Works for Picture Safe whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold Picture Safe's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Picture Safe 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 Picture Safe with Face ID
- Find Picture Safe 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. Picture Safe now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close Picture Safe from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide Picture Safe in App Library
- Touch and hold Picture Safe'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 Picture Safe?
Picture Safe is a private photo app, the kind of app that tends to hold personal information you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Private-photo apps promise to keep pictures out of your main library. The label shows what leaves the phone; it cannot show whether the hiding is a real lock or just a separate folder.
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 Picture Safe sends to its developer; for that, see Picture Safe's full privacy report.
What the lock does and does not do
It does
- Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time Picture Safe opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep Picture Safe'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 Picture Safe stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove Picture Safe 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 Picture Safe
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 › Picture Safe › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
Picture Safe's full privacy label
None declared
None declared
Lock these apps too
After you lock Picture Safe
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does Picture Safe have its own passcode?
What happens to Picture Safe's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked Picture Safe encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding Picture Safe remove it from my purchase history?
Is Picture Safe safe? Full privacy report →Does Picture Safe track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All utilities apps →