How to Lock Notes on iPhone in 2026 (Step-by-Step Guide)

Quick answer: On iPhone you can lock a note in three taps. Open Apple Notes, select the note, tap the Share button, and choose Lock Note. Confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode. For notes holding passwords, medical data, or anything you truly cannot lose, use a dedicated encrypted app like Secure Notes that supports per-note passwords and AES-256 encryption.

How do I lock a note in the Apple Notes app?

Apple's built-in Notes app has a basic lock feature built in:

1. Open the Notes app and tap the note you want to lock.
2. Tap the Share icon in the top-right corner.
3. Scroll the actions row and choose Lock Note.
4. Confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or enter your iPhone passcode.
5. Tap the lock icon at the top of the note to close it.

In iOS 16 and later, the default lock method uses your device passcode. You can switch to a custom password from Settings → Notes → Password if you want a different code from your phone unlock.

How do I lock notes with Secure Notes for stronger protection?

Apple Notes cannot lock images, PDFs stored in iCloud, or entire folders independently. Secure Notes closes those gaps with true AES-256 encryption and folder-level locking:

• Lock individual notes or entire folders with a unique password each.
• End-to-end AES-256 encryption — content is unreadable even to the publisher.
• Sync encrypted notes across iPhone and iPad through iCloud.
• 12-word recovery seed so a forgotten password does not lose your data.

Which locking method should I use?

Use Apple Notes if you need to hide a shopping list or a spoiler from a partner. Use Secure Notes if the content has real value to someone else — passwords, account recovery codes, medical history, business plans. Face ID is convenient for daily unlock; a long unique passcode is the recovery route when Face ID fails.

What if Face ID stops unlocking my locked note?

After five failed biometric attempts iOS requires the fallback passcode. If you also forget the passcode the note content cannot be recovered — that is what makes encryption secure. Keep your Secure Notes 12-word recovery seed somewhere physical, not digital.