Works for Howbout whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold Howbout's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Howbout 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 Howbout with Face ID
- Find Howbout 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. Howbout now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close Howbout from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide Howbout in App Library
- Touch and hold Howbout'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 Howbout?
Howbout is a calendar planner, the kind of app that tends to hold personal information you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Calendars reveal where you will be and who you meet. Planner apps may also read your other calendars and reminders.
Social apps are built around identity and contacts, so data linked to you is nearly universal. Tracking and contact upload are the settings worth checking.
A lock answers one question — who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change what Howbout sends to its developer; for that, see Howbout's full privacy report.
What the lock does and does not do
It does
- Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time Howbout opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep Howbout'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 Howbout stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove Howbout 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 Howbout
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.
Contacts
Settings › Privacy & Security › Contacts. Limited Access shares only the people you select instead of your whole address book.
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 › Howbout › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
Howbout's full privacy label
Lock these apps too
After you lock Howbout
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does Howbout have its own passcode?
What happens to Howbout's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked Howbout encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding Howbout remove it from my purchase history?
Is Howbout safe? Full privacy report →Does Howbout track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All social networking apps →