diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ef8ed5e..254bd73 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ SSHM is a beautiful command-line tool that transforms how you manage and connect
 - **⚡ Quick Connect** - Connect to any host instantly through the TUI or the CLI with `sshm <host>`
 - **🔄 Port Forwarding** - Easy setup for Local, Remote, and Dynamic (SOCKS) forwarding with history persistence
 - **📝 Easy Management** - Add, edit, move, and manage SSH configurations seamlessly
-- **🏷️ Tag Support** - Organize your hosts with custom tags for better categorization
+- **🏷️ Tag Support** - Organize your hosts with custom tags for better categorization; use the special `hidden` tag to exclude hosts from the list while keeping them connectable
 - **🔍 Smart Search** - Find hosts quickly with built-in filtering and search
 - **📝 Real-time Status** - Live SSH connectivity indicators with asynchronous ping checks and color-coded status
 - **🔔 Smart Updates** - Automatic version checking with update notifications
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ sshm
 - `d` - Delete selected host
 - `m` - Move host to another config file (requires SSH Include directives)
 - `f` - Port forwarding setup
+- `H` - Toggle hidden hosts visibility
 - `q` - Quit
 - `/` - Search/filter hosts
 
@@ -647,7 +648,7 @@ SSHM supports all standard SSH configuration options:
 - `IdentityFile` - Path to private key file
 - `ProxyJump` - Jump server for connection tunneling (e.g., `user@jumphost:port`)
 - `ProxyCommand` - Jump command for connection tunneling (e.g, `ssh -W %h:%p Jumphost`)
-- `Tags` - Custom tags (SSHM extension)
+- `Tags` - Custom tags (SSHM extension); the special tag `hidden` hides the host from the TUI and `sshm search` while keeping it connectable via `sshm <host>`
 
 **Additional SSH Options:**
 You can add any valid SSH option using the "SSH Options" field in the interactive forms. Enter them in command-line format (e.g., `-o Compression=yes -o ServerAliveInterval=60`) and SSHM will automatically convert them to the proper SSH config format.
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 1dbf66a..25fa3d1 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ Examples:
 			return nil, cobra.ShellCompDirectiveError
 		}
 
+		hosts = config.FilterVisibleHosts(hosts)
+
 		var completions []string
 		toCompleteLower := strings.ToLower(toComplete)
 		for _, host := range hosts {
diff --git a/cmd/search.go b/cmd/search.go
index d9afc10..520e476 100644
--- a/cmd/search.go
+++ b/cmd/search.go
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ func runSearch(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
+	// Filter out hidden hosts
+	hosts = config.FilterVisibleHosts(hosts)
+
 	// Get search query
 	var query string
 	if len(args) > 0 {
diff --git a/internal/config/ssh.go b/internal/config/ssh.go
index b7c9112..3e1c671 100644
--- a/internal/config/ssh.go
+++ b/internal/config/ssh.go
@@ -1624,6 +1624,27 @@ func GetAllConfigFiles() ([]string, error) {
 	return files, nil
 }
 
+// FilterVisibleHosts returns only hosts that do not have the "hidden" tag.
+func FilterVisibleHosts(hosts []SSHHost) []SSHHost {
+	var visible []SSHHost
+	for _, h := range hosts {
+		if !hostHasTag(h.Tags, "hidden") {
+			visible = append(visible, h)
+		}
+	}
+	return visible
+}
+
+// hostHasTag reports whether the given tag list contains the target tag (case-insensitive).
+func hostHasTag(tags []string, target string) bool {
+	for _, t := range tags {
+		if strings.EqualFold(t, target) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // GetAllConfigFilesFromBase returns all SSH config files starting from a specific base config file
 func GetAllConfigFilesFromBase(baseConfigPath string) ([]string, error) {
 	if baseConfigPath == "" {
diff --git a/internal/ui/add_form.go b/internal/ui/add_form.go
index 12c3242..4b0cba7 100644
--- a/internal/ui/add_form.go
+++ b/internal/ui/add_form.go
@@ -438,7 +438,12 @@ func (m *addFormModel) renderGeneralTab() string {
 		b.WriteString(fieldStyle.Render(field.label))
 		b.WriteString("\n")
 		b.WriteString(m.inputs[field.index].View())
-		b.WriteString("\n\n")
+		b.WriteString("\n")
+		if field.index == tagsInput && m.focused == tagsInput {
+			b.WriteString(m.styles.FormHelp.Render(`  tip: use "hidden" to hide this host from the list`))
+			b.WriteString("\n")
+		}
+		b.WriteString("\n")
 	}
 
