Guided Access and app pinning

Both iPhone and Android can lock the phone to a single app, so a friend or a child can make a call or play a game without wandering into your messages. Set it up once, before you need it.

iPhone: Guided Access

1. Settings, Accessibility, Guided Access, and turn it on.
2. Tap Passcode Settings and set a Guided Access passcode. Make it different from your phone passcode if others know that one.
3. Open the app, triple-click the side button (or the Home button on older models), and tap Start.
4. To end it, triple-click again and enter the Guided Access passcode, or use Face ID if you allowed it.

Before tapping Start, you can circle parts of the screen to disable them, or open Options to turn off touch or set a time limit, which is handy for children.

Android: app pinning

1. Search Settings for "app pinning" or "pin app". On many phones it sits under Security and privacy, then More security settings.
2. Turn it on, and turn on the option to ask for your PIN, pattern or password before unpinning. Without this, anyone can exit.
3. Open the app, open the recent apps view, tap the app's icon at the top of its card, and choose Pin.
4. To unpin, use the on-screen gesture, then unlock.

Names and gestures vary by manufacturer and version. Practice pinning and unpinning a couple of times so it feels natural.

Showing one photo

Pinning the Photos app still lets someone swipe through the whole library. On iPhone, open the photo, start Guided Access, and turn off touch in Options. On Android, put the photo in an album on its own before pinning. Or simply send the photo to their phone, so yours never leaves your hand.

Related

• Lending your phone to someone
• When a child uses your phone