Works for BitePal whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold BitePal's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts BitePal 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 BitePal with Face ID
- Find BitePal 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. BitePal now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close BitePal from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide BitePal in App Library
- Touch and hold BitePal'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 BitePal?
BitePal's privacy label lists user content — the kind of data you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Health trackers collect symptoms, vitals and habits. In the US, most consumer health apps are not covered by HIPAA, so the privacy policy is your main protection.
Health and fitness apps can read Apple Health data only for categories you approve, one by one. What they collect themselves is shown on the label.
A lock answers one question — who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change what BitePal sends to its developer; for that, see BitePal's full privacy report.
What the lock does and does not do
It does
- Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time BitePal opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep BitePal'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 BitePal stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove BitePal 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 BitePal
Tracking
Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking. If “Allow Apps to Request to Track” is off, apps cannot ask, and they are told to treat you as having declined. You can also turn it off for this app alone.
Photos
Settings › Privacy & Security › Photos. Limited Access lets you pick exactly which pictures the app can see; Add Photos Only lets it save without reading your library.
Health
Health app › your profile picture › Apps › BitePal. Turn categories on one at a time; the app cannot tell which ones you declined.
Notifications
Settings › Notifications › BitePal › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
BitePal's full privacy label
Lock these apps too
After you lock BitePal
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does BitePal have its own passcode?
What happens to BitePal's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked BitePal encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding BitePal remove it from my purchase history?
Is BitePal safe? Full privacy report →Does BitePal track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All health & fitness apps →