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How to Lock Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer on iPhone

iOS 18 Face ID lock and Hidden folder · Pumpkin Computer Co., LLC · checked November 2026

Time needed
4 taps
Needs iOS 18 or later

Works for Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer whether or not it has its own passcode. No download needed.

Short answer

Touch and hold Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer's icon, tap Require Face ID, then confirm. On iOS 18 and later that puts Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer 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 Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer with Face ID

  1. Find Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer 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. Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer now asks for authentication every time it opens.

To test it, close Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer from the App Switcher and open it again. You should see the Face ID prompt before any content appears.

Hide Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer in App Library

  1. Touch and hold Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer's 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 Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer?

Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer's privacy label lists location — the kind of data you would not want on screen if someone borrows your unlocked phone. Health trackers collect symptoms, vitals and habits. In the US, most consumer health apps are not covered by HIPAA, so the privacy policy is your main protection.

Health and fitness apps can read Apple Health data only for categories you approve, one by one. What they collect themselves is shown on the label.

A lock answers one question — who can open the app on this iPhone. It does not change what Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer sends to its developer; for that, see Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer's full privacy report.

What the lock does and does not do

It does

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

  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. Location

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services › Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer. Choose While Using or Never, and switch off Precise Location if a city-level answer is enough.

  3. Health

    Health app › your profile picture › Apps › Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer. Turn categories on one at a time; the app cannot tell which ones you declined.

  4. Notifications

    Settings › Notifications › Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.

Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer's full privacy label

App Privacy label Developer-reported · checked November 1, 2026
Used to track you
4types
Linked to you
4types
Not linked to you
1type

Is Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer safe? Every data type explained →

Lock these apps too

After you lock Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer

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 Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer 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 Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer does; the iOS 18 lock works regardless.
What happens to Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer's 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 Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer 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 Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer 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 Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer safe? Full privacy report →Does Steps: Step Counter, Pedometer track you? →Lock an app: A–Z →All health & fitness 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