How to Lock an App with Face ID on iPad: Step-by-Step Guide

If you want to stop other people from opening a particular app on your iPad, you may not need a third-party app or a separate password. On supported versions of iPadOS, you can lock an app directly from its Home Screen icon and require Face ID, Touch ID, or your iPad passcode before it opens. (Apple Support)

This is useful for apps containing private messages, financial information, work files, photos, or other personal data. You can also hide some downloaded apps if you do not even want them visible on the Home Screen.

Below, you’ll find the quickest way to lock an app, how to unlock or hide it, and what to use when an app cannot be locked.

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How to Lock an App with Face ID on iPad

If your iPad supports the built-in app-lock feature, you can lock an app directly from the Home Screen.

Step 1: Find the app you want to lock

Go to your iPad’s Home Screen and locate the app you want to protect.

You do not need to open the app first.

Step 2: Touch and hold the app icon

Press and hold the app icon until its quick-action menu appears.

Look for an option similar to:

Require Face ID

Depending on your iPad model and security setup, Apple may instead show Require Touch ID or Require Passcode. (Apple Support)

Step 3: Select Require Face ID

Tap Require Face ID.

Your iPad will ask you to authenticate. Look at the iPad so Face ID can verify you.

Once authentication succeeds, the app is locked.

Step 4: Open the app to test it

Tap the app again.

Your iPad should ask for Face ID, Touch ID, or the device passcode before allowing access.

You do not have to manually lock the app each time. When you close a locked app, it becomes protected again and requires authentication when you open it later. (Apple Support)

What Happens When You Lock an App?

Locking an app does more than simply put a Face ID prompt in front of it.

Apple says information from a locked app won’t appear in certain other places, including search, Siri suggestions, notification previews, CarPlay, and call history, where applicable. (Apple Support)

The lock is also specific to that iPad. It does not automatically sync the locked or hidden status to your other devices through iCloud. (Apple Support)

How to Hide an App on iPad

If you want more privacy than simply locking an app, iPadOS can also let you hide certain downloaded apps.

Here’s how:

1. Go to the Home Screen.
2. Touch and hold the app you want to hide.
3. Tap Require Face ID.
4. Choose Hide and Require Face ID.
5. Authenticate with Face ID or your passcode.
6. Tap Hide App to confirm.

The app will disappear from the Home Screen and move to the Hidden folder at the bottom of the App Library. (Apple Support)

Which apps can be hidden?

Apple’s current iPadOS documentation says that apps installed separately from the App Store can be hidden, while built-in apps cannot. There are also some additional restrictions for apps designated as the default web browser or app marketplace in the EU. (Apple Support)

Keep in mind that hiding an app doesn’t make its existence completely invisible. Apple says its name can still appear in places such as Screen Time, Battery Usage by App, and App Store purchase history. (Apple Support)

How to Open a Hidden App

If you have hidden an app and need to use it:

1. Go to the Home Screen.
2. Swipe left through your Home Screen pages to open the App Library.
3. Scroll to the bottom and tap the Hidden folder.
4. Authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
5. Tap the app and authenticate again if prompted. (Apple Support)

How to Remove Face ID Lock from an App

You can remove the lock whenever you want.

1. Find the locked app on the Home Screen.
2. Touch and hold its icon.
3. Tap Don’t Require Face ID (or the equivalent Touch ID/passcode option).
4. Authenticate with Face ID or your passcode.

The app will then open without requiring authentication. (Apple Support)

What If You Don’t See the “Require Face ID” Option?

This is an important distinction: app locking is now an iPadOS feature, so you do not necessarily need the app developer to build its own Face ID lock.

If the option isn’t available when you press and hold the app, there are several possibilities:

• Your iPadOS version may not support the feature.
• The particular Apple app may be one of the apps that cannot be locked.
• The device may have restrictions that affect the feature.
• You may be looking for an app-specific Face ID setting when the system-level option is available from the Home Screen instead.

Apple specifically lists some built-in apps that cannot be locked, including Calculator, Camera, Clock, Contacts, Find My, Maps, Shortcuts, and Settings. (Apple Support)

What to Do If an App Cannot Be Locked

If the normal Require Face ID option isn’t available, the best alternative depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.

Use Guided Access to keep someone inside one app

Guided Access is useful when you’re giving your iPad to another person and want them to use only the app currently on the screen.

For example, you could open a game or video app and then start Guided Access so the other person cannot freely switch to your other apps.

To set it up:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Accessibility > Guided Access.
3. Turn on Guided Access.
4. Set a Guided Access passcode.
5. Open the app you want the person to use.
6. Start a Guided Access session using the configured shortcut or available control.

Apple also lets you use Face ID to end a Guided Access session on an iPad with Face ID, if that option is enabled in Guided Access settings. (Apple Support)

This is different from permanently locking an app. Guided Access temporarily restricts the entire iPad to one app.

Use Screen Time for restrictions

Screen Time can be useful when your goal is to control app access, particularly for children or managed devices.

Go to:

Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions

From there, you can configure restrictions such as app installation, deletion, in-app purchases, and age-based app access. (Apple Support)

Screen Time isn’t a direct replacement for the Require Face ID feature, so use it when you need broader usage controls rather than simply putting a Face ID prompt on one app.

Face ID App Lock vs. Guided Access vs. Hiding an App

Feature	Best for	Requires authentication?	Main purpose
Require Face ID	Protecting a particular app	Yes	Prevents unauthorized app access
Hide App	Keeping a downloaded app out of sight	Yes	Hides the app and protects access
Guided Access	Lending your iPad to someone	Yes, to end the session	Keeps the iPad inside one app
Screen Time	Managing restrictions and usage	Depends on the setup	Controls broader device/app access

For normal privacy, Require Face ID is usually the simplest choice. If you’re handing the iPad to someone and want them restricted to one application, Guided Access is more appropriate.

Common Problems With Face ID App Lock

The app opens without asking for Face ID

First, make sure you’re using the system-level app lock rather than an unrelated privacy setting inside the app.

If the app is locked, closing it and opening it again should require authentication.

I can’t find Require Face ID

Check whether your iPadOS version supports app locking and whether the particular app is eligible. Some built-in Apple apps cannot be locked. (Apple Support)

Face ID isn’t working properly

If Face ID itself is failing across the iPad, fix the device’s Face ID issue first. App locking cannot work properly if the iPad cannot authenticate you.

You can also use the iPad passcode when prompted.

Can I lock every app?

No. Apple specifically excludes some built-in apps from the app-lock feature. (Apple Support)

Also, hiding and locking are separate features, so an app may be eligible for one behavior but have restrictions around another.

Tips for Better iPad Privacy

• Use a strong iPad passcode. Face ID is convenient, but your passcode remains an important backup authentication method.
• Use app locking for sensitive apps. Banking, messaging, work, and personal-data apps are good examples of where an additional access check can be useful.
• Use hiding when visibility is the concern. Locking protects access; hiding also removes the app from the normal Home Screen.
• Use Guided Access when lending your iPad. It is designed specifically for temporarily restricting the device to one app. (Apple Support)
• Remember that hiding isn’t complete invisibility. Apple says hidden app names can still appear in some system areas such as Screen Time and App Store purchase history. (Apple Support)

Frequently Asked Questions

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Conclusion

The easiest way to protect an app on a supported iPad is to touch and hold its Home Screen icon and choose Require Face ID. You don’t need to search through the app’s own settings first.

If you want the app out of sight as well, you can use the Hide App option where available. And when your goal is to let someone use only one app without accessing the rest of your iPad, Guided Access is the better tool.

The exact options can vary by iPad model, iPadOS version, and app type, so check Apple’s current settings if an option isn’t appearing on your device. (Apple Support)