iOS 18: How to Lock and Hide iPhone Apps for Extra Security

Right now, privacy is a valuable commodity. If you are trying to keep curious kids out of your Amazon account or simply want to keep nosy friends away from your Instagram DMs, iOS 18 has you covered. With its new features, locking and hiding apps on your iPhone has never been easier. In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about keeping your apps under wraps in the new Apple iOS 18.

How to Lock Apps in iOS 18

So, if you want to put a little digital padlock on your apps, thankfully, it’s now possible in iOS 18. It’s as simple as a long press and a couple of taps. Here’s how:

1. Long press an app on your home screen until the menu options pop up.
2. Tap Require Face ID (or Passcode)
3. Confirm it by tapping Require Face ID again.

And that’s it! Every time someone tries to open the app, your iPhone will require your Face ID or passcode. This feature works for most apps, from social media to the App Store, but there are a few exceptions. The native apps like Camera, Maps, Contacts Settings, and Find My iPhone can’t be locked, so if you’re hiding your photo-taking skills or settings tweaks, you’ll need to come up with another plan.

Tip: Locking apps is not only for keeping prying eyes away—it’s great for preventing accidental app purchases or your toddler downloading yet another game from the App Store.

Hiding Apps on iOS 18: Out of Sight, Out of Mind!

Locking a certain app isn’t enough? Maybe you want some iOS apps to disappear entirely from your home screen, iOS 18’s hiding feature is the way for that.

1. Long press the app from the app drawer.
2. Tap Require Face ID like you did before.
3. This time, tap Hide and Require Face ID.

Your app will vanish from the home screen and scurry off to a special Hidden folder in your App Library. To retrieve it, you’ll need to swipe over to the App Library, scroll to the bottom, and enter your Face ID (or passcode) to unlock the Hidden folder.

And here’s the cherry on top: when an app is hidden, it won’t send you any notifications. So, if you’ve been secretly binge-watching TikTok videos and don’t want anyone to know, your iPhone’s got your back.

How to Unlock and Unhide Apps Again

If you want to unhide and unlock an app, here’s how:

1. Long press the app.
2. Tap Don’t Require Face ID and enter your credentials.

If you’ve hidden the app, it’ll still stay in the Hidden folder, but now it’s no longer locked. Want to bring it back to your home screen? Just long press it in the App Library and tap Add to Home Screen.

With iOS 18, Apple’s made it very easy to keep your apps secure and private. Whether you’re dodging inquisitive kiddos or keeping certain apps secret, locking and hiding apps is very easy. Further, it’s nice to know that even if you hide something, you can always find it later.