The short answer: You can't lock a folder in the iPhone Files app. What iOS can do on its own: keep photos in the Hidden album, which needs Face ID; lock a note; and, since iOS 18, lock a whole app such as Files behind Face ID by touching and holding its icon and choosing Require Face ID. None of those encrypts one folder. ZapLock does: tap +, pick the folder in Files, iCloud Drive or Dropbox, and it stays locked there. You open its files inside ZapLock with your sign-in and Face ID.
Three built-in locks, none of them for folders
Hidden album
In Photos, hide items and they move to the Hidden album, which needs Face ID or your passcode.
- Only for Photos, not files in Files
- Anyone with your passcode can open it
- Syncs with iCloud Photos
Require Face ID for an app
Since iOS 18, touch and hold an app such as Files and choose Require Face ID.
- Locks every folder in the app, or none
- Doesn't encrypt anything extra
- Your iCloud Drive files are still open on your other devices
Lock a note
Notes can lock individual notes with your passcode or Face ID.
- Fine for text and small attachments
- Doesn't cover folders in Files
- Not a folder lock
Lock photos straight from the Photos app
Select up to 50 photos or videos, tap Share, then ZapLock, and pick a locked folder. They go into a Photos folder inside it. The same Share → ZapLock works from Files, Mail attachments and Safari downloads.
ZapLock locks a copy. Delete the original in Photos, then empty Recently Deleted, which otherwise keeps it for 30 days.
Illustration · labels can vary by version
How to lock a folder on iPhone or iPad with ZapLock
Needs iOS or iPadOS 17 or later.
Install ZapLock
Get it from the App Store and sign in with a free ZapQR account.
Sign in on a second device
Sign in on your Mac, iPad or another phone too. Then losing your iPhone doesn't lock you out of your folders.
Pick the folder
Tap +, then Add Folder… (Protect a Folder… in older versions). Pick the folder in Files: On My iPhone, iCloud Drive, or a provider such as Dropbox.
Turn on Face ID
In Settings → Unlock check, require Face ID or Touch ID before any folder opens on this device.
Open files inside ZapLock
Tap the folder and unlock it with your sign-in and Face ID. On iPhone and iPad you open locked files inside ZapLock, and the folder stays locked in Files the whole time. It locks as soon as you leave the app.
What ZapLock won't do
Worth knowing up front, so nothing surprises you later.
- You need a free ZapQR account. That sign-in is what replaces the password.
- Opening a folder needs a connection to our service, which releases its half of the key. A new unlock waits until you're back online.
- If a folder's key lives on only one device and you lose that device, the folder can't be opened. Sign in on a second device before you lock anything you can't lose.
- No Linux, and the apps aren't open source.
- Sync services keep version history. If plain copies were ever synced, your provider may still hold them.
iPhone folder lock FAQ
Can you lock a folder in the iPhone Files app?
Not with iOS alone. Files has no folder lock. Since iOS 18 you can require Face ID to open the whole Files app, but that's all or nothing and doesn't encrypt any folder. ZapLock locks a single folder in Files, iCloud Drive or Dropbox and opens it with your sign-in and Face ID.
How do I lock a folder with Face ID on iPhone?
Install ZapLock, lock the folder, then turn on Settings → Unlock check. Every folder then asks for Face ID, falling back to your passcode, before it opens on that iPhone. The check is free on every plan.
Is the Hidden album the same as a locked folder?
No. The Hidden album only holds photos and videos from the Photos app, and anyone who knows your passcode can open it. It doesn't cover documents in Files. ZapLock can lock photos too: share them from Photos to ZapLock.
Can I lock an iCloud Drive folder from my iPhone?
Yes. Pick it with + in ZapLock. Only encrypted files sync to iCloud, so the folder is locked on your Mac and iPad too, and it opens in ZapLock on any device that has its key. iCloud keeps recently deleted files for a while, so earlier plain copies may still be there.
Is there a free folder lock app for iPhone?
Yes. ZapLock's Free plan locks one folder for good, and opening folders, including ones shared with you, is always free. In the App Store, Personal is $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year. See pricing.
Does a folder I