How To Lock Apps On iPhone With A Password Or TouchID?

If you have nosy siblings or friends, then looking out for how to lock apps on iPhone is not an alien thing. Also, that is why you are here right now. The iOS is well known among global users for its exceptional privacy and security features. So the good news is that there are many easy ways you can protect your app data via app lock in iPhone. Hope into this guide to find out your options.

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These Are Some Methods To Lock Apps On iPhone Or Restrict Them!

• Method 1: Using Screen Time Limits Feature
• Method 2: Using Guided Access
• Method 3: Using Third-Party Applications

Now, let’s explore all the available methods to lock apps on iPhone in details for better understanding.

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Method 1: Using Screen Time Limits Feature

This feature on iPhone let’s you put a limitation on the amount of time you should be spending on that specific app. This is mostly useful for social media apps. But it can also be used for locking out apps (well indirectly). If you regularly have a specific time frame to use an app, you can set a limit. Post reaching the daily time limit, when you leave your phone unattended, your app remains locked away and can only be opened with your set Screen Time passcode. This is one way to put up an app lock for iPhone.

You can also use the time limits feature introduced in iOS 12 to lock apps on the iPhone.

Starting The Screen Time Feature With Passcode: 

1. Open phone’s Settings and find Screen Time. Tap on it.
2. You will get the message for,  Turn On Screen Time in the bottom. Click on it.
3. Click on ‘Use Screen Time Passcode’ to create the passcode. It may appear as ‘Lock Screen Time Settings‘ in some devices.

After this, you would need further steps to lock apps individually by setting App Limit.

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Starting The Screen Time Feature With Passcode: 

That’s exactly right! Here are the steps again for your reference:

1. Open the Settings app and choose Screen Time.
2. If it’s not already enabled, tap Turn on Screen Time and create a Screen Time passcode. This passcode is different from your iPhone passcode and is required to make changes to Screen Time settings or to get more time when an app limit expires.
3. From there, tap App Limits and toggle it on, if needed.
4. Then, tap Add Limit and choose an app that you want to limit, or choose All Apps & Categories to limit almost all of the apps on your phone.

Important to note:  Using Screen Time in this way won’t lock apps with a passcode, but it will limit usage for a set amount of time each day. Once the time limit is reached, you’ll be prompted to enter your Screen Time passcode for more use.

Once the predefined time limit is set, the app gets locked, and you can always extend the time limit by clicking on “Ask for More Time” and entering the passcode to disable the lock.

Adding Parental Restrictions

Once, you have enabled your screen time limit, you can carry on the following steps:

1. Choose “This is My [Device]” or “This is My Child’s [Device]” depending on your situation.
2. Tap “Content & Privacy Restrictions”.
3. Set up a passcode for Screen Time (different from your phone’s passcode). Remember this code, as you’ll need it to access locked apps. Retype the passcode for confirmation.

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Hiding Apps on iPhones (iOS 11 or older)

For iPhones with iOS 11 or older, there isn’t a built-in app lock for iPhone. However, you can use Restrictions to hide apps from your home screen. Here’s how:

1. Open the Settings app and tap General.
2. Scroll down and tap Restrictions.
3. Tap Enable Restrictions and create a passcode (different from your phone’s unlock code). Remember this code, as you’ll need it to unhide apps later.

Here’s the catch: Restrictions can only hide Apple’s built-in apps, not downloaded ones.

1. With Restrictions enabled, scroll down to the Allowed Apps section.
2. To hide an app, tap the toggle switch next to the app name to turn it off (white). The app icon will go invisible from your home screen.

Important: To use them again, you’ll need to re-enable them in Restrictions. This might not be ideal for everyone.

Method 2: Using Guided Access

The most extreme way to lock your apps is to use Guided Access. Guided Access is another option for nuclear app lock in iPhone that prevents you from leaving the app you have already opened. This can come in very handy when you have to give your phone to another user for a particular app on your phone, but you are worried that they might venture elsewhere without authorisation.

