How to lock or hide an app on iPhone

If you want to show someone something on your iPhone but want peace of mind that they can’t get into certain apps, you can lock or hide those apps.

Locking an app requires Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode to open it, and information inside a locked app won’t appear in other places, like CarPlay, notification previews, search, Siri suggestions, or your call history. Hiding an app goes further. It removes the app from the Home Screen, App Library, and search results, and moves it to a Hidden folder in App Library that requires authentication to open.

But it only applies to that iPhone. The locked or hidden status of an app doesn’t sync with iCloud.

Note: Children under 13 in a Family Sharing group can’t lock or hide apps. Anyone aged 13 to 17 in a Family Sharing group can lock or hide an app, but a parent or guardian in the family group can see that the app was downloaded and how much time it’s used, and restrict access to it using Screen Time. (These ages vary by country or region.)

Lock or hide an app

1. Go to the Home Screen.
2. Touch and hold the app you want to lock until the Quick Actions menu opens.
3. Tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode), then do one of the following:
   • Lock the app: Tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode).
   • Lock and hide the app: Tap Hide and Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode), authenticate, and tap Hide App. A hidden app disappears from your Home Screen and moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library.

You can’t hide apps that come installed, or an app set as the default web browser or app marketplace (available only in the EU). Hiding works only for apps you download separately from the App Store.

Open a locked app

Opening a locked app doesn’t unlock it for good. Once you quit the app, it locks again automatically.

1. Go to the Home Screen.
2. Tap the app and then authenticate using Face ID (or Touch ID or a passcode).

Once you quit the app, it relocks, and you need to reauthenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode to reopen it.

Unlock an app

1. Go to the Home Screen.
2. Touch and hold the app icon until the Quick Actions menu opens.
3. Tap Don’t Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode) and then authenticate using Face ID (or Touch ID or a passcode).

Open a hidden app

1. Go to the Home Screen.
2. Swipe left past all your Home Screen pages to go to App Library.
3. Tap the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library. Authenticate using Face ID (or Touch ID or a passcode).

   The app appears in the Hidden folder.

4. Tap the app and then authenticate using Face ID (or Touch ID or a passcode).

Quick tip: Your hidden apps have their own list. Go to the Settings app, tap Apps, and then tap Hidden Apps.

Stop hiding an app

Stop hiding an app, and you can see it.

1. Go to the Home Screen.
2. Swipe left past all your Home Screen pages to go to App Library.
3. Tap the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library. Authenticate using Face ID (or Touch ID or a passcode).
4. Touch and hold the app and tap Don’t Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode). Then authenticate using Face ID (or Touch ID or a passcode).

The app shows up near the top of App Library.