How to Lock Messages on iPhone

Reasons to lock messages on iPhone

The security of your countless personal and professional conversations is of the utmost importance. When messaging with your family, friends, or loved ones, you always expect texts to stay private, right? More so, texts from your colleagues, doctors, banks, or other financial institutions are vital to safeguard from lurking eyes.

Here are the vital reasons why you should put a password on messages on your iPhone:

1. Safeguarding potentially sensitive information concerning your relationships, health, or finances.
2. Mitigating risks of financial fraud, identity theft, or other data-centric threats.
3. Minimizing the risks of work-related data leaks.
4. Safeguarding your privacy boundaries, especially in the family setting.

Loss of privacy and conversations can lead to reputational harm, job or financial losses, or even identity theft. When your data is compromised, it is very difficult to track and prevent the intruder.

When data breaches take place, it is quite challenging to identify and stop the intruder. But knowing who unlocked your phone without your knowledge can be an effective start. We have built a tool for cases like this. Clario Anti Spy’s Unlock catcher will secretly photograph everyone who unlocks your phone via the front camera.

Here’s how to use Clario Anti Spy’s Unlock catcher:

1. Download Clario Anti Spy on your mobile device and set up your account.
2. Navigate to the Unlock catcher feature and toggle the switch on (it should turn green).
3. Further on, the app will display a photo record of everyone who unblocked your phone.

How to put lock on messages on iPhone

Here are the tried and tested ways to put a lock on messages iPhone holds:

• Use built-in iOS features.
• Protect messages on iPhone using shortcuts.
• Lock messages on iPhone using third-party apps.

Let's consider each in detail.

1. Use built-in iOS features

iPhone’s robust native native security options can be quite effective in helping you build an extra layer of protection for your privacy.

Enable Face ID/Touch ID app lock (iOS 18+)

Face ID and Touch ID are powerful means of protecting your texts and the first go-to solution when you're worried about how to protect your iPhone from being hacked. With iOS 18, you can lock specific apps separately, such as the Messages app.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to the Messages app in your App Library or directly on your Home Screen.
2. Tap and hold the Messages app icon until a menu tab opens.
3. Select Require Face ID or Require Touch ID (depending on the model you use).
4. Confirm your decision by tapping on Require Face ID again.

Set up Screen Time restrictions

Using the Screen Time feature, you can limit the Messages app usage.

Here’s how to set up Screen Time limits:

1. Go to Settings and tap on Screen Time.
2. Select the App Limits, then select the Add Limit app.
3. Swipe down from underneath the Choose Apps. A search field will appear.
4. Type in Messages, put a check mark against it, then tap Add.
5. Set the time limit to 1 minute and click Add.

Now you have to remove the app from the list of always-allowed apps:

1. Go back to Screen Time and tap on Always Allowed.
2. Tap on the red circular sign with a white horizontal stripe.
3. Tap Remove.

Change Message previews settings

Texts appear on your lock screen by default in iPhone settings, and it is quite a shortcut to your privacy violation. Here’s how to change this:

1. Go to Settings and tap on Notifications.
2. Scroll down and select Messages.
3. Tap Show Previews, then select Never or When Unlocked.

2. Protect messages on iPhone using shortcuts

If you wonder how to lock an app on an iPhone, the answer is to use shortcuts. Now this method requires some time to set up, but it does offer a convenient way to lock the Messages app. Here's how to do it:

1. Open the Shortcuts app from your Home Screen.
2. In the top right corner, tap on the + sign.
3. Type Lock Screen in the search field and choose it from the menu. Tap Done.
4. Switch to Automation and select New Automation.
5. Type in App, tap on it, and scroll down to choose Messages.
6. Tap Run Immediately, tick the Is Open option, and click Next.
7. Check your newly created shortcut.

That’s it. From now on, your iPhone will lock right after someone taps on the Messages app.

You can also use Shortcuts to configure password-based access to the Messages app. Here's how to do it:

1. Open the Shortcuts app and tap on the + sign.
2. Find Ask for Input using the search field. Select it.
3. Tap on Ask for Input at the top of the screen and choose Rename from the rundown menu.
4. Rename it to Messages.
5. Tap on the Text highlighted in blue and select text. Enter your prompt (which will be your password) under the Prompt.
6. Search for If, select it, and enter the prompt again in the condition field.
7. Using the search field below, find Open App and choose Messages.
8. Tap and hold the Open Messages field and move it right under the condition field.
9. Tap on Messages at the top of the screen and select Add to Home Screen from the drop-down menu.
10. Find a Messages app icon and save to your camera. Click on the photo icon and select Choose Photo. Choose the icon you saved.
11. Tap and hold the Messages app icon on your Home screen. Select Remove App, then select Remove from Home Screen.

From now on, your iPhone will prompt for a password when someone tries to open Messages from your screen.

3. Lock messages on iPhone using third-party apps

You probably use third-party apps for communication purposes. So, let's consider the added security options of one of the most popular messengers, Telegram.

Here's how to enable Passcode & Face ID protection for Telegram messaging:

1. Go to Settings and tap on Privacy and Security.
2. Select Passcode & Face ID.
3. Tap on Turn Passcode On and create a passcode.

Now, you will see a lock icon above your chat list. By tapping on it, you can lock the app.

Conclusion

Keeping your messages safe requires just a few steps, but your privacy is worth the effort. Relying on privacy features offered by Apple (Face ID/Touch ID, screen time limitation, disabled messages preview), iPhone's Shortcut app, or third-party SMS backup solutions, you can create a solid defence for your privacy. For ultimate protection, take it further, and use Clario Anti Spy’s Unlock catcher to see who unlocked your device and act on it asap.