Works for Buddy whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold Buddy's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Buddy 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 Buddy with Face ID
- Find Buddy 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. Buddy now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close Buddy from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide Buddy in App Library
- Touch and hold Buddy'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 Buddy?
Buddy's privacy label lists financial info and location — the kind of data you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Budget planners often connect to bank accounts through an aggregator, which can see your transactions.
Finance apps need identity and financial data to function. Expect Contact Info and Financial Info; compare apps on tracking and third-party advertising instead.
A lock answers one question — who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change what Buddy sends to its developer; for that, see Buddy's full privacy report.
What the lock does and does not do
It does
- Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time Buddy opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep Buddy'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 Buddy stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove Buddy 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 Buddy
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.
Location
Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services › Buddy. Choose While Using or Never, and switch off Precise Location if a city-level answer is enough.
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 › Buddy › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
Buddy's full privacy label
Lock these apps too
After you lock Buddy
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does Buddy have its own passcode?
What happens to Buddy's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked Buddy encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding Buddy remove it from my purchase history?
Is Buddy safe? Full privacy report →Does Buddy track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All finance apps →