How to Lock or Hide Apps on iPhone With Face ID

If you sometimes hand your iPhone to another person, locking a sensitive app adds a useful layer of privacy without hiding the whole phone. On iOS 18 or later, you can require Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode before an app opens. You can also hide many downloaded apps so they no longer appear on the Home Screen.

This guide explains how to lock apps on iPhone with Face ID, where hidden apps go, how to reverse either choice, and which apps Apple does not allow you to lock or hide.

What happens when you lock or hide an iPhone app?

Locking and hiding are related but different:

• Locking an app leaves its icon visible. Opening it requires Face ID, Touch ID or the iPhone passcode.
• Hiding an app locks it and moves it into the Hidden folder in App Library. Its icon no longer appears on your Home Screen.

Neither option deletes the app or its data. Apple says a locked app is protected again after you quit it, so you do not need to lock it manually every time.

Before you begin

Make sure your iPhone is running iOS 18 or later. You should also have Face ID or Touch ID configured under Settings > Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode. If biometrics are unavailable, iPhone can use the device passcode where permitted.

It is worth choosing a strong device passcode before using this feature. Anyone who knows that passcode may be able to open a locked app, so app locking should complement—not replace—good passcode habits.

How to lock an app on iPhone with Face ID

1. Find the app on your Home Screen.
2. Touch and hold the app icon until the quick-actions menu appears.
3. Tap Require Face ID. On a Touch ID model, the wording will refer to Touch ID.
4. Tap Require Face ID again to confirm.
5. Authenticate when prompted.

The app remains in its usual location, but it now requests authentication when someone tries to open it. You can repeat these steps for other supported apps individually.

How to open a locked app

Tap the app as usual, then look at the iPhone for Face ID or use Touch ID. If biometric authentication does not work, follow the passcode prompt shown on the screen. After you leave the app, iPhone locks it again.

How to hide an app on iPhone

Hiding is useful when you do not want an app icon to remain visible on your Home Screen. Apple allows this only for apps downloaded from the App Store; built-in iPhone apps cannot be hidden with this feature.

1. Touch and hold the downloaded app on the Home Screen.
2. Tap Require Face ID.
3. Select Hide and Require Face ID.
4. Authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.
5. Tap Hide App to confirm.

The app moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library. If you only see Require Face ID and not the hiding option, that app may not support being hidden.

How to find and open hidden apps

1. Swipe left past all Home Screen pages to reach App Library.
2. Scroll to the bottom and tap the Hidden folder.
3. Authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.
4. Tap the app you want to use.

You can also review which apps are hidden by opening Settings > Apps > Hidden Apps and authenticating. This is helpful if you have forgotten which apps you moved.

How to remove the Face ID lock from an app

1. Locate the locked app on your Home Screen or in App Library.
2. Touch and hold its icon.
3. Tap Don’t Require Face ID.
4. Authenticate to confirm.

The app will then open normally without an extra authentication step. Your iPhone itself is still protected by its usual lock screen.

How to unhide an app

1. Open App Library and tap the Hidden folder.
2. Authenticate to reveal its contents.
3. Touch and hold the app you want to restore.
4. Tap Don’t Require Face ID.

The app is removed from the Hidden folder and becomes available in App Library. If you want it back on a specific Home Screen page, find it in App Library, touch and hold it, then drag it to the page you prefer.

Apps you cannot lock or hide

Apple places several limits on the feature. Some built-in apps cannot be locked, including Camera, Clock, Contacts, Find My, Maps, Shortcuts and Settings. Built-in apps also cannot be hidden using the Hidden folder.

Apple also notes that a default web browser cannot be hidden. In the European Union, a default app marketplace cannot be hidden either. These restrictions help ensure that essential system functions and default services remain accessible.

What to try if Require Face ID is missing

Update the iPhone

Go to Settings > General > Software Update. The app-locking and hiding controls require iOS 18 or later, and keeping iOS updated also delivers security fixes.

Check whether the app is supported

Try another downloaded app. If the option appears there, the original app may be one Apple excludes. Remember that hiding is available only for downloaded apps, even though some built-in apps can be locked.

Check Face ID settings

Open Settings > Face ID & Passcode and confirm that Face ID is configured. Make sure nothing covers the TrueDepth camera, then restart the iPhone if Face ID is not responding. Apple recommends resetting Face ID only after the basic checks do not solve the problem.

Privacy tips for lending someone your iPhone

• Lock only apps that contain private conversations, documents or account information. Locking every app can make everyday use unnecessarily slow.
• Do not share your iPhone passcode casually. The passcode is a fallback for many security features.
• Use Settings > Privacy & Security to review which apps can access photos, contacts, location, the camera and microphone.
• For private pictures, app locking works well alongside the iPhone’s Hidden album. Our guide explains how to hide photos on iPhone without deleting them.
• If you share images online, consider removing embedded location information first. See how to remove location data from iPhone photos.

Frequently asked questions

Can I lock any app on iPhone with Face ID?

No. Many downloaded apps and some Apple apps can be locked, but Apple excludes several system apps, including Camera, Clock, Find My and Settings.

Can I hide built-in iPhone apps?

Not with the iOS Hidden folder. The hide-and-lock option applies to eligible apps downloaded from the App Store.

Does hiding an app uninstall it?

No. Hiding moves the app into the locked Hidden folder in App Library. Its data stays on the iPhone.

Can someone open a locked app with my passcode?

The iPhone may offer the device passcode as an authentication method. Treat your passcode as sensitive and avoid sharing it with anyone you do not trust.

Where is the Hidden folder on iPhone?

It appears at the bottom of App Library. Swipe left through all Home Screen pages, scroll down in App Library, tap Hidden, then authenticate.

Conclusion

To lock apps on iPhone with Face ID, touch and hold a supported app and choose Require Face ID. For an eligible downloaded app, choose Hide and Require Face ID to move it to the protected Hidden folder. The feature is simple to reverse and adds practical privacy when other people occasionally use your phone.

For the latest menu names and restrictions, refer to Apple’s official guides for locking or hiding an iPhone app and locking and hiding apps for personal safety.