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What’s the difference between locking and hiding an app?
The difference between locking and hiding an app is that locking leaves the icon in view but guards its contents behind Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode, whereas hiding removes the icon altogether and places the app itself into a hidden folder protected by Face ID.
You can think of locking as putting a digital padlock on an icon that’s still visible on your home screen. Tap the icon, look at the phone, and Face ID authorizes you. Anyone who picks up your phone can see the app is installed — they just can’t access its content without your face, your fingerprint, or your device passcode.
Hiding goes one step farther — the icon disappears from the home screen, from Spotlight search, and even from the app library. The app moves to a new, Face ID-protected “Hidden” folder. In other words, locking keeps data private, while hiding keeps the entire app out of sight unless you know exactly where to look.
How to lock an app on your iPhone
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Touch and hold the app icon until the quick-actions menu appears.
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Tap “Require Face ID.” (On older hardware, the wording might differ: “Require Touch ID” or “Require passcode.”)
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Authenticate once. From now on, every tap brings up Face ID.
Opening a locked app
Tap the icon and look at the screen. If Stolen Device Protection is turned on and you are away from a familiar location, Face ID is mandatory — your passcode will not unlock the app.
Removing the lock
Touch and hold the icon again, choose “Don’t require Face ID,” authenticate, and the padlock disappears.
How to hide an app on your iPhone
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Long-press the icon, choose “Require Face ID,” and authenticate.
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Long-press once more, select “Hide app,” and authenticate again. The icon vanishes immediately, and the app moves to the “Hidden” folder at the bottom of the App Library.
Opening a hidden app
Swipe down on the “Home screen,” type the app’s name, select the result labelled “Hidden,” then pass the biometric prompt. The app opens but remains invisible to everyone else.
Unhiding an app
Open the “Hidden” folder, touch and hold the app, pick “Unhide,” authenticate, and the icon returns to its previous home screen spot.
How can you lock apps on earlier iOS versions?
If your iPhone is still on iOS 17 or below, you cannot apply the new “Lock” or “Hide” commands, but you can mimic the same protection with three built-in tools. The steps below are detailed so you can follow them without guessing.
Screen time
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Open “Settings” and select “Screen time.”
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Tap “Turn on screen time” if it is off.
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Choose “Use screen time passcode,” set a four-digit code, and (if offered) link it to Face ID for easier entry.
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Tap “App limits” and select “Add limit.”
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Expand a category to reveal individual apps, select the one you want to lock, and tap “Next.”
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Set the timer to 1 minute, then enable “Block at end of limit.”
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Exit “Settings.”
Guided access
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Navigate to “Settings” and select “Accessibility.”
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Tap “Guided access” and switch it on.
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Tap “Passcode settings” and choose “Set guided access passcode.” Select a six-digit code, and enable Face ID or Touch ID if you prefer biometrics.
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Open the app you plan to lock, then triple-click the side (or home) button.
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If the overlay appears, simply tap “Start.”
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To leave the pinned session, triple-click again, enter the passcode or use Face ID, and tap “End.”
Shortcuts automation
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Open “Shortcuts,” and go to the “Automation” tab.
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Tap “+,” then “Create personal automation.”
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Scroll down, choose “App,” and tap “Choose.”
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Select the target app, confirm “Is opened,” and choose “Next.”
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Tap “Add action,” search for “Ask for input,” and set the prompt text to “Enter passphrase.” For “Input type”, pick “Number” or “Text.”
Tips to keep apps and data secure
Relying solely on a new lock icon is insufficient. Activate Face ID or Touch ID inside every banking, health, or mail app that supports internal biometric gates. In “Notification settings,” set “Show previews” to “Never” so message content is not exposed on the lock screen. Replace six numeric digits with a longer alphanumeric device passcode. Finally, relocate every password, passkey, or credit card detail to an encrypted vault such as NordPass password manager.
Why NordPass is the essential add-on
A locked or hidden app keeps strangers from launching it, but the credentials inside can still leak in a data breach. NordPass solves that problem by encrypting every password locally before syncing. After a single Face ID check, NordPass autofills your login with a 30-character password — no need to reuse or remember anything. Passkeys created on a Mac land on your iPhone in seconds. Secure Notes protect passport numbers or alarm PINs, and the built-in Breach Scanner alerts you if any saved email address appears in a public leak. Explore the full feature list and discover what NordPass brings to the table.
