Google Play store which can hide apps. An app called AppLock, for example, can lock most apps and prevent anyone but you from opening them.

1. Install AppLock from the Google Play store and open it.

2. When requested, create a pattern lock that the app will use to authenticate you when you try to start locked apps.

3. In the General section of the app, tap "Messages" to lock it with a pattern lock.