Short answerTouch and hold an app icon and choose Require Face ID. To hide it too, choose Hide and Require Face ID; it moves to a locked Hidden folder at the bottom of the App Library. Anyone who knows your passcode can still open locked and hidden apps.
Lock an app
- Touch and hold the app icon.
- Tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID / Passcode).
- Confirm.
Hide an app
- Touch and hold the app icon → Require Face ID.
- Choose Hide and Require Face ID.
- The app moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of the App Library, which itself needs Face ID.
Hidden apps don't send notifications or show up in Search.
What it doesn't do
- Your passcode is the fallback. Anyone who knows it can open locked and hidden apps.
- It doesn't encrypt anything beyond normal iOS data protection.
- Purchase history can still show the app.
Combining with a vault
Hide or lock VaultBolt if you like, but its real protection is its own unlock and encryption. Even if someone opens the app, they still need your vault code, and a decoy code shows them something harmless.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hide the Photos app?
Some built-in apps can be locked but not hidden. You can require Face ID for Photos.
Do hidden apps show in search?
Hidden apps don't appear in Search or notifications, but they do appear in the Hidden folder in the App Library.
