How to hide Recent and Favorite Contacts from the app switcher

BY Gautam Prabhu

Published 20 Jan 2015

iOS 8 - recent contacts

One of the new features introduced in iOS 8, was easy access to your favorite and recent contacts in the app switcher or multitasking tray just above the application cards.

When you tap on the contact, you get an option to either call, message or FaceTime the person.

If you don’t like the feature, then there is an easy way to hide favorite and recent contacts from the app switcher by following these steps.

  • Launch the Settings app.
  • Scroll down and tap on Mail, Contacts, Calendar.
  • Scroll down again, and tap on Show in App Switcher under Contacts.
  • Here you have the option to either disable Phone Favorites or Recents or both by tapping on the respective On/Off toggle.

iOS 8 - Show in app switcher

That’s it. Your Phone Favorites/Recent contacts should no longer be visible in the app switcher or multitasking tray.

If you want your Phone Favorites in the Notification Center instead then follow our guide on how to do it using a Notification Center widget:

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