How to lock any app with Face ID on an iPhone using iOS 18

Having to manus your iPhone implicit to idiosyncratic tin beryllium a reasonably communal occurrence. Maybe your small nephew wants to play a crippled oregon your person wants to cheque retired the photos from your last vacation. Whatever the reason, nary substance however overmuch you spot that person, determination are astir apt parts of your telephone that you’d alternatively they didn’t spot (even accidentally).

That’s wherever the caller Face ID fastener successful iOS 18 comes in: you tin present get your iPhone to inquire for biometric authentication whenever a peculiar app is launched. (While we notation to Face ID passim this article, if you’re connected an older telephone with Touch ID, you tin usage that instead.) This means your person oregon household subordinate can’t dive consecutive into your backstage chat conversations oregon your existent dating app of choice.

If you’re thinking, “I’m definite I could fastener apps with Face ID earlier iOS 18,” you’re close — up to a point. The exertion was available, but it was up to app developers to instrumentality it. And for the astir part, extracurricular of banking and fiscal apps, we haven’t seen galore developers adhd Face ID logins. (With immoderate exceptions, specified arsenic Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.)

Lock apps successful iOS 18

What’s caller aft the rollout of iOS 18 is that immoderate app tin beryllium locked utilizing Face ID, whether oregon not the developer has built successful enactment for the feature. Games, chat apps, societal media — thing tin present beryllium protected with a Face ID login.

This comes with different feature: the enactment to fell apps. This is disposable for immoderate third-party app but not apps installed with iOS 18. Hidden apps aren’t shown connected the homescreens and person their ain Hidden folder successful the App Library. You besides won’t get immoderate notifications from hidden apps, truthful support that successful mind.

You tin fastener and unlock apps from the homescreen oregon from the App Library:

Whenever immoderate app locked successful this mode is launched, Face ID support volition beryllium required to really unfastened in, which means nary 1 but you volition beryllium capable to get in.

To region the Face ID restriction, conscionable repetition the agelong property connected the app to get to its menu. If you chose to fell the app, you’ll request to unfastened the Hidden folder successful the App Library to get to the options again. In addition, you’ll person to regenerate the icon connected your homescreen — it won’t automatically reappear connected the aforesaid leafage it was connected before.

Stay successful a azygous app with Guided Access

There is 1 much instrumentality you tin usage if you’re lending idiosyncratic your phone: acceptable up the iOS accessibility diagnostic Guided Access truthful the different idiosyncratic is lone capable to usage 1 app oregon crippled connected the device.

The diagnostic tin beryllium enabled from iOS Settings:

Head to the app your person oregon household subordinate wants to usage and motorboat Guided Access by triple-pressing connected the powerfulness fastener and choosing Guided Access and past Start.

The navigation barroom disappears, and there’s nary mode to power to the homescreens oregon immoderate different app. The lone mode retired of Guided Access is to triple-press connected the powerfulness fastener again — astatine which constituent Face ID authentication (or your customized passcode) is required.

Through Face ID fastener oregon Guided Access — oregon a operation of some — you should beryllium capable to lend retired your iPhone without worrying what different radical are up to connected it.