Works for 2FA Authenticator whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold 2FA Authenticator's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts 2FA Authenticator behind Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode; choose Hide and Require Face ID instead to move it into App Library's Hidden folder as well.
Lock 2FA Authenticator with Face ID
- Find 2FA Authenticator on your Home Screen or in App Library.
- Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
- Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
- Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. 2FA Authenticator now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close 2FA Authenticator from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide 2FA Authenticator in App Library
- Touch and hold 2FA Authenticator's icon and tap Require Face ID.
- Choose Hide and Require Face ID instead of Require Face ID.
- Confirm. The icon leaves your Home Screen and moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library.
- To open it later, swipe to App Library, tap Hidden and authenticate.
Hiding also locks the app. To undo either, touch and hold the icon again and choose Don't Require Face ID.
Why lock 2FA Authenticator?
2FA Authenticator is a authenticator app, the kind of app that tends to hold personal information you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Authenticator apps generate the second factor for your logins. The biggest practical risk is not data collection but losing your codes when you lose your phone.
Productivity apps tend to collect the work you do in them — documents, notes and files — so User Content is common. The question is whether it syncs to the developer's servers and how it is protected there.
A lock answers one question — who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change what 2FA Authenticator sends to its developer; for that, see 2FA Authenticator's full privacy report.
What the lock does and does not do
It does
- Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time 2FA Authenticator opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep 2FA Authenticator's content out of Spotlight and Siri suggestions
- With Hide, remove the icon from the Home Screen
It does not
- Stop someone who knows your passcode
- Encrypt or change how 2FA Authenticator stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove 2FA Authenticator from purchase history or Screen Time reports
Don't see Require Face ID?
- Update to iOS 18 or later in Settings › General › Software Update.
- Make sure a passcode is set in Settings › Face ID & Passcode; the lock needs one.
- Some Apple apps (Settings, Calculator, Camera, Maps, Find My, Clock) cannot be locked or hidden.
- If your iPhone is managed by work or school, the option may be restricted.
Other settings worth checking for 2FA Authenticator
Notifications
Settings › Notifications › 2FA Authenticator › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
2FA Authenticator's full privacy label
None declared
None declared
Lock these apps too
After you lock 2FA Authenticator
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does 2FA Authenticator have its own passcode?
What happens to 2FA Authenticator's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked 2FA Authenticator encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding 2FA Authenticator remove it from my purchase history?
Is 2FA Authenticator safe? Full privacy report →Does 2FA Authenticator track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All productivity apps →