# How to Lock Notes on iPhone: Device Passcode or Custom Password

## Quick answer

For an eligible note, use its Lock action and the supported Notes authentication method. Decide between the device passcode and a custom Notes password before storing important content. A forgotten custom password can make older locked notes inaccessible.

Updated: 2026-10-31

Canonical: /lock-notes

## Method

Individual note lock

## Steps

1. Create an ordinary sample note in a supported Notes account.
2. Open the note's menu and choose Lock if offered.
3. Select the supported passcode or custom-password method and authenticate.
4. Use Notes' Lock Now or lock control, then reopen the sample and rehearse access on another device you depend on.

## Limits

An app-level lock and an individual note lock are different. Resetting a forgotten custom password does not unlock older notes protected by it.

[Provider instructions](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102537)

## Find your app

| App | Installed type | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| [Notes](/apps/notes) | built-in | Distinguish locking an eligible application from protecting a specific note. The app-level menu does not establish the recovery rules for a locked note. |

## Questions

### Can each ordinary Notes folder have its own password?

Do not assume so. A note lock, an account's chosen locking method and an app-opening lock are different controls. Inspect the supported workflow for the actual note and account. Putting notes into an organizational folder does not by itself establish a new independent password boundary for that entire folder.

### Can Face ID replace remembering a custom Notes password?

No. Apple explains that the custom password can be required again, including after certain authentication changes. Biometrics are a convenient supported access method, not a guarantee that the password will never matter. Keep a suitable recovery plan outside the locked content and verify it before storing important information.

### Does resetting the password unlock all older notes?

No. A password reset should not be treated as unlocking notes previously protected by a forgotten custom password. Identify the method and credential that protected the particular note. Preserve any working access, read Apple's current instructions and avoid changing biometric settings while you still depend on them to reach the content.

### Can I use the same locked note on older devices?

Compatibility depends on the chosen locking method and software version. Apple specifies version requirements for device-passcode locking. Test a sample on each device you need before moving important information into that workflow. Access on one current phone does not establish support on every older tablet or computer.

### Is locking Notes the same as locking the Notes app?

No. A supported note lock protects the individual note through Notes' locking configuration. A system app lock controls opening an eligible application on that device. Inspect both boundaries if relevant, including the credentials and fallbacks involved, instead of assuming one menu action automatically establishes the other control.

### Should I test with important information first?

Use an ordinary sample. Lock it, explicitly end the unlocked session with the Notes lock control, then reopen it and check the devices and authentication method you intend to rely on. Understand export and recovery before protecting a sole important copy. The point of the rehearsal is to discover compatibility or password limitations while no irreplaceable information depends on them.

### Why can another locked note open without a new prompt?

Notes can keep a secure session open for notes using the same account or password after successful authentication. Moving between notes does not necessarily close that session. Use Lock Now or the documented lock control, then reopen a harmless sample to verify that authentication is required again.

## Explore

- [How do you hide apps on iPhone?](/hide-apps)

- [How do you lock an app on iPhone?](/lock-apps)

- [Where are hidden apps on iPhone?](/find-hidden-apps)

- [How do you unhide apps on iPhone?](/unhide-apps)

- [How do you hide photos and videos on iPhone?](/hide-photos)

- [How to Hide Messages on iPhone: Previews, Alerts and Their Limits](/hide-messages)

- [How to Hide Notifications on the iPhone Lock Screen](/hide-notifications)

- [How to Restrict Apps on iPhone with Screen Time](/block-apps)

## Private photo and document storage

For photos and documents you choose to store separately, explore [VaultForYou](https://www.vaultforyou.app/).