How to Hide Chrome on Mac

Hide Chrome so it disappears from the Dock, Launchpad, Spotlight and the Applications folder until you bring it back. Four steps, about a minute.

Hide Chrome on Mac, step by step

Download Cloak from trycloak.app and open it. Set up Touch ID or a password the first time it asks. There is no account.
Click the plus button under Hidden apps, tick Chrome, and click Hide.
Check the Dock, Launchpad and Spotlight. Chrome is gone from all of them.
To use Chrome again, open Cloak, pass Touch ID, and click Unhide. Hide it again when you are done.

Hiding does not delete anything. Chrome and all its data sit inside an encrypted image on your Mac and come back exactly as they were.

Who this is for

For people whose Chrome stays signed in to email, banking and social accounts. That is most of us. One person at your desk for a minute is enough.

What macOS can't do on its own

macOS cannot hide an app. You can drag Chrome off the Dock, but it still shows in Launchpad, in Spotlight and in the Applications folder, and its notifications still show its name. Cloak moves Chrome into an encrypted image, so it is gone from all of those places until you bring it back.

Why hide Chrome at all

Locking an app stops people opening it, but the icon and notifications still announce that Chrome is on your Mac. Sometimes you want the opposite: for Chrome to simply not appear to exist. Chrome stays signed into your email, banking, and social accounts, so an open browser is an open door to everything you do online.

Why hiding beats Chrome's own settings

Browsers let you set a sync passphrase or a profile, but they keep you logged in and leave open tabs visible the moment the window is in front. Locking the whole app at the system level means the browser will not open, and your tabs will not be seen, until you pass Touch ID. Hiding goes one step further than locking: instead of showing a locked door, Chrome is not visible at all, which is often the more discreet choice on a shared Mac.

Frequently asked questions

Does hiding Chrome delete it or my data?

No. Hiding only removes Chrome from view. The app and all of its data are kept inside an encrypted image on your Mac, and everything returns the moment you unhide it.

Can someone still find Chrome in Finder?

No. Cloak moves Chrome into an encrypted image, so it is not in the Applications folder, Launchpad or Spotlight. Without your Touch ID or password the image cannot be opened.

Will hidden Chrome still receive messages or updates in the background?

No. A hidden app is not running, so it cannot show notifications or update itself until you unhide it. Cloak asks Chrome to quit before hiding it, so you will not lose unsaved work.

How to hide Chrome on your Mac