Home > Article > Hardware Tutorial > iOS 18: How to Lock and Hide iPhone Apps
In iOS 17, Apple doesn't offer a system-level method for individually locking sensitive apps like Photos behind Face ID. There is a Shortcut action that provides rudimentary protection, but it's not infallible. Thankfully, iOS 18 includes a dedicated option to lock and even hide individual apps even when the iPhone itself is already unlocked.
Notably, if Stolen Device Protection is active, entering a passcode to unlock an app is not an option, so even if your iPhone is stolen and the thief knows your passcode, they still won't be able to open the app. However, if Stolen Device Protection is not enabled, a passcode prompt appears that can be used to unlock the app after three failed Face ID attempts.
It's worth noting that not all apps can be locked. As things stand in the first iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 betas, Apple does not provide the lock option for non-sensitive apps like Maps, Clock, Calculator, and Stocks. Otherwise, almost every other app can be locked, including third-party apps. Here's how it's done.
Note that you can't use Siri with a locked app, and Spotlight search and any notification previews will not show content from the app.
When you lock a third-party app using the above method, you have the option to hide it as well – but at present you cannot hide system apps like Safari or Photos. When enabled, the app icon and name is removed from the Home Screen, and it will not show up in searches, although it may still appear in the Settings app.
To unlock an app that you previously locked, simply long press on the app's icon and choose the "Don't Require Face ID" option. As long as you have Stolen Device Protection enabled, turning the lock on and off requires a Face ID scan, so it can't be turned off without your knowledge.
The above is the detailed content of iOS 18: How to Lock and Hide iPhone Apps. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!