 	return b.String()
diff --git a/internal/ui/edit_form.go b/internal/ui/edit_form.go
index ab34b5c..fd867bc 100644
--- a/internal/ui/edit_form.go
+++ b/internal/ui/edit_form.go
@@ -599,7 +599,12 @@ func (m *editFormModel) renderEditGeneralTab() string {
 		b.WriteString(fieldStyle.Render(field.label))
 		b.WriteString("\n")
 		b.WriteString(m.inputs[field.index].View())
-		b.WriteString("\n\n")
+		b.WriteString("\n")
+		if field.index == 7 && m.focusArea == focusAreaProperties && m.focused == 7 {
+			b.WriteString(m.styles.FormHelp.Render(`  tip: use "hidden" to hide this host from the list`))
+			b.WriteString("\n")
+		}
+		b.WriteString("\n")
 	}
 
 	return b.String()
diff --git a/internal/ui/help_form.go b/internal/ui/help_form.go
index 3b21744..a904ffa 100644
--- a/internal/ui/help_form.go
+++ b/internal/ui/help_form.go
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ func (m *helpModel) View() string {
 		lipgloss.JoinHorizontal(lipgloss.Left,
 			m.styles.FocusedLabel.Render("p  "),
 			m.styles.HelpText.Render("ping all hosts")),
+		lipgloss.JoinHorizontal(lipgloss.Left,
+			m.styles.FocusedLabel.Render("H  "),
+			m.styles.HelpText.Render("toggle hidden hosts visibility")),
 		lipgloss.JoinHorizontal(lipgloss.Left,
 			m.styles.FocusedLabel.Render("f  "),
 			m.styles.HelpText.Render("setup port forwarding")),
diff --git a/internal/ui/model.go b/internal/ui/model.go
index bb809a0..4786fbc 100644
--- a/internal/ui/model.go
+++ b/internal/ui/model.go
@@ -70,8 +70,10 @@ func (p PortForwardType) String() string {
 type Model struct {
 	table          table.Model
 	searchInput    textinput.Model
-	hosts          []config.SSHHost
+	allHosts       []config.SSHHost // all parsed hosts, including hidden ones
+	hosts          []config.SSHHost // visible hosts (filtered by showHidden)
 	filteredHosts  []config.SSHHost
+	showHidden     bool // when true, hidden-tagged hosts are shown
 	searchMode     bool
 	deleteMode     bool
 	deleteHost     *config.SSHHost // Host to be deleted (with line number for precise targeting)
@@ -108,6 +110,14 @@ type Model struct {
 	showingError bool
 }
 
+// applyVisibilityFilter returns hosts filtered according to the showHidden flag.
+func (m Model) applyVisibilityFilter(hosts []config.SSHHost) []config.SSHHost {
+	if m.showHidden {
+		return hosts
+	}
+	return config.FilterVisibleHosts(hosts)
+}
+
 // updateTableStyles updates the table header border color based on focus state
 func (m *Model) updateTableStyles() {
 	s := table.DefaultStyles()
diff --git a/internal/ui/tui.go b/internal/ui/tui.go
index e621555..ed2b22d 100644
--- a/internal/ui/tui.go
+++ b/internal/ui/tui.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func NewModel(hosts []config.SSHHost, configFile string, searchMode bool, curren
 
