# Lock an app on iPhone > Which iPhone apps you can lock with Require Face ID, which you can hide, and which have their own lock. 30 apps compared, iOS 18 and later. Source: https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/ · Updated 2026-11-01 · By VaultForYou ![App quick actions menu with Require Face ID on iPhone](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/img/lock-app.png) - iOS 18+ - 8 built-in apps can't lock Since iOS 18 you can lock almost any app with Face ID, and hide the ones you downloaded. Here is what each app allows. - **Apps:** 30 - **Can lock:** 27 - **Can hide:** 21 - **Own lock:** 15 **Quick answer:** To lock an app, touch and hold its icon and tap **Require Face ID** (iOS 18 or later). To hide an App Store app as well, tap **Hide and Require Face ID**, then **Hide App**: it moves to a locked **Hidden** folder in App Library. Apps that came with your iPhone can be locked but not hidden, and a few, like **Settings** and **Camera**, can't be locked at all. All apps ## Can you lock it? Can you hide it? "Its own lock" is a lock the maker documents in its help center. App names are trademarks of their owners. Filter, e.g. WhatsApp, Google Every app, with whether it can be locked, hidden or has its own lock. | App | Maker | Require Face ID | Hide | Its own lock | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Photos](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/photos/) | Apple | Yes | No | Hidden album lock | | [Messages](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/messages/) | Apple | Yes | No | No | | [Notes](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/notes/) | Apple | Yes | No | Locked notes | | [Safari](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/safari/) | Apple | Yes | No | Locked Private Browsing | | [Mail](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/mail/) | Apple | Yes | No | No | | [Files](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/files/) | Apple | Yes | No | No | | [Settings](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/settings/) | Apple | No | No | No | | [Camera](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/camera/) | Apple | No | No | No | | [Contacts](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/contacts/) | Apple | No | No | No | | [WhatsApp](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/whatsapp/) | Meta | Yes | Yes | Screen Lock and Chat lock | | [Telegram](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/telegram/) | Telegram | Yes | Yes | Passcode lock | | [Signal](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/signal/) | Signal | Yes | Yes | Screen Lock | | [Messenger](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/messenger/) | Meta | Yes | Yes | App lock | | [Snapchat](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/snapchat/) | Snap | Yes | Yes | My Eyes Only | | [Google Photos](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/google-photos/) | Google | Yes | Yes | Locked Folder | | [Chrome](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/chrome/) | Google | Yes | Yes, unless default browser | Incognito tab lock | | [Venmo](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/venmo/) | PayPal | Yes | Yes | Face ID & Passcode | | [Cash App](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/cash-app/) | Block | Yes | Yes | Security Lock | | [Dropbox](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/dropbox/) | Dropbox | Yes | Yes | Passcode lock | | [OneDrive](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/onedrive/) | Microsoft | Yes | Yes | Passcode (App lock) | | [LINE](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/line/) | LY Corporation | Yes | Yes | Passcode lock | | [Gmail](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/gmail/) | Google | Yes | Yes | No | | [Instagram](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/instagram/) | Meta | Yes | Yes | No | | [Facebook](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/facebook/) | Meta | Yes | Yes | No | | [TikTok](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/tiktok/) | TikTok | Yes | Yes | No | | [X](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/x/) | X Corp. | Yes | Yes | No | | [Discord](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/discord/) | Discord | Yes | Yes | No | | [Tinder](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/tinder/) | Match Group | Yes | Yes | No | | [Hinge](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/hinge/) | Match Group | Yes | Yes | No | | [YouTube](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/youtube/) | Google | Yes | Yes | No | 3 steps ## Lock any app with Face ID 1. **Touch and hold the app icon.** On the Home Screen, touch and hold the app icon until the quick actions menu opens. 2. **Tap Require Face ID.** Tap **Require Face ID**. iOS 18 or later. 3. **Confirm with Face ID.