On the iPhone we keep our personal data, our phone book, chat messages exchanged with friends and relatives and other sensitive information, such as access data to sites on the browser. This information must be protected effectively, so that anyone who takes hold of our iPhone cannot peek and retrieve our personal data. The first line of defense is the lock screen, which we can make more secure with the security methods offered on all supported iPhone models. In this guide, we will show you how to use a safer screen unlock for iPhone, so that only legitimate owners can quickly access the apps and system settings. In addition to the lock screen, we will also show you how to block access to sensitive apps so that, even if you unlock your screen, you will need to know a security PIN to use certain apps.
READ ALSO: Personalize the Lock screen on iPhone
Ways to Lock Screen on iPhone
The screen lock methods present on the iPhone are Touch ID and Face ID, which can be accompanied by password protection and security PIN.Unlock with Touch ID
Up to iPhone 8 Plus there is a fingerprint reader on the Home button, which we can use to unlock the iPhone screen with a high degree of security.Usually the iPhone allows us to configure Touch ID already at the first start, but if we have passed that screen we can configure it even later by opening the Settings app, pressing the Touch ID and code menu, entering the security code and enabling the sign of check the item Unlock iPhone .
To add a fingerprint, just tap on the Add a fingerprint item and follow the guided steps, which will allow us to acquire the fingerprint of any finger (in addition to the thumb we can also insert the index or thumb and index of the hand opposite to what we usually use).
Now, to unlock the iPhone, just place your finger on the Home button and press, so as to find ourselves directly on the main screen. If, on the other hand, we unlock the phone with the shutdown button, the request for the unlock code will appear first, which we can automatically insert simply by placing your finger on the Home button (strangers will not be able to enter without the code).
Unlock with Face ID
If we own an iPhone X or later models, we will no longer have the fingerprint reader but we will be able to make access to our iPhone more secure with the Face ID, unlocking the phone with the face positioned in front of the front camera.Also in this case the iPhone has Face ID configured immediately, but if we skipped that part of the configuration we open the Settings app, click on Face ID and code, enter the security code and press Configure Face ID .
The system will start the front camera, ask us to center our face and turn the head in a circle, so that we can grasp all the details of the face. At the end of the configuration we will return to the security menu, we will have to make sure that the Unlock iPhone item is active.
Now go back to the Settings menu, press on Screen and brightness and be sure to press the button next to the Raise item to activate .
From now on our iPhone will show the lock screen every time we take the phone in hand to wade it; to unlock it, simply place it in front of our face, so you can immediately access the various apps and system settings by scrolling from the bottom to the top.
How to strengthen the security of the screen lock
To increase the security of the iPhone, we advise you to periodically change the access code, so as to make it difficult to locate; to change the access code, just go to the same Settings screen -> Touch ID (or Face ID) and code and press on the item Change the code .
If we care about our privacy, always from the Touch ID and code menu we can remove the apps and notifications to be displayed on the lock screen (by deactivating the items View today, Notification Center, Control Center and Call back) ; as an additional security system to prevent someone from forcibly attempting access, activating the Initialize data item at the bottom of the screen (after 10 unauthorized access attempts, the phone will automatically format itself).
How to block apps
If we fear that someone could read our messages or overcome the screen lock system, we can add additional protection to individual apps with sensitive information thanks to Time of use .Let's go to the Settings -> Usage time, press on App limitations, select Add limitation of use, choose the category of apps to be blocked, set the time limit as 1 minute each day, then confirm at the top right on Add .
In the previous screen we now press on Use Usage Code and choose the PIN with which to block access to the apps.
After a minute, every day, we will no longer be able to access blocked apps except by entering the blocking PIN code. We can explore the topic in our guide How to block apps on iPhone .
Conclusions
As we have seen, we can make screen unlocking safer for iPhone, simply by taking advantage of the advanced security systems offered by Apple itself, which has really thought of everything to keep all personal and sensitive data safe.If we want to implement the same security systems on an Android smartphone, we recommend you read our guide Smartphone protection and more secure screen unlock for Android .
If we want to customize the lockscreen on Android, we recommend you read our article Change Android lock screen with lockscreen apps .
Our phone is at risk of theft or loss. "> App to find stolen or lost mobile phone.
