Works for Polymail whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold Polymail's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Polymail 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 Polymail with Face ID
- Find Polymail 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. Polymail now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close Polymail from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide Polymail in App Library
- Touch and hold Polymail'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 Polymail?
Polymail's privacy label lists user content — the kind of data 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 Polymail sends to its developer; for that, see Polymail's full privacy report.
What the lock does and does not do
It does
- Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time Polymail opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep Polymail'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 Polymail stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove Polymail 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 Polymail
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.
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.
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 › Polymail › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
Polymail's full privacy label
None declared
None declared
Lock these apps too
After you lock Polymail
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does Polymail have its own passcode?
What happens to Polymail's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked Polymail encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding Polymail remove it from my purchase history?
Is Polymail safe? Full privacy report →Does Polymail track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All productivity apps →