Lock the Photos app, or use a vault?
Since iOS 18 you can make Photos require Face ID. That locks your whole library, every time, and the photos are still in Photos and iCloud. A vault locks only the photos you choose, with its own passcode, and keeps them out of Photos and iCloud.
Locking an app
- Touch and hold the app icon.
- Choose Require Face ID. Apps you downloaded can also be hidden, into a Hidden folder at the bottom of the App Library. Built-in apps like Photos can be locked but not hidden.
The fallback is your phone passcode, so anyone who knows it can still open the app. A locked app's content stays out of notification previews, search and Siri suggestions, and the lock doesn't sync to your other devices.
Side by side
- What's locked: a locked app locks everything in it. A vault locks only what you put in it.
- Passcode: a locked app uses your phone's. Mavaul has its own.
- iCloud: Photos keeps syncing. Mavaul keeps photos on the phone, encrypted.
- Everyday use: locking Photos means Face ID for every holiday snap. A vault leaves Photos as it was.
Use both
Lock Mavaul with its own passcode and Face ID, and you can still require Face ID on the app icon too. Or disguise it as a calculator so the home screen doesn't say vault.
Questions
Can I lock the Photos app on iPhone?
Yes, on iOS 18 and later. Touch and hold the icon, then Require Face ID.
Does locking Photos stop iCloud syncing?
No. It only locks the app on that phone.
Can I hide a vault app?
Yes. Hide it in the App Library, or give Mavaul a calculator icon.