Works for Lens Buddy whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold Lens Buddy's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Lens 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 Lens Buddy with Face ID
- Find Lens 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. Lens Buddy now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close Lens Buddy from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide Lens Buddy in App Library
- Touch and hold Lens 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 Lens Buddy?
Lens Buddy is a photo manager, the kind of app that tends to hold personal information you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Photo managers usually ask for full library access. That gives them every picture, along with its location and date metadata.
Photo and video apps usually request access to your photo library. iOS lets you share only selected photos, which keeps the rest of the library — and its location metadata — away from the app.
A lock answers one question — who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change what Lens Buddy sends to its developer; for that, see Lens 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 Lens Buddy opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep Lens 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 Lens Buddy stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove Lens 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 Lens Buddy
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 › Lens Buddy › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
Lens Buddy's full privacy label
None declared
None declared
Lock these apps too
After you lock Lens Buddy
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does Lens Buddy have its own passcode?
What happens to Lens Buddy's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked Lens Buddy encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding Lens Buddy remove it from my purchase history?
Is Lens Buddy safe? Full privacy report →Does Lens Buddy track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All photo & video apps →