Lock screen and notification privacy
Hide message previews, limit lock screen widgets and controls, and stop private details showing on a locked iPhone or Android phone.
A locked phone can still say a lot. Message previews, calendar widgets and shuffling photo wallpapers all show to anyone who glances at the screen on a desk or a cafe table. Start with a quick test, then change only what bothers you.
Try this first
Lock your phone, put it on a table, send yourself a message from another device, and look at the screen as a stranger would. Can you read who wrote and what they said? Can you see tomorrow's appointments? Does the wallpaper show a photo you would rather keep to yourself? Whatever you notice is your list.
On iPhone
- Previews. Settings, Notifications, Show Previews, then When Unlocked. Face ID still shows previews to you once it recognizes you. You can also set this per app.
- Access when locked. Settings, Face ID and Passcode, then scroll to Allow Access When Locked. Turn off what you do not need, such as Notification Center, Control Center, Today View and Search, and Reply with Message.
- Widgets. Touch and hold the lock screen, tap Customize, and remove widgets that show calendar events, messages or reminders.
- Photo shuffle. If your wallpaper shuffles photos, check which ones it picks, or choose a single neutral wallpaper.
- Focus. A Focus can silence particular people and apps, which keeps them off the screen during meetings.
On Android
Menu names vary by manufacturer and Android version, so searching Settings is often fastest.
- Sensitive content. Search Settings for "lock screen" or "notifications on lock screen". Choose to hide sensitive content, or to show icons only.
- Per app. In each app's notification settings, you can hide its notifications on the lock screen.
- Quick settings. Some phones, including many Samsung models, let you block the quick settings panel while locked. Look under lock screen or security settings.
- Widgets and wallpaper. Check lock screen widgets and any wallpaper service that rotates your photos.
- Staying unlocked. Features that keep the phone unlocked at home or near a trusted device are handy, but someone nearby can pick it up unlocked too. Search Settings for "Smart Lock" or "Extend Unlock" to review them.
Finding a middle ground
Hiding every preview makes notifications less useful. Many people hide previews for messaging and email and keep them for deliveries, timers and maps. Turning off Control Center or quick settings on a locked phone has a side benefit: a thief cannot switch on airplane mode to stop the phone being tracked.
The simplest habit of all costs nothing: put the phone face down. VaultWell, which is coming soon, can lock itself when you do that, and its own lock screen shows only the comb, so it adds nothing to what a locked phone reveals.
If someone checks your phone's notifications to keep tabs on you, sudden changes may be noticed. Think about timing, and about what they expect to see.