Here is how to enable guided access to lock apps on iPhone:

1. To enable Guided Access, head over to Settings and select Accessibility
2. Now select Guided Access and enable the toggle.
3. Now head over to Passcode Settings and set Guided Access Passcode.

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The lock apps on the iPhone guided access feature are pretty cool. It lets you lock your device to use a single particular app.

Here’s how it works:

Start a Guided Access session: Open the app you want someone to use. Then, triple-click the side button (iPhone X and later) or the Home button (iPhone 8 and earlier).

Customize access (optional): You can further restrict what the user can do within the app. For example, you can disable certain screen areas or buttons.

Exit Guided Access: When you want to get your phone back, simply triple-click the side/Home button again and enter your passcode (if set).

It comes in handy when handing your phone over to your friends or family. But you are worried that they peep into other apps and check your text messages or your Instagram

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Method 3: Using Third-Party Applications

There is no official third-party app lock in iPhone that allows users to lock any app on the iPhone, unlike we have tons of apps for this on Android. The best way is to install third-party apps such as BioProtect, Locktopus, and AppLocker. These apps are only supported on Jailbroken iPhones. We are not recommending using these apps or the whole process of jailbreaking the iPhone as it’s only for advanced users. But still, if you want, you can try these out.

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How To Lock Apps On iPhone Using Face ID Or Touch ID?

Now, let’s look at the steps which you can follow:

1. Open Settings on your device.
2. Tap Face ID & Passcode.
3. Enter your passcode.
4. In the “Use Face ID For” section, turn on Face ID for each app you want to lock.
5. Go to “Other Apps” and turn on Face ID for the apps you want to allow access to.

If you want to use touch ID, use the same method as mentioned, and it will get the job done.

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FAQs

Q: How Do I Lock Apps On iPhone?

A: To know how to how to lock apps in iPhone, you can use several methods. One way is to utilize the built-in Screen Time feature by going to Settings > Screen Time > Content and Privacy Restrictions. Another option is to set time limits for app usage in Settings > Screen Time > App Limits. Additionally, you can use the more extreme Guided Access feature in Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access.

Q: Does iOS Have A Built-in App Lock Feature?

A: iOS doesn’t have dedicated system-level support for individually locking apps. However, you can use workarounds like Screen Time limits, Guided Access, or third-party apps to achieve similar functionality.

Q: Can I Lock First-party Apps On An iPhone?

A: Yes, you can restrict access to first-party apps on iPhone using Screen Time. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content and Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps, then turn off toggles for the apps you want to lock.

Q: Are There Third-party Apps To Lock Apps On iPhone?

A: While there are third-party apps like BioProtect, Locktopus, and AppLocker available for Jailbroken iPhones, they are not recommended due to the advanced nature of Jailbreaking. For non-jailbroken iPhones, workarounds like Screen Time and Guided Access are more secure options.

Q: Does iPhone Have Hidden Folder?

A: iPhone does not have a dedicated hidden folder feature, but you can hide your private photos and videos in the Photos app. You can head over to Photos and then select the photos the photo you wish to hide. Click on the three-dot menu and choose Hide to add your selection to the hidden album.

Q: How Do I Lock My Notes On My iPhone?

A: To lock a note and make it private, open the Notes app on your iPhone and choose the Note that you wish to lock. Press the More button, and you can create a unique password for the Notes app or use the iPhone Passcode.

Q: How Do I Lock WhatsApp On iPhone?

A: To protect your WhatsApp chat, open the app and head over to the Settings tab in the bottom right corner. Click on Privacy and choose the Screen Lock option. Here, you need to toggle the “Require Face ID/Require TouchID” toggle to ON and select the duration.

At Last,

After setting a password with one or more notes, it is necessary to reset your Notes passwords if you do not remember them. If you’re having trouble resetting your Notes password and enabling Touch ID at the exact moment, check out this instruction. Please follow the instructions below if this is your first time.

With the introduction of methods on how to lock apps in iPhones like Touch ID, the Notes application is now secure. This gives you full access to the Notes app’s features. All the while also giving you peace of mind, knowing that no one else can see what you’ve written. Your iPhone’s Settings are where you may activate Touch ID for the Calendar app.

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