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How to Lock PrivacyNotes on iPhone

iOS 18 Face ID lock and Hidden folder · Lifetime Labs LLC · checked November 2026

Time needed
4 taps
Needs iOS 18 or later

Works for PrivacyNotes whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.

Short answer

Touch and hold PrivacyNotes' icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts PrivacyNotes 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 PrivacyNotes with Face ID

  1. Find PrivacyNotes on your Home Screen or in App Library.
  2. Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
  3. Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
  4. Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. PrivacyNotes now asks for authentication every time it opens.

To test it, close PrivacyNotes from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.

Hide PrivacyNotes in App Library

  1. Touch and hold PrivacyNotes' icon and tap Require Face ID.
  2. Choose Hide and Require Face ID instead of Require Face ID.
  3. Confirm. The icon leaves your Home Screen and moves to the Hidden folder at the bottom of App Library.
  4. 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 PrivacyNotes?

PrivacyNotes' privacy label lists user content — the kind of data you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Notes apps quietly collect some of your most personal writing. 'Encrypted' can mean encrypted in transit, at rest on the server, or end-to-end — only the last keeps the developer out.

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 PrivacyNotes sends to its developer; for that, see PrivacyNotes' full privacy report.

What the lock does and does not do

It does

  • Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time PrivacyNotes opens
  • Hide message previews in notifications
  • Keep PrivacyNotes' 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 PrivacyNotes stores data
  • Sync to your iPad or other devices
  • Remove PrivacyNotes 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 PrivacyNotes

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Notifications

    Settings › Notifications › PrivacyNotes › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.

PrivacyNotes' full privacy label

App Privacy label Developer-reported · checked November 1, 2026
Used to track you
0types

None declared

Linked to you
4types
Not linked to you
0types

None declared

Is PrivacyNotes safe? Every data type explained →

Lock these apps too

After you lock PrivacyNotes

Tick what you have done
Tick each step as you do it on your iPhone.

Done. You have applied every control the label points to.

FAQ

Does PrivacyNotes have its own passcode?
Some apps offer an in-app PIN or biometric lock in their settings. The App Store privacy label does not say whether PrivacyNotes does; the iOS 18 lock works regardless.
What happens to PrivacyNotes' notifications when it is locked?
Locked and hidden apps do not show message previews or content in notifications, and their content does not appear in Spotlight search or Siri suggestions.
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Yes. If Face ID fails, the lock falls back to your device passcode. Keep the passcode private if the lock matters to you.
Is a locked PrivacyNotes encrypted?
The lock controls who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change how the app stores or syncs data. Encryption depends on the developer and on your device passcode.
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
You need iOS 18 or later. Some Apple apps such as Settings, Calculator, Maps and Camera cannot be locked or hidden.
Does hiding PrivacyNotes remove it from my purchase history?
No. Hidden apps still appear in App Store purchases and in Settings › Apps, and Screen Time reports still include them.

Is PrivacyNotes safe? Full privacy report →Does PrivacyNotes track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All productivity apps →

Facts on this page come from Apple: lock or hide an app on iPhone, as reported by the developer. Checked November 2026. How we collect data · Report a correction