How to Lock Notes on iPhone (iOS 15 Update)

Here's how to lock your private notes with a passcode in Apple's Notes app.

By Conner Carey Updated 07/07/2022

* This post is part of iPhone Life's Tip of the Day newsletter. Sign Up. *

Can you lock notes on an iPhone? Absolutely! Let's learn how to lock notes in Apple's Notes app with a password, Touch ID, or Face ID, so they stay private. Locking notes in the Notes app has changed with iOS 15, so you'll want to read this!

Why You'll Love This Tip

Keep certain notes private.
Even if someone has your iPhone passcode, they still won't be able to read your locked notes.

How to Lock Notes on iPhone

Before we learn how to lock photos on your iPhone in the Notes app, be sure that the Notes app is enabled to lock notes. For more great iPhone privacy tutorials, check out our free Tip of the Day.

*Note: If you do not see the lock icon, your note may be shared, in which case you will be unable to lock it. You can un-share to lock the note. You also cannot lock notes that include video, audio, a PDF, or other file attachments. Check out our article on why you may be unable to lock notes to learn more.

To quickly lock a note in your iPhone's Notes app:

Open the Notes app.
Navigate to the Notes folder (if your Notes app does not automatically open to it).
Find the note you want and tap to open it.
Tap the more icon.
Tap the Lock icon to lock that note. (If you have shared this note with others, you won't be able to see this icon or lock the note.)
You’ll need to use Touch ID, Face ID, or the password you set to confirm it’s you, then tap OK.
Tap the unlocked Lock icon at the top of the page to lock your note.
A lock will then be added to the note, and you'll need to tap View Note and unlock the note in order to view it from now on.

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Topics

Productivity & Business

Author Details

Conner Carey

Conner Carey's writing can be found at conpoet.com. She is currently writing a book, creating lots of content, and writing poetry via @conpoet on Instagram. She lives in an RV full-time with her mom, Jan and dog, Jodi as they slow-travel around the country.

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