Works for Lock My Folder whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold Lock My Folder's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Lock My Folder 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 Lock My Folder with Face ID
- Find Lock My Folder 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. Lock My Folder now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close Lock My Folder from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide Lock My Folder in App Library
- Touch and hold Lock My Folder'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 Lock My Folder?
Lock My Folder is a photo vault, the kind of app that tends to hold personal information you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. A photo vault holds the pictures you least want seen, so the questions that matter are where the files live, whether they are encrypted, and what happens if you forget the PIN or change phones.
Utilities range from calculators to VPNs, so their labels vary more than any other category. A simple tool that collects identifiers and usage data for tracking is a sign of advertising SDKs.
A lock answers one question — who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change what Lock My Folder sends to its developer; for that, see Lock My Folder's full privacy report.
What the lock does and does not do
It does
- Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time Lock My Folder opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep Lock My Folder'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 Lock My Folder stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove Lock My Folder 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 Lock My Folder
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.
Notifications
Settings › Notifications › Lock My Folder › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
Lock My Folder's full privacy label
None declared
Lock these apps too
After you lock Lock My Folder
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does Lock My Folder have its own passcode?
What happens to Lock My Folder's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked Lock My Folder encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding Lock My Folder remove it from my purchase history?
Is Lock My Folder safe? Full privacy report →Does Lock My Folder track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All utilities apps →