On current iPhones, many apps can be configured to require Face ID, Touch ID, or the device passcode before they open. This adds privacy when someone else can physically access your unlocked phone.
Require Authentication to Open an App
- Find the app on the Home Screen.
- Touch and hold its icon.
- Tap Require Face ID, Require Touch ID, or Require Passcode.
- Confirm that you want authentication required.
- Authenticate when requested.
Locking vs. Hiding
Locking keeps the app visible while requiring authentication to open it. Supported downloaded apps can also offer a hide-and-require-authentication option, which moves the app into the Hidden folder in App Library.
Not Every App Can Be Locked or Hidden
Apple excludes some built-in apps and system functions from these controls. If the authentication option does not appear when you touch and hold an app, that app may not support the feature.
For Parental Controls
If your real goal is limiting a child’s app use rather than protecting your own privacy, Screen Time is the more appropriate tool. App authentication and Screen Time solve different problems.
Remember the Device Passcode
Face ID or Touch ID does not replace the passcode in every security situation. Protect the device passcode carefully because it can be used as a fallback for many iPhone security controls.
What App Locking Does Not Protect
Requiring authentication to open an app does not necessarily hide every notification preview, widget, Siri suggestion, or file associated with that app. Review notification previews and other surfaces separately if the information itself is sensitive. App locking is one layer of privacy, not a replacement for a secure device passcode.