App Security on iOS

Description

Use app locking and hiding when a user may hand an iPhone or iPad to someone else but certain apps should remain private or unavailable.

Apple provides two related controls: a locked app requires authentication to open, while a hidden app is also removed from the Home Screen and placed in the Hidden folder in App Library.

• App hiding is available in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.
• App locking is available in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.

Opening a locked app requires Face ID, Touch ID, or the device passcode. Hidden apps move to the Hidden folder in App Library, and opening that folder also requires authentication.

See Apple's Lock or hide an app on iPhone and Lock or hide an app on iPad for the user workflow and Apple-defined exceptions.

FileWave 16 adds MDM controls for app lock and hide behavior.

Information

App Configuration

Each managed Apps and Books (VPP) app provides Lockable and Hideable controls, allowing FileWave to mark the app as locked or as locked and hidden:

Hideable requires Lockable. Enable locking before enabling hiding for an app.

Apple excludes some apps. Review Apple's current lock-and-hide documentation before assuming every built-in or downloaded app can use these controls.

Profile Configuration

The iOS and iPadOS Restrictions payload also controls whether users may lock or hide apps themselves. Use these restrictions separately from the per-app Apps and Books settings shown above.