 	// Create the model with default sorting by name
 	m := Model{
-		hosts:          hosts,
+		allHosts:       hosts,
 		historyManager: historyManager,
 		pingManager:    pingManager,
 		sortMode:       SortByName,
@@ -63,8 +63,12 @@ func NewModel(hosts []config.SSHHost, configFile string, searchMode bool, curren
 		searchMode:     searchMode,
 	}
 
+	// Apply visibility filter (showHidden is false by default)
+	visibleHosts := m.applyVisibilityFilter(hosts)
+	m.hosts = visibleHosts
+
 	// Sort hosts according to the default sort mode
-	sortedHosts := m.sortHosts(hosts)
+	sortedHosts := m.sortHosts(visibleHosts)
 
 	// Create the search input
 	ti := textinput.New()
diff --git a/internal/ui/update.go b/internal/ui/update.go
index f59482a..1cc4cc2 100644
--- a/internal/ui/update.go
+++ b/internal/ui/update.go
@@ -187,7 +187,8 @@ func (m Model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			if err != nil {
 				return m, tea.Quit
 			}
-			m.hosts = m.sortHosts(hosts)
+			m.allHosts = hosts
+			m.hosts = m.sortHosts(m.applyVisibilityFilter(hosts))
 
 			// Reapply search filter if there is one active
 			if m.searchInput.Value() != "" {
@@ -231,7 +232,8 @@ func (m Model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			if err != nil {
 				return m, tea.Quit
 			}
-			m.hosts = m.sortHosts(hosts)
+			m.allHosts = hosts
+			m.hosts = m.sortHosts(m.applyVisibilityFilter(hosts))
 
 			// Reapply search filter if there is one active
 			if m.searchInput.Value() != "" {
@@ -276,7 +278,8 @@ func (m Model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			if err != nil {
 				return m, tea.Quit
 			}
-			m.hosts = m.sortHosts(hosts)
+			m.allHosts = hosts
+			m.hosts = m.sortHosts(m.applyVisibilityFilter(hosts))
 
 			// Reapply search filter if there is one active
 			if m.searchInput.Value() != "" {
@@ -535,7 +538,8 @@ func (m Model) handleListViewKeys(msg tea.KeyMsg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 				m.table.Focus()
 				return m, nil
 			}
-			m.hosts = m.sortHosts(hosts)
+			m.allHosts = hosts
+			m.hosts = m.sortHosts(m.applyVisibilityFilter(hosts))
 
 			// Reapply search filter if there is one active
 			if m.searchInput.Value() != "" {
@@ -705,6 +709,19 @@ func (m Model) handleListViewKeys(msg tea.KeyMsg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			m.viewMode = ViewHelp
 			return m, nil
 		}
+	case "H":
+		if !m.searchMode && !m.deleteMode {
+			// Toggle visibility of hidden hosts
+			m.showHidden = !m.showHidden
+			m.hosts = m.sortHosts(m.applyVisibilityFilter(m.allHosts))
+			if m.searchInput.Value() != "" {
+				m.filteredHosts = m.filterHosts(m.searchInput.Value())
+			} else {
+				m.filteredHosts = m.hosts
+			}
+			m.updateTableRows()
+			return m, nil
+		}
 	case "s":
 		if !m.searchMode && !m.deleteMode {
 			// Cycle through sort modes (only 2 modes now)
diff --git a/internal/ui/view.go b/internal/ui/view.go
index 0d6e8a6..ed9aa3c 100644
--- a/internal/ui/view.go
+++ b/internal/ui/view.go
@@ -86,6 +86,14 @@ func (m Model) renderListView() string {
 		components = append(components, errorStyle.Render("❌ "+m.errorMessage))
 	}
 
+	// Add indicator when hidden hosts are shown
+	if m.showHidden {
+		hiddenBannerStyle := lipgloss.NewStyle().
+			Foreground(lipgloss.Color("11")).
+			Bold(true)
+		components = append(components, hiddenBannerStyle.Render("  [showing hidden hosts — press H to hide]"))
+	}
+
 	// Add the search bar with the appropriate style based on focus
 	searchPrompt := "Search (/ to focus): "
 	if m.searchMode {