How to Lock Apps on iPhone & iPad with Password

This guide shows you how to lock individual apps on your iPhone or iPad so that a password, Face ID, or Touch ID is required to open them. You’ll learn the built-in method using Screen Time, plus a workaround for apps that don’t support it directly. No extra software is needed—everything is done in the Settings app.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone or iPad running iOS 12 or later (Screen Time is available on all modern versions).
Your device passcode (the one you use to unlock the device).
If you want to use Face ID or Touch ID for app locks, make sure it’s already set up in Settings > Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode).

Step-by-Step

Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad. It’s the gear icon on your home screen.
Tap Screen Time. If you’ve never used it before, you’ll see a welcome screen—tap “Turn On Screen Time” and then “Continue” to set it up.
Set a Screen Time passcode (if prompted). This is a separate 4-digit code used to prevent changes to your restrictions. It can be different from your device passcode. If you already have Screen Time enabled, skip to step 4.
Tap “Use Screen Time Passcode” to create or change the passcode. Enter a new 4-digit code and confirm it. Remember this code—you’ll need it to change settings later.
Tap “App Limits” (under the Restrictions section). This is where you’ll set the actual lock.
Tap “Add Limit”. You’ll see a list of app categories (Social, Games, Entertainment, etc.).
Select the category that contains the app you want to lock. For example, if you want to lock Instagram, choose “Social Networking.” If the app is in a category with other apps you don’t want to lock, you can still proceed—you’ll be able to select specific apps in the next step.
Tap “Add” in the top-right corner. You’ll now see a screen where you can set the time limit.
Set the time limit to 1 minute (the minimum allowed). This effectively locks the app after just 1 minute of use per day. Once the limit is reached, the app will be locked and require your Screen Time passcode to open.
Tap “Add” in the top-right corner to save the limit. You’ll see the limit appear under “App Limits.”
Optional: Lock specific apps within a category. Tap the limit you just created, then tap “Edit Apps” and deselect any apps you don’t want locked. This way, only the apps you keep selected will be locked.
Test it. Open the locked app and use it for about a minute. When the time is up, a screen will appear saying “Limit Reached” with options to “OK” or “Ask For More Time.” If you tap “Ask For More Time,” you’ll need to enter your Screen Time passcode to continue. If you don’t enter it, the app stays locked.

Note: This method locks the app after a set time, not immediately. If you want an instant lock, you’ll need to use a third-party app or a shortcut (see Tips below). For most users, the 1-minute limit is close enough to instant, as you’ll rarely use the app for less than a minute.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting the Screen Time passcode. If you forget it, you’ll have to erase your device and restore from a backup, which is a major hassle. Write it down somewhere safe.
Locking the wrong category. If you select “Social Networking,” all social apps get locked. Double-check the list of apps in the category before saving.
Not setting a time limit. If you just add a limit but don’t set the time to 1 minute, the app might not lock for hours or days.
Using the same passcode as your device. If someone knows your device passcode, they can guess the Screen Time passcode. Use a different one.
Turning off Screen Time entirely. If you turn off Screen Time, all app limits are removed, and your locks disappear.

Tips

Use a different passcode for Screen Time than your device passcode. This prevents someone from bypassing the lock by entering your device passcode.
For instant locking, you can create a Shortcut automation that runs when you open an app, but this is complex. A simpler workaround is to use the “Guided Access” feature (Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access) to lock a single app, but that’s more for handing your device to someone else.
If you want to lock an app immediately, you can also use the “Downtime” feature in Screen Time. Set Downtime to start and end at the same time (e.g., 12:00 AM to 12:01 AM) and select the apps you want locked. This will lock them immediately, but it also locks them during that time period every day.
Remember that app limits reset at midnight. So if you lock an app for 1 minute, it will be available again the next day.
You can set a longer limit if you want to allow a certain amount of usage before locking. For example, 30 minutes per day.

Troubleshooting

App isn’t locking after the time limit. Make sure you’ve actually set the limit to 1 minute and that the app is included in the limit. Also check that Screen Time is enabled (Settings > Screen Time > it should be on).
You forgot your Screen Time passcode. If you have an iPhone or iPad with Face ID, you can reset it using your Apple ID. Go to Settings > Screen Time > “Forgot Passcode?” and follow the prompts. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to erase the device and restore from a backup (which will remove the Screen Time passcode).
The “Add Limit” button is grayed out. This happens if Screen Time is not fully set up. Go back and make sure you’ve turned on Screen Time and set a passcode.
You can’t select specific apps. In the “Add Limit” screen, you can only select categories. To select specific apps, you need to add the limit first, then tap the limit and choose “Edit Apps.”
Screen Time is not working after an iOS update. Sometimes updates can reset settings. Check that Screen Time is still enabled and your limits are still there. If not, re-enable them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I lock an app with a password without using Screen Time?

No, there is no built-in way to lock individual apps with a password other than Screen Time. Third-party apps claim to do this, but they are not reliable and often require complex workarounds. Screen Time is the official method.

Will the app lock work if I close the app and reopen it?

No, the Screen Time limit is based on total usage time per day. If you use the app for 1 minute, close it, and reopen it, the limit is already reached, so it will lock immediately. If you haven’t used it for a minute yet, it will lock after the remaining time.

Can I lock apps like Photos or Settings?

Yes, you can lock any app that appears in the Screen Time categories. Photos is under “Creativity,” and Settings is under “Other.” However, locking Settings might prevent you from changing Screen Time settings, so be careful.

How do I unlock an app after it’s locked?

When the lock screen appears, tap “Ask For More Time” and enter your Screen Time passcode. You can choose “Add One More Minute” or “Add 15 Minutes.” If you want to unlock it permanently, you can delete the app limit in Settings > Screen Time > App Limits.

Does this work on iPad too?

Yes, the steps are identical on iPad. The Screen Time settings are the same.

Can I use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock apps instead of a passcode?

No, Screen Time only uses a 4-digit passcode. You cannot use Face ID or Touch ID to bypass the Screen Time lock. However, you can use Face ID or Touch ID for the device itself, but that doesn’t affect app limits.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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