How to Lock Apps on Android

Turn on App pinning in Android settings, or use a third-party app like Samsung Secure Folder

By
Jason Bennett
Jason Bennett
Writer
  • George Brown College
Jay Bennett is a former Lifewire writer and digital marketing consultant with 8 years' experience. His writing has appeared on the VisiHow website.
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Updated on July 7, 2023
Reviewed by
Jon Fisher
Reviewed by Jon Fisher
  • Wichita Technical Institute
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA-certified technologist with more than 10 years of experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
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What to Know

  • Go to Settings and turn on App pinning (or Pin windows, or Screen pinning) and Ask for PIN before unpinning.
  • Open the app and tap Overview, then tap the app icon > Pin. To unpin, press and hold Back+Overview (or Home).
  • You can also use third-party apps like Samsung Secure Folder, AppLock, or Norton App Lock.

This article explains how to lock apps on an Android device. The instructions apply to all Android devices running Android 7.0 and later.

How to Lock Apps on Android With Screen Pinning

Screen pinning locks an app in open view. Attempting to close it or access the home screen prompts the lock screen security input.

Your menu options will differ depending on your version of Android, but here are the steps for most Android phones:

  1. Open Settings and tap Security & privacy > More security settings > App pinning.

    If you can't find it, type App pinning, Screen pinning, or Pin Windows in the search bar at the top of Settings.

  2. Turn on Use app pinning (or Pin windows, or Screen pinning) to enable it. Tap Ask for PIN before unpinning to enable it for increased security.

  3. Open the app you want to pin and tap the Overview icon (the square at the bottom of the screen).

    If your phone doesn't have an Overview button, you need to swipe up find the app you want to pin, and tap its icon at the top.

  4. Tap the app icon, then tap Pin (or Pin this app). To unpin the app, press and hold Back and Overview (or Home) simultaneously.

    On older Androids, tap the thumbtack icon to pin or unpin the app.

To get the most out of screen pinning and guest accounts, set a secure lock screen pin, password, or pattern beforehand.

Lock Apps on Android With the Samsung Secure Folder

With Samsung Secure Folder, you can protect selected apps by locking them with the security option of your choice. If your device didn't come with Secure Folder and it has Android 7 or higher, download it from Google Play or Galaxy apps.

Secure Folder comes pre-installed on all of Samsung's flagship devices, going back to the Galaxy S7 series.

How to Lock Apps on Android With Mobile Applications

Go to Google Play and download AppLock or a similar tool to lock your apps and protect your files. Most apps that lock or protect your device's content require a few permissions and system privileges, such as displaying over other apps and accessibility usages.

How to Set a Password for Apps With Norton App Lock on Android

Norton App Lock by Symantec is a useful tool for protecting applications and private files stored on your device. Norton App Lock is free to download and supports Android 4.1 and up. You can restrict access to all apps or choose specific apps to lock:

  1. Download the Norton App Lock app on Google Play. Once installed, open the app.

  2. When prompted for permission, select OK.

  3. Select Norton App Lock and turn on Allow display over other apps.

  4. Tap the back button, then tap Setup.

  5. Select Norton App Lock Service and turn on Use Norton App Lock Service to enable it.

    On some devices, select Installed services to find the Norton App Lock Service.

  6. Tap Allow.

  7. Draw an unlock pattern or tap Switch to Passcode, then enter a password.

    If you don't see the pattern screen right away, tap the Back button until you do.

  8. Draw your unlock pattern again to confirm, or tap Reset to re-enter it.

  9. Select Choose Google Account.

  10. Select the Google account you wish to use for password resetting, then select OK.

  11. Select Continue.

  12. Tap the yellow lock icon in the upper-right corner to turn App Lock on or off. It should be highlighted by default, but if not, turn it on.

  13. Tap the app you wish to passcode protect so that the lock icon next to it is highlighted.

  14. Once apps are locked, only the passcode you created earlier will grant access.

FAQ
  • How do I lock apps on my Samsung S10?

    Go to the app drawer and select Secure Folder, tap Add apps, choose the apps to include in Secure Folder, and then tap Add.

  • Can I turn off app lock on my Samsung S10?

    When you want to unpin an app, access Secure Folder, and then, depending on how you set up Secure Folder, enter your pattern, pin, or password, or scan your biometric security option.

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