How to lock or hide an app on iPad

If you want to show someone something on your iPad but want peace of mind that they can’t get into certain apps, you can lock or hide those apps. A locked app requires Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode to open, and its information won’t appear in places like notification previews, search, or Siri suggestions.

Hiding an app removes it from the Home Screen, App Library, and search results, and moves it to a Hidden folder that requires authentication. It’s locked or hidden only on that iPad, since the status doesn’t sync with iCloud. Opening a locked app doesn’t permanently unlock it, since the app locks again after you quit it, and you can unlock an app or stop hiding it later.

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.

Only apps downloaded separately from the App Store can be hidden, not apps that come installed. An app set by the user as default web browser can’t be hidden either, nor can an app marketplace (available only in the EU).

Open a locked app

Opening a locked app doesn’t unlock it permanently. The app automatically locks again after you quit it.

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

   After you quit the app, it relocks. To reopen it, you need to reauthenticate 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).
4. Tap the app and then authenticate using Face ID (or Touch ID or a passcode).

Quick tip: You can view a list of your hidden apps in the Settings app. Go to Settings, tap Apps, then tap Hidden Apps.

Stop hiding an 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).
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 appears near the top of App Library.

See also

• Turn on Lock Screen features on iPad