** Confirm with Face ID or your passcode. From now on the app asks before it opens. What it does ## What locking and hiding an app do - **Asks for Face ID to open**Relocks after you quit the app - **Keeps content out of previews**Notifications, search, Siri suggestions - **Removes the icon (hide)**App Store apps only - **Separate code**Your passcode opens it - **Syncs to other devices**Set on each iPhone - **Children under 13**Can't lock or hide apps Messaging ## Lock messaging apps - [Lock MessagesLock only](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/messages/) - [Lock WhatsAppLock + hide · Screen Lock and Chat lock](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/whatsapp/) - [Lock TelegramLock + hide · Passcode lock](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/telegram/) - [Lock SignalLock + hide · Screen Lock](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/signal/) - [Lock MessengerLock + hide · App lock](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/messenger/) - [Lock LINELock + hide · Passcode lock](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/line/) - [Lock DiscordLock + hide](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/discord/) Social ## Lock social apps - [Lock SnapchatLock + hide · My Eyes Only](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/snapchat/) - [Lock InstagramLock + hide](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/instagram/) - [Lock FacebookLock + hide](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/facebook/) - [Lock XLock + hide](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/x/) Photos ## Lock photo apps - [Lock PhotosLock only · Hidden album lock](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/photos/) - [Lock Google PhotosLock + hide · Locked Folder](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/google-photos/) Browsers ## Lock web browsers - [Lock SafariLock only · Locked Private Browsing](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/safari/) - [Lock ChromeLock + hide · Incognito tab lock](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/chrome/) Payments ## Lock payment apps - [Lock VenmoLock + hide · Face ID & Passcode](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/venmo/) - [Lock Cash AppLock + hide · Security Lock](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/cash-app/) Files and cloud ## Lock file and cloud apps - [Lock FilesLock only](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/files/) - [Lock DropboxLock + hide · Passcode lock](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/dropbox/) - [Lock OneDriveLock + hide · Passcode (App lock)](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/onedrive/) Email ## Lock email apps - [Lock MailLock only](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/mail/) - [Lock GmailLock + hide](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/gmail/) Dating ## Lock dating apps - [Lock TinderLock + hide](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/tinder/) - [Lock HingeLock + hide](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/hinge/) Video ## Lock video apps - [Lock TikTokLock + hide](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/tiktok/) - [Lock YouTubeLock + hide](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/youtube/) Can't be locked ## Built-in apps you can't lock - [Can you lock Settings?Not lockable](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/settings/) - [Can you lock Camera?Not lockable](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/camera/) - [Can you lock Contacts?Not lockable](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/contacts/) Notes ## Lock Notes - [Lock NotesLock only · Locked notes](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/lock-app/notes/) > A lock your iPhone passcode can't openVaultForYou keeps the photos, videos and documents you choose in a private vault that opens only with a pattern you draw. [Get VaultForYou](https://www.vaultforyou.app/)Free to download · iPhone, iOS 16 or later Questions ## Locking apps: questions ### How do I lock an app on iPhone? Touch and hold the app icon on your Home Screen, tap Require Face ID, then confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. You need iOS 18 or later. The app then asks before it opens and locks again after you quit it. iPhones with Touch ID say Require Touch ID. ### Which iPhone apps can't be locked? Apple lists Calculator, Camera, Clock, Contacts, Find My, Maps, Shortcuts and Settings among the built-in apps that can't be locked. Apple's guide names no other exceptions, and App Store apps can be both locked and hidden. Built-in apps that can be locked still can't be hidden. ### Which apps can I hide on iPhone? Only apps you download from the App Store. Apple doesn't let you hide the apps that came with your iPhone, or the app you set as your default web browser. Hidden apps move to a locked Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library, and stay locked. ### Can someone still see a hidden app? Its name still appears in a few places: Settings › Apps › Hidden Apps (behind Face ID), Screen Time, battery usage and your App Store purchase history. It disappears from the Home Screen, App Library and search. Hiding applies only to that iPhone and doesn't sync through iCloud. ### Can a child lock or hide apps? Apple says children under 13 in a Family Sharing group can't lock or hide apps. Teens aged 13 to 17 can, but a parent or guardian in the family group can still see the app was downloaded, how long it is used, and restrict it with Screen Time. ## Related - [What is Require Face ID](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/glossary/require-face-id/) - [What is App Library](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/glossary/app-library/) - [Photos app lock](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/locks/photos-app/) - [Guided Access](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/locks/guided-access/) - [Compare photo locks](https://lockphotosoniphone.com/compare/)