How to Lock Apps on iPhone (The Smart Way!)

It is not any secret that feature-wise, iOS lags behind Android in numerous methods. Sure, iOS 14 brings many enhancements for iPhone customers, together with higher residence display screen customization, new widgets for iOS 14, and more. But it nonetheless lacks some fundamental options. For instance, iPhones would not have a easy technique to lock apps. A variety of apps today, like WhatsApp, provide built-in app lock mechanisms. But it will be higher if Apple integrates this characteristic natively, permitting us to lock any app we would like. If you’re determined to lock your iOS apps, right here is how one can lock apps in your iPhone.

Lock Apps on iPhone (2021)

Lock iPhone Apps with Passcode

If you need to use a passcode to lock your iPhone apps, right here’s what you should do. Bear in thoughts that since Apple doesn’t provide an app locking mechanism, this technique is a workaround, but it surely works fairly nicely.

1. Go to ‘Settings -> Screen Time‘ on your iPhone and set up a ‘Screen Time Passcode’. You may also select to allow Touch ID or Face ID at this level.

2. Now, faucet on ‘App Limits’ after which on ‘Add Limit’.

3. Select the app you need to lock by first tapping on the class (left image) after which deciding on the app (proper image). For instance, let’s sayI need to lock Snapchat. To do that, I’ll faucet on the ‘Social’ class and choose ‘Snapchat’ from the checklist.

4. Then, faucet ‘Next’, set the time restrict to 1 minute, and faucet ‘Add’ on the prime proper nook. Make certain the toggle next to ‘Block at End of Limit’ is turned on.

Your chosen app will get locked after 1 minute of use. One minute is barely something for apps that you simply open a number of occasions a day, reminiscent of Snapchat, in my case. So, this technique is a fairly respectable workaround to lock iPhone apps. Once the app is locked, you’ll need to enter your Screen Time passcode to entry it.

Note: The Screen Time passcode is completely different out of your iPhone passcode. Make certain you keep in mind the password you set for Screen Time in your iPhone as a result of it’s troublesome to reset the Screen Time passcode. You can examine our useful information by way of the connected hyperlink if it ever slips your thoughts.

Lock Apps on iPhone Using Siri Shortcuts

Alternatively, you may also lock iPhone apps using Siri Shortcuts. Plus, you are able to do some enjoyable methods with them as nicely.

1. Open Shortcuts in your iPhone and create a brand new shortcut.

2. Tap on ‘Add Action’, search ‘Ask for Input’, and choose it.

3. You can select between ‘Text’, ‘Number’, ‘URL’, and more. For this instance, I’ll use ‘Number’ because the enter. Also, add a immediate for the passcode by tapping on ‘Prompt’ and typing in something you need.

4. Now, add one other motion. Search for ‘If’ and add it to your Shortcut. Tap on ‘Condition’ and select ‘is’.

5. Now once more, faucet on ‘Number’ within the first motion and sort within the password you need. For this instance, I’m using 1234 because the password (you shouldn’t use such weak passwords).

Now we have now arrange the fundamental groundwork for locking an app. Let’s transfer on and end issues off.

6. Add a new ‘Open App’ motion to the shortcut and drag it between the ‘If’ and ‘Otherwise’ blocks.

7. Choose the app you need to lock. For the sake of this tutorial, I’m going to lock the Calculator app.

And voila, this Shortcut is workable. What will occur now’s that the Shortcut will immediate us for the password, and if we enter the right password (1234), it’s going to open the Calculator. Otherwise, it’s going to do nothing.

But that’s not attention-grabbing sufficient, proper? If somebody is attempting to open our secret calculator app, we should know who dedicated the transgression. So let’s add some traps right here.

8. Add one other motion to your shortcut. Search for ‘Take photo’ and alter ‘Back’ digital camera to ‘Front’ digital camera.

9. Tap on ‘Show More’ and disable the ‘Show Camera Preview’ toggle.

10. Drag this motion between the ‘Otherwise’ and ‘End If’ blocks.

11. Next, add the ‘Save to Photo Album’ motion to the shortcut and drag it under the Take Photo block.

So, what have we finished right here? If somebody enters the improper password, your iPhone will click on an image from the entrance digital camera and reserve it to the Recents album. Now, you possibly can see who tried to sneak into considered one of your password-protected apps.

Our Shortcut is sort of full now. All we have to do now’s substitute the precise app icon with our Shortcut and place it in your iPhone residence display screen. Let’s do this proper now.

12. Tap on ‘Next’ on the prime proper and give your Shortcut a reputation. I’m naming it Bifrost. Once you’ve set the identify, faucet on ‘Done’.

13. Open the shortcut out of your Shortcut Gallery and faucet the three-dot icon. Here, choose the ‘Add to Home Screen’ choice.

Set the identify of the Shortcut to the identify of the app you’ve locked (Calculator, on this case), and alter the icon to a calculator icon. You can use something right here, however I’d advocate using an identical icon to make the entice more convincing. Tap on ‘Add’ to see the Shortcut seem on your house display screen.

14. When you faucet on this Shortcut, it’s going to ask you for the password. Simply enter your password to open the app. If you enter an incorrect password, the Shortcut will take an image and reserve it to your Photos app. Neat, proper?

Plus, you should take away the precise app from your house display screen and substitute it together with your Shortcut. So, anybody attempting to snoop in your iPhone will launch the Shortcut as a substitute of the app itself.

Protect Your Apps from Peeping Toms

Even although it’s excessive time Apple constructed an precise app lock characteristic into iOS, there isn’t any telling when the corporate may do this. Until that point, these workarounds are just about all we have now. After all, everyone knows somebody or the opposite who’s at all times attempting to sneak into our iPhones. Android has provided an app locking characteristic for a very long time now. So, do you suppose Apple ought to carry native app lock assist to iOS as nicely? Let us know within the feedback down under. Feel free to remark in case you have any issues locking your apps or following the directions.