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How do I lock my Apple iPhone?

I've been reading all of your extensive iPhone help on the site and found it a great boon to learning how to do things. I can't find any info on how to set up my phone to require a code be entered before it'll unlock, however. Do you have information on how to lock an Apple iPhone?


Dave's Answer:

Actually I don't. Until this article, at least. :-)

Let me start by saying thanks! for your kind words. I have had an iPhone since the week they were first announced and have tons of friends and colleagues with them too, so whenever there's something interesting going on in the iPhone world, I'm either hearing about it from a pal or already involved.

On the other hand, I haven't found much need to lock my phone since it's always in my pocket, on the table next to me, or otherwise immediately accessible. Nonetheless I can certainly appreciate the question and after a little bit of fiddling, it's not hard to set up at all.

Your first step is to tap on the Settings button, which brings you here:

apple iphone settings 1

It's not obvious, but you want to tap on General in this section, which brings you here:

apple iphone settings general 1.PNG

One more tap, on Passcode Lock and it immediately asks for your new four digit passcode:

apple iphone enter passcode 1

Juuuust for good luck you get to enter it a second time:

apple iphone enter passcode 2

If you've done everything right, your next screen will be:

apple iphone settings passcode lock

Done. Now turn off your phone (just push the button on the very top right of the phone once) and push the home button to turn it on again. You should see your usual screensaver (or is it an iPhone wallpaper at this point?) and once you slide the "slide to unlock" element, the screen asking you to enter the passcode.

If you have friends who are a bit mischievous, this is also probably a very good default setting!









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Comments

Don't forget about 1 Password for iPhones and the iPod Touch. Great security software!

Posted by: Jackie at February 5, 2009 10:18 AM

my iphone requires me to enter a password everytime I want to use it. This is a bit of a pain. I found a forum which explained how to go into the general settings and turn this feature off. My problem is once I get into this setting it doesn't allow me to turn this option off. It is "grey" and will not allow me to select it! Please Help. Brett

Posted by: Brett at March 4, 2009 5:50 PM

The way you have explained this is so quick and simple. That is all a person needs. Thanks you should teach the tech guys out there a thing or two.

Posted by: Prils at October 16, 2009 6:47 AM

I need to know, how I can lock application on iPhone not iPhone screen lock?

Posted by: skhwaja at November 1, 2009 6:57 AM

I have something to say, now that you mention it, but ...
Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!











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