Works for Safe Authenticator whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.
Touch and hold Safe Authenticator's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Safe Authenticator 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 Safe Authenticator with Face ID
- Find Safe Authenticator 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. Safe Authenticator now asks for authentication every time it opens.
To test it, close Safe Authenticator from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.
Hide Safe Authenticator in App Library
- Touch and hold Safe Authenticator'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 Safe Authenticator?
Safe Authenticator's privacy label lists location — the kind of data you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Authenticator apps generate the second factor for your logins. The biggest practical risk is not data collection but losing your codes when you lose your phone.
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 Safe Authenticator sends to its developer; for that, see Safe Authenticator's full privacy report.
What the lock does and does not do
It does
- Ask for Face ID, Touch ID or passcode every time Safe Authenticator opens
- Hide message previews in notifications
- Keep Safe Authenticator'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 Safe Authenticator stores data
- Sync to your iPad or other devices
- Remove Safe Authenticator 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 Safe Authenticator
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.
Location
Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services › Safe Authenticator. Choose While Using or Never, and switch off Precise Location if a city-level answer is enough.
Notifications
Settings › Notifications › Safe Authenticator › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.
Safe Authenticator's full privacy label
None declared
Lock these apps too
After you lock Safe Authenticator
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
FAQ
Does Safe Authenticator have its own passcode?
What happens to Safe Authenticator's notifications when it is locked?
Can someone who knows my passcode open a locked app?
Is a locked Safe Authenticator encrypted?
Why can't I see the Require Face ID option?
Does hiding Safe Authenticator remove it from my purchase history?
Is Safe Authenticator safe? Full privacy report →Does Safe Authenticator track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All utilities apps →