iPhone App Lock: How to Lock Apps

On an iPhone with iOS 18 or later, you can lock many apps so Face ID, Touch ID, or the device passcode is required each time the app opens. Touch and hold the app on the Home Screen, choose Require Face ID, Require Touch ID, or Require Passcode, then confirm and authenticate.

Can You Lock Apps on an iPhone?

Yes. The official iPhone app lock introduced with iOS 18 can require authentication before a supported app opens. After you leave a locked app, it locks again automatically.

Locking also keeps information from the app out of certain places, including notification previews, search, Siri suggestions, and some call-history displays. The lock applies only on the iPhone where you set it; it does not sync to your other devices through iCloud.

Not every app can be locked. Some built-in apps, including Camera, Clock, Contacts, Find My, Maps, Shortcuts, and Settings, do not offer the command. Downloaded apps generally support locking, but the option available on your phone is the deciding factor.

Searching for “iphone phone lock app” may produce third-party tools, but you do not need an unofficial utility for the built-in iOS feature. An iPhone app lock is part of the system on supported iPhones running iOS 18 or later.

How Do You Lock an iPhone App?

Use the app’s Home Screen quick-actions menu to require authentication. These steps lock the app without deleting it or changing its data:

1. Unlock the iPhone and go to the Home Screen.
2. Find the app you want to protect. If necessary, swipe left to reach App Library and locate it there.
3. Touch and hold the app icon until its quick-actions menu appears.
4. Tap Require Face ID, Require Touch ID, or Require Passcode. The wording depends on the authentication available on the iPhone.
5. Tap the same Require command again if a confirmation appears.
6. Authenticate with your face, fingerprint, or device passcode.
7. Open the app once to test the lock.

Repeat the process for each additional supported app. Opening a locked app does not permanently unlock it; authentication is required again after you quit the app.

Can You Use Face ID, Touch ID, or a Passcode for an App Lock?

The iPhone uses the authentication method already configured for the device. Face ID scans your face, Touch ID reads a registered fingerprint, and the device passcode is the code used to unlock the iPhone.

• On a Face ID model, open Settings and tap Face ID & Passcode to manage Face ID, registered appearances, and the device passcode.
• On a Touch ID model, open Settings and tap Touch ID & Passcode to add or remove fingerprints and manage the device passcode.
• If biometric authentication fails or is temporarily unavailable, iOS may request the device passcode instead.

Anyone who knows the device passcode may be able to open a locked app. Use a passcode that other people do not know, and do not add another person’s face or fingerprint if the app lock is meant to keep that person out.

How Do You Restrict Apps With Screen Time?

Screen Time manages when or how long apps can be used. It is different from a direct app lock: an App Limit allows use for a chosen period and then displays a limit screen, while the iOS app lock asks for authentication whenever the app opens.

To set a daily limit for an app:

1. Open Settings and tap Screen Time.
2. Turn on App & Website Activity if it is off.
3. Tap App Limits, then tap Add Limit.
4. Open the relevant category, select the individual app, and tap Next.
5. Choose the permitted time and enable Block at End of Limit if that option appears.
6. Tap Done.

Set a Screen Time passcode if you do not want someone using the device to change or ignore the restriction. Screen Time can also hide certain built-in apps and features through Content & Privacy Restrictions, but it cannot turn every unsupported app into a Face ID-locked app.

How Do You Remove an App Lock?

Removing an iPhone app lock restores normal access without deleting the app, signing out, or erasing its information.

1. Find the locked app on the Home Screen or in App Library.
2. Touch and hold its icon to open the quick-actions menu.
3. Tap Don’t Require Face ID, Don’t Require Touch ID, or Don’t Require Passcode.
4. Authenticate when prompted.
5. Tap the app to confirm that it now opens normally.

If you used Screen Time instead, open Settings, tap Screen Time, and select App Limits. Open the relevant limit and tap Delete Limit, or change the limit while keeping Screen Time active.

What Should You Do If the App Lock Is Not Working?

If Require Face ID, Require Touch ID, or Require Passcode is missing, first confirm that the iPhone is running iOS 18 or later. Open Settings, tap General, then About to see the iOS version. Some built-in apps cannot be locked, so a missing command may be an intentional compatibility limit.

Try these safe checks in order:

1. Make sure a device passcode and the available Face ID or Touch ID feature are configured in Settings.
2. Move from an app widget or search result to the actual app icon, then touch and hold that icon.
3. Lock the iPhone, unlock it, and test the app again.
4. Restart the iPhone if the quick-actions menu or authentication prompt is unresponsive.
5. Open Settings, tap General, then Software Update, and install an available iOS update after backing up important information.
6. If Face ID or Touch ID fails in other parts of iOS too, check that the camera or sensor is clean and unobstructed, then review its settings.

Do not remove the app as a troubleshooting step unless you have confirmed how its data is stored. Deleting an app can remove information saved only on the device and is not required to reset the official app lock.