iOS 18 Lets You Lock and Hide Your Apps for Added Privacy

[MacRumors]

Apple is improving privacy in iOS 18, introducing a feature that allows apps to be locked or hidden, which makes them inaccessible without a Face ID scan.

If someone is using your phone and you've locked an app, when they try to open that app, they'll see a popup that says it can't be accessed without secondary authentication. Locking an app can be done by long pressing on it and selecting the Require Face ID option (or Touch ID on the iPhone SE).

Not all apps can be locked, with Apple not providing an option for innocuous apps like Maps, Clock, Calculator, and Stocks, but almost every other app can be locked, including third-party apps. When you lock an app, you have the option to hide it as well, which moves it into a locked, hidden apps folder that requires authentication to open.

Locked or hidden apps are not only unable to be opened, but also hidden from search, notifications, and other places across the operating system. Enabling a lock on an app also shows the apps that have access to it, such as apps that are able to write images to the Photos app. Hiding an app means that you will not receive incoming notifications or calls from it, and it will only be available from a "Hidden" folder in the App Library.

If you want to turn off the locking feature, you can long press on an app icon and choose the "Don't Require Face ID" option. Turning the lock on and off requires a Face ID scan, so it can't be turned off without your knowledge. Locking and hiding apps is also a feature that works on the iPad.

Article Link: iOS 18 Lets You Lock and Hide Your Apps for Added Privacy

 

[211]

This is super useful. I’ve already activated it on many apps, and hidden some as well

 

[Anonymous Freak]

innocuous apps like Maps, Clock, Calculator, and Stocks

I would argue that Maps and Stocks could be "not innocuous" - maps can show you recent searched places, revealing information you might not want to share. Stock can reveal stocks you follow, which may indicate investment, which can be considered financial information; although of course it doesn't show actual portfolio amounts, nor does it guarantee a followed stock is one with investments. Maps is the concerning one. At least lock "view searched history/pinned places" behind FaceID.

 

[iMac The Knife]

This is super useful. I’ve already activated it on many apps, and hidden some as well

Who do you have to hide your apps from?

 

[TechWhisperer]

Only for iPhone 15 or above. Lmao!

 

[iMac The Knife]

I would argue that Maps and Stocks could be "not innocuous" - maps can show you recent searched places, revealing information you might not want to share. Stock can reveal stocks you follow, which may indicate investment, which can be considered financial information; although of course it doesn't show actual portfolio amounts, nor does it guarantee a followed stock is one with investments. Maps is the concerning one. At least lock "view searched history/pinned places" behind FaceID.

Who do you let use your phone that you care if they see your recent searches on Maps? Better question, who would you let use your phone that would go digging in your Maps in the first place?

 

[klasma]

Not all apps can be locked, with Apple not providing an option for innocuous apps like Maps, Clock, Calculator, and Stocks

How is that innocuous when Maps shows your recent locations, Clock shows your named alarms, and Stocks shows your watchlist?

 

[applefan8254]

Cool. Can we get multiple user profiles? Would be nice to have completely separate user spaces. Thank you.

 

[Wiesenlooser]

This is great! I twill be much easier to organise my affairs because now I can hide Hinge and Tinder from my significant other

*irony off*

but for real this will probably be the most common use case lol

 

[NVDA]

Guaranteed to destroy a lot of relationships out there!

 

[iMac The Knife]

I find it completely ridiculous that people have to lock and/or hide apps from other people. To each their own, but I think that is pathetic. And before you go down the "well, I have kids" road, maybe your kid/s shouldn't be in your phone in the first place, if you have to hide apps from them or lock them out of them. Get them their own digital babysitter to play with. Problem solved.

 

[Royalrock1]

This is super useful. I’ve already activated it on many apps, and hidden some as well

This is face id or passcode locking....either one of these two would work....not just face id.

how this is useful......when it still can accept passcode.

someone would casually ask us to give the password or can look at the passcode that we type, sometimes, while unlocking the device.

sometimes, if we give unlocked phone to someone, then they would look/ask for the passcode if phone gets locked...and the same passcode can be used to unlock any app.

this is a useful feature..but not 100%...I may be wrong

 

[Royalrock1]

Only for iPhone 15 or above. Lmao!

working on iphone 12 pro too

 

[mackonsti]

That is a nice feature indeed, perhaps long overdue but I have 2 questions (currently using ”Cloak” paid app for such feature)
1. what is the point to be able to unlock with the passcode? Some members in the family, for example, may know the passcode. I would have preferred to be Face ID only, no? That would include people spying on your phone and then stealing it...
2. what about leaving your iPhone for servicing/repairing? If the repair guys needs to turn it on and check it, they will need the passcode, which negates this new iOS feature unfortunately, no?

 

[nfl46]

Whew. This was needed! Thank you, Apple! It’s the small features like this that makes me appreciate Apple.

 

[alexandr]

Guaranteed to destroy a lot of relationships out there!

Exactly what I was thinking.

— Was that Grindr?!
— No, darling — it was Tinder! I mean Snapchat, it was Snapchat!!!

 

[alayal]

I see this as a way to hide social media apps, also as a way to reorganise the App Library and remove some junk that is there...

 

[breenmask]

where was this feature when my nephew kept tapping on my photos/safari app on my iPhone

 

[JCCL]

Who do you have to hide your apps from?

A potential thief snatching your phone while you have it unlocked? It happens, you know.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

How do notifications work for hidden apps? Do they just not come through?

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Great for hiding Grindr from your wife !

 

[mackonsti]

A potential thief snatching your phone while you have it unlocked? It happens, you know.

Well it won’t help if they happen to know the passcode, it seems... see my previous message about passcode making this feature half-baked in my opinion :-(

 

[jz0309]

Lock is something I've wanted for a long time, eg Mail, messages ...
Hide? not sure about it, of no use for me personally ...

 

[iMac The Knife]

A potential thief snatching your phone while you have it unlocked? It happens, you know.

Yeah, happens all the time, right! I'm not worried about that scenario. I'm also not worried about getting struck by lightening.

 

[Chet-NYC]

This is great! I twill be much easier to organise my affairs because now I can hide Hinge and Tinder from my significant other

*irony off*

but for real this will probably be the most common use case lol

Yes indeed. When I worked in a store, customer had a Grindr alert go off. He was rather embarrassed as I was able to see the Home Screen. I told him, we're in Manhattan... that is hardly the first time I've heard that sound in this store. It made him feel better, but I'm sure, all those dating/hook up apps are going to disappear from a lot of home screens.