To lock an app on iPhone, touch and hold its icon on the Home Screen, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. The app now needs Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode to open. That keeps an app private, but it won't stop you opening it yourself; for that, use Screen Time limits or an app blocker that locks apps at set times.
"Locking" an app can mean two different things: keeping other people out of it, or keeping yourself out of it for a while. iPhone has a built-in tool for each, and app blockers fill the gap between them. Steps below are for iOS 26 and iOS 27 (October 2026), from Apple's iPhone User Guide.
Which kind of lock do you need?
| You want to… | Use |
|---|---|
| Keep a nosy friend or child out of an app | Require Face ID |
| Hide an app from your Home Screen | Hide and Require Face ID |
| Use an app less each day | Screen Time limits |
| Block an app at certain hours | Screen Time schedules |
| Keep an app closed until you've prayed | A prayer lock app such as Prayer Latch |
How do I lock an app with Face ID?
- Go to the Home Screen or App Library.
- Touch and hold the app until the menu opens.
- Tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID or Passcode).
- Tap Require Face ID again and authenticate.
To open the app, you'll now authenticate first. To remove the lock, touch and hold the app and tap Don't Require Face ID.
Some built-in apps can't be locked this way, and Apple's iOS 26 guide lists Calculator, Camera, Clock, Contacts, Find My, Maps, Shortcuts and Settings. Children under 13 in Family Sharing can't lock or hide apps.
How do I hide an app?
Touch and hold the app, tap Require Face ID, then choose Hide and Require Face ID, authenticate and tap Hide App. The app moves to a Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library. Apps that came with your iPhone can't be hidden.
Why doesn't Face ID stop me from scrolling?
Because you have Face ID. It's a privacy lock, not a self-control lock: it takes one glance to get past. If your goal is to use an app less, you need a lock that holds even against you, at least at certain times.
How do I limit an app with Screen Time?
In iOS 26: go to Settings → Screen Time → App Limits → Add Limit. Pick a category, or tap a category to choose single apps, then tap Next, set a daily time and tap Add. Apple notes that by default, limits can be ignored once you reach them.
In iOS 27: App Limits was replaced by Time Allowances. Go to Settings → Screen Time → Time Allowances and set a daily total and allowances for categories such as Social Media, Games and Entertainment.
To make a limit harder to ignore, set a Screen Time passcode and ask someone you trust to choose it.
How do I block apps at certain hours?
In iOS 26: use Settings → Screen Time → Downtime. Choose Scheduled, set the days and hours, and only calls, messages and the apps you allow will work during that time. With a Screen Time passcode, Block at Downtime keeps the other apps closed.
In iOS 27: Downtime became Screen Time Schedule. Go to Settings → Screen Time → Screen Time Schedule, turn on Schedule, tap Add Schedule, and choose which categories are available in each time window.
Can I lock an app until I pray?
Yes, with a prayer lock app. Prayer Latch uses Apple's Screen Time permission to put a shield over the apps you choose at your lock times, like your wake-up time. When you tap a locked app, you pray first, with a guided prayer or in your own words, and hold to say Amen. Your apps then open until the next lock time. It works on iOS 16.4 and later. How it uses Screen Time.
Can a locked app still send notifications?
Yes. Require Face ID locks opening the app, not necessarily its notifications. Screen Time and app blockers also usually let notifications through. Turn them off in Settings → Notifications if they're what pulls you back.
Can I lock apps on iPhone without Face ID?
Yes. Require Face ID falls back to Touch ID or your passcode on iPhones without Face ID. Screen Time limits and schedules work on any iPhone with a recent version of iOS.
Pray before you scroll
Prayer Latch locks your chosen apps each morning until you pray. Your first 7 days are free, no card needed.
Updated October 22, 2026 by the Prayer Latch team at Janus Works LLC.