Safeguarding Your Digital Life: How to Hide & Lock Apps on Your iPhone and iPad
Do you ever wish you could add a layer of privacy to your iPhone or iPad? Perhaps you want to shield sensitive apps from prying eyes, limit your children’s access to certain content, or simply declutter your home screen. Fortunately, Apple provides a built-in feature allowing you to both hide and lock apps, adding a valuable layer of security and control to your digital experience.
Let’s explore how to leverage this functionality and why you might want to.
Understanding the Difference: Hiding vs. Locking
It’s meaningful to understand that “hiding” and “locking” aren’t quite the same thing. Hiding an app removes it from your Home screen and App Library view, tucking it away into a dedicated “Hidden Apps” folder. Locking, on the other hand, requires Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode to open the app, even if it’s visible. You can do either, or combine both for maximum privacy.
how to Hide Apps on Your iPhone or iPad
Hiding apps is a straightforward process. Here’s how:
- Open the Settings app on your device.
- Scroll down and tap on Screen Time.
- If you haven’t already, tap Turn On screen Time.
- Select Content & privacy Restrictions.
- toggle Allow Restrictions to the “on” position.
- Tap Apps.
- Choose Hide Apps.
- A list of all your installed apps will appear. Simply toggle the switch next to the apps you want to hide.
Thes apps will now be moved to a hidden folder within your App Library. Don’t worry, your data remains intact!
How to Lock Apps on Your iPhone or iPad
Locking apps adds an extra layer of security, requiring authentication before they can be opened. Here’s how to set it up:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap on Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode).
- Authenticate with your passcode.
- Scroll down to the Allow Access When Locked section.
- Find the app you want to lock and toggle the switch to the “off” position.
Now, whenever you try to open that app, you’ll be prompted for Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
Bringing Apps Back into View: Unhiding and unlocking
If you change your mind, it’s easy to bring an app back to the surface.
To unhide an app:
- Go to the App Library.
- Find the app (it will be in the “Hidden Apps” folder).
- Touch and hold the app icon.
- Tap Don’t Require Face ID (or touch ID or Passcode).
- Authenticate one last time, and the app will be unhidden and visible in your App Library again.
To unlock an app:
- Return to Settings > face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode).
- Authenticate with your passcode.
- Find the app in the Allow Access When Locked section.
- Toggle the switch to the “on” position.
If you want the app back on your home screen, simply touch and hold it in the App Library, than tap Add to Home Screen.
Does This Work on My iPad Too?
Absolutely. The steps are exactly the same for both your iPhone and iPad. You can enjoy the same level of privacy and control across all your Apple devices.
Beyond Privacy: Why Lock and Hide Your Apps?
While protecting sensitive information
Keep reading