Key learning points
- With Guided Access on iPhone and iPad, you can lock your phone to one app, set time limits, and disable certain features so you’re in control when you hand your device over to someone else.
- To enable Guided Access, go to Settings, select Accessibility, then Guided Access and toggle the switch to enable it. Set a passcode and you’re ready to lock apps on the screen.
- Triple-click the Sleep or Home button to launch Guided Access. Adjust the options if necessary, then tap Start to lock the app. To exit, triple-click the button again and enter the passcode or use Face ID.
Passing your phone to someone can feel like giving them access to your entire life. The iPhone and iPad have a feature that is perfect for these situations. It’s called “Guided Access,” and it prevents users from closing a designated app.
What is Guided Access on iPhone and iPad?
Guided Access is an accessibility feature designed primarily for people with disabilities. But like many accessibility features, it’s useful for other reasons as well. When enabled, Guided Access can restrict the iPhone or iPad to a single app, set time limits on how long the device can be used, and disable certain functionality such as the Sleep/Wake button, volume buttons, and even touch. Essentially, it’s a way to lock your phone and hand it over to someone else.
Lock apps with guided access
To get started with Guided Access, we need to enable it first. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and scroll down to Accessibility.
In the Accessibility menu, select “Guided Access” under the “General” section.
First, turn on the toggle at the top of the Guided Access screen to turn it on.
Next, go to the “Passcode Settings” and set a passcode to be used when locking an app. You can also require Face ID when you exit Guided Access.
With that, open the app you want to lock on the screen. Triple-click the Sleep/Wake button on the side or the home button. You will be prompted to set up a passcode if you have not done so before.
The Guided Access screen allows you to customize several options. But to just lock an app to the screen, you can go ahead and tap the “Home” button in the top right corner.
To exit Guided Access mode, you can triple-click the side or home button and enter the passcode you’ve set up, or double-click if you’ve enabled the Face ID feature.
That’s all there is! This is a similar feature to “App Pinning” on Android, and is perfect for those times when someone wants to do something specific on your phone or tablet and you don’t want them poking around or accidentally opening something else. Just hand it over and you don’t have to worry about it.