Lock Any App With Face ID

Lock an app with Face ID

Do you sometimes hand your unlocked iPhone to someone to show them a photo or website? You can protect your private apps with Face ID so they cannot be opened without your permission.
How to lock an app

1. Find the app on your Home Screen.

2. Touch and hold the app icon.

3. Tap Require Face ID.

4. Confirm your choice using Face ID.

The app will now ask for Face ID every time it is opened. After you close the app, it locks itself again automatically.
Information from a locked app will also stop appearing in places such as notification previews, Spotlight searches and Siri suggestions.

But you can even go one step further. Want to hide the app completely?

1. Touch and hold the app icon.

2. Tap Require Face ID.

3. Select Hide and Require Face ID.

4. Confirm with Face ID and tap Hide App.

The app will disappear from your Home Screen and move to the Hidden folder at the bottom of your App Library. You will need Face ID to open that folder.
This is particularly useful for apps containing personal photos, conversations, financial information or other private content.

Which iPhones support app locking?
The option to lock or hide apps was introduced with iOS 18. It works on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and newer models, provided they are running iOS 18 or later.
On iPhones with Face ID, apps are unlocked using your face.

For example The iPhone SE models use Touch ID instead because they do not have Face ID. A device passcode can also be used, although some protection settings may require biometric authentication.

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