How to lock the Files app on iPhone
Apple's app lock can require Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode to open a locked app, and Files is not on Apple's list of built-in apps that cannot be locked. That protects opening the app, not individual files. If you want files that stay encrypted under their own credential, a Vault gives them one.
Lock an app on iPhone
Apple's personal-safety guide describes it this way. Press and hold the app icon on the Home Screen until the quick actions menu appears, tap the option to require authentication (Face ID, Touch ID or Passcode), then confirm by authenticating. The app locks again after you quit it.
Apple says that information inside a locked app does not appear in some places on the iPhone, such as notification previews, search, Siri suggestions and call history. It also says the lock does not sync with iCloud, so you set it on each device.
Apple names built-in apps that cannot be locked: Calculator, Camera, Clock, Contacts, Find My, Maps, Shortcuts and Settings. Files is not in that list. If you do not see the option on your phone, your iOS version may differ from the page I checked.
What this does not cover
- It gates one app. Apple's page describes locking an app, not the files it holds.
- Anyone who knows your passcode can unlock it, because the passcode is one of the accepted ways in.
- Files can be reached from other places that offer a file picker; I did not find Apple documentation saying a locked Files app hides files there, so do not assume it does.
- If someone else's face or fingerprint is registered on the phone, their access is yours.
Other things people try
Some guides suggest Screen Time limits to block an app. I did not verify from Apple's documentation that Files can be restricted that way, so this guide does not recommend it. Notes can lock notes, but Apple says notes with PDFs cannot be locked. A PDF can be locked file by file in Preview; see the PDF guide.
When a Vault is the better answer
A Vault gives the files their own credential, a pattern or passphrase, separate from your phone passcode, and the files are encrypted at rest with names inside the encryption. Import files from Files, put them in folders and delete the originals. StrongRoom does not use Face ID, on purpose, and has no cloud copy: your Recovery Phrase and an Export Package are your safety net.
- Folders in a Vault
- Import from Files
- Export Package
- Back to the pillar guide
- Password protect a PDF
- Can I use Face ID with StrongRoom
- What StrongRoom does not protect against
Frequently asked questions
Does Files have its own password?
I found none in Apple's documentation. The app lock is the nearest built-in option.
Does locking Files encrypt my files?
No. Apple's page describes locking the app to open it; it does not describe encrypting files.
Can I lock Files if my iPhone passcode is known to others?
They can then pass the lock. A Vault with a separate credential avoids that.
Sources
- Lock or hide apps on your iPhone (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.
- How to lock or unlock notes on your iPhone or iPad (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.
- Lock PDFs in Preview on iPhone (Apple Support), checked on 2026-10-30.