Works for Private Relay whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold Private Relay's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Private Relay 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 Private Relay with Face ID
- Find Private Relay 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. Private Relay now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close Private Relay from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide Private Relay in App Library
- Touch and hold Private Relay'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 Private Relay?
Private Relay is a secure email app, the kind of app that tends to hold personal information you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Email apps see every message and contact. Third-party mail clients may route mail through their own servers to offer features like push or AI summaries.
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 Private Relay sends to its developer; for that, see Private Relay's full privacy report.
What the lock does and does not do
It does
- Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time Private Relay opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep Private Relay'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 Private Relay stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove Private Relay 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 Private Relay
Sign-in
When creating an account, Sign in with Apple can give the app a relay address from Hide My Email instead of your real one.
Notifications
Settings › Notifications › Private Relay › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
Private Relay's full privacy label
None declared
None declared
Lock these apps too
After you lock Private Relay
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does Private Relay have its own passcode?
What happens to Private Relay's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked Private Relay encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding Private Relay remove it from my purchase history?
Is Private Relay safe? Full privacy report →Does Private Relay track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All productivity apps →