How to Lock Your iPhone to a Single App (Guided Access)

Guided Access is a built-in iOS feature that locks your iPhone to one app, disabling the Home button, touch gestures outside the app, and even specific on-screen areas. It’s ideal for handing your phone to a child, keeping a presentation on screen, or focusing on a single task without accidental taps. You need an iPhone running iOS 12 or later (the steps below reflect current iOS versions) and your passcode or Face ID/Touch ID to enable and disable it.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone with iOS 12 or later
Your device passcode (or Face ID/Touch ID) to turn Guided Access on and off
Optional: A second app or screen to test with

Step-by-Step

Open Settings. Tap the gray gear icon on your home screen.
Go to Accessibility. Scroll down and tap Accessibility (it’s in the third group of settings).
Tap Guided Access. It’s under the “General� section of Accessibility.
Turn on Guided Access. Toggle the switch at the top. You’ll be prompted to set a passcode (or use Face ID/Touch ID) the first time. This is separate from your normal unlock passcode—it’s used to start and end Guided Access sessions.
Set your passcode (first time only). Tap Set Passcode, enter a 4- or 6-digit code, then re-enter it. You can also enable Face ID or Touch ID as an alternative to the passcode.
Open the app you want to lock. Go to the app you want to restrict (e.g., a game, video, or notes app).
Start Guided Access. Triple-click the side button (or the Home button on older iPhones). The Guided Access screen appears.
Adjust options (optional). Before starting, you can tap Options in the bottom-left corner to disable things like the Side button, volume buttons, motion, or keyboards. You can also draw circles around areas of the screen you want to disable (e.g., a “buy� button).
Start the session. Tap Start in the top-right corner. The app now fills the screen, and the Home indicator/gestures are disabled.
End the session. When you’re done, triple-click the side button (or Home button), enter your Guided Access passcode (or use Face ID/Touch ID), then tap End.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting the Guided Access passcode. It’s separate from your normal passcode. If you forget it, you’ll need to force restart your iPhone (which may end the session) or restore via computer.
Triple-clicking too fast or too slow. The triple-click must be a steady, quick press. Practice a few times to get the rhythm.
Not enabling “Accessibility Shortcut� in Control Center. Some users prefer to add Guided Access to the Accessibility Shortcut (in Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut) so a triple-click always brings it up, even if you’re in an app.
Leaving the “Sleep/Wake� button enabled. If you don’t disable the Side button in Options, the user can still lock the screen, which might confuse them.
Not setting a passcode before starting. If you skip step 4, Guided Access won’t work—you’ll get a prompt to set it up when you try to start.

Tips

Use “Screen Sleep� to control when the display turns off. In Options, you can set a sleep timer, so the screen dims after a certain period of inactivity—useful for kids or presentations.
Disable the volume buttons to prevent accidental volume changes.
Draw circles to block specific areas. For example, if an app has an in-app purchase button, draw a circle around it to make it unresponsive.
Enable “Mirroring Auto-Lock� if you want the screen to auto-lock as usual (otherwise it stays on indefinitely).
Use Face ID/Touch ID to end sessions quickly. If you enable it, you can just triple-click and use your face/fingerprint instead of typing a passcode.

Troubleshooting

Triple-click doesn’t work. Make sure Guided Access is turned on in Settings > Accessibility. Also check if you have “Accessibility Shortcut� set to Guided Access—if not, triple-click may open a menu instead. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut and check Guided Access.
Can’t end the session because you forgot the passcode. Force restart your iPhone (press and release Volume Up, then Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears). This will end the session, but you’ll need to re-enable Guided Access afterward. If that fails, connect to a computer and restore.
The app still responds to touches in blocked areas. Make sure you drew the circles correctly—you can tap and drag to resize them. You can also tap “X� to remove a circle and redraw.
Guided Access won’t start because “Restrictions� are on. If you have Screen Time restrictions that disable Guided Access, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps and ensure Guided Access is enabled.
After ending, the Home screen is jumbled. This is rare but can happen if the session was interrupted. Restart your iPhone to refresh the interface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I lock my iPhone to a single app without Guided Access?

Yes, you can use “App Limits� in Screen Time, but that only limits time, not locks the app. Guided Access is the only built-in way to lock to one app completely.

Does Guided Access work with all apps?

Yes, it works with any app, including third-party ones. However, some apps with complex gestures might behave oddly if you disable motion or touch areas.

Can I use Guided Access to lock my iPhone for a child?

Absolutely. It’s a common use case. You can disable the side button and volume buttons, and even block in-app purchases with circles.

Will Guided Access drain my battery faster?

No—it doesn’t affect battery life significantly. The screen stays on if you don’t set a sleep timer, which could drain battery, but that’s not a Guided Access issue.

How do I turn off Guided Access if the screen is frozen?

Force restart your iPhone (press Volume Up, then Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears). This should end the session.

Can I set a different passcode for Guided Access each time?

No, the passcode is set once and remains the same until you change it in Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access > Set Passcode.

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

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