Apple doesn't have an official method for individually locking sensitive apps like Photos with a passcode, but luckily there's a workaround that was introduced in iOS 12 with Screen Time.

If you really want to make sure one of your apps is inaccessible, you can use Apple's App Limits feature to do so. Here's how:

  1. Open up the Settings app.
  2. Choose "Screen Time."
  3. Make sure Screen Time is enabled and a Screen Time passcode is set.
  4. Tap on "Devices" in the upper left corner and select your current device. If you don't have multiple devices, just tap on the name of your device at the top.
  5. Choose an app you want to lock and tap it. If the app you want isn't listed, choose any app. It's just a gateway to get to deeper settings. setapplimit
  6. Tap "Add Limit."
  7. From here, tap "Edit Apps" and add all the other apps that you might want to lock. It gives you a full dropdown of all your apps.

After you've selected all of the apps that you want to be locked, use the timer interface at the top of the display to select a short period of time, like a minute, and then tap "Add."

setapplimit2
The new App Limit will effectively lock up your selected apps, and if you attempt to tap on one of these locked apps, you will be required to input your Screen Time passcode.

applimitsscreentime

How to Use a Locked App

Once you have App Limits in place to lock apps you want to be inaccessible, you can tap on "Ask for More Time" to access the app. You'll need to put in your passcode, and then once you do, you can unlock it for 15 minutes, an hour, or the rest of the day. There's no way to immediately lock it again after approving it for 15 minutes without redoing the entire App Limit setup, so keep that in mind.

timelimitapprove

Limitations

You can passcode lock any app on your phone except for the Phone app. There is no option to turn off access to the Phone app at all. For apps like Messages or FaceTime, you need to edit the "Always Allowed" section of Screen Time to remove them for the limit to be enabled.

You can disable access to Messages and ‌FaceTime‌, but you might not want to. When access to Messages is disabled via App Limits, devices using iCloud for Screen Time are not able to send or receive messages during downtime. You're also not able to see notifications for apps that are locked, so keep that in mind when locking down social networking apps.

An Alternate Locking Method

If you want to lock up most or all of your apps, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open the Settings app.Choose "Screen Time."
  2. Make sure Screen Time is enabled and a passcode is set.
  3. Select "App Limits."
  4. Tap "Add Limit."
  5. Select "All Apps & Categories." applimitsallapps
  6. Choose a short period of time from the timer interface, such as a minute or two.
  7. Tap "Add."

Choosing "All Apps & Categories" locks all of the apps on your iPhone except for a few. You can narrow that down a bit by selecting just a category of apps to lock, such as "Social Networking," and you can unlock individual apps by going to "Always Allowed" in the main Screen Time interface, selecting "All Apps & Categories" and unchecking, the apps that you want to make accessible.

screentimeallapps

More iPhone Tricks

You can see even more useful hidden ‌iPhone‌ tricks in our recent update ‌iPhone‌ tips YouTube video, so make sure to check it out.

Popular Stories

Apple Updates AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max Firmware

Thursday December 9, 2021 11:16 am PST by Juli Clover

Apple today released a new 4C165 firmware update for the AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max. The second-generation AirPods and AirPods Max were previously running firmware version 4A400. The AirPods Pro previously had 4A402 firmware available, and AirPods 3 were running firmware version 4B66. Apple does not offer information on what's included in refreshed firmware updates...

Deals: AirPods 3 Drop to New Low Price of $139.99

Amazon today is beating the Black Friday price we tracked on Apple's AirPods 3 last month, now available for just $139.99, down from $179.00. On Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we tracked the AirPods 3 at $149.99. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. ...

iPhone 14 Pro Models to Feature Hole-Punch Display

Wednesday December 8, 2021 3:40 pm PST by Juli Clover

The high-end iPhone 14 Pro models launching in 2022 are expected to have a hole-punch display, according to Korean website The Elec. The 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max are expected to feature the upgraded display, which will do away with the notch used in the current iPhone models. The hole-punch cutout will allow Apple to provide a larger display area while still...

Apple Releases New MagSafe Charger Firmware [Updated]

Thursday December 9, 2021 11:24 am PST by Juli Clover

Apple today released updated firmware for the MagSafe Charger that's compatible with iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models that have magnets inside. The new firmware is version 10M229, up from 9M5069. Note that in the Settings app, you'll see a version number rather than the firmware number. The new version is 247.0.0.0, and the old one was 174.0.0.0. The MagSafe Charger initially came out in fall...

Top Stories: Five New Macs in 2022, iPhone 14 Pro and AirPods Pro 2 Rumors, and More

It was another busy week for Apple rumors, with Mark Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo spilling a range of details about Apple's Mac roadmap, the next AirPods Pro, Apple's AR/VR headset plans, and more. In other news, it looks like the next round of Apple software updates will be arriving shortly with iOS 15.2, macOS 12.1, and related releases. The updates will bring several new features like the...

Apple Stores Getting Tool for Updating AirPods Pro to Latest Firmware Version

Friday December 10, 2021 6:33 pm PST by Joe Rossignol

Starting early next week, Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers will gain access to a new AirPods Firmware Updater diagnostic tool for updating AirPods Pro to the latest firmware, according to an internal memo obtained by MacRumors. The tool will allow technicians with access to Apple Service Toolkit 2 to download the latest firmware on a customer's AirPods Pro during repair...

2022 'MacBook' and 'iMac Pro' Could Help Apple Simplify Its Naming Strategy

Apple could be looking to simplify the naming of its product lineups, most noticeably with the launch of a "MacBook" and "iMac Pro" in 2022, according to recent rumors. Apple is believed to be preparing to launch five new Macs in 2022, including a new high-end iMac, a redesigned MacBook Air, an updated Mac mini, entry-level MacBook Pro, and Mac Pro with Apple silicon. While multiple...

New iPhone SE Inches Closer to Launch as Suppliers Begin Preparing for Shipments

Thursday December 9, 2021 7:22 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Multiple component suppliers in Apple's supply chain are gearing up for shipments of a third-generation iPhone SE, slated for launch in the first half of 2022, according to industry sources cited by Taiwanese publication DigiTimes. The full report has yet to be released, but a paywalled preview reads as follows:VCM suppliers see no cutback in orders for new iPhones: VCM (voice coil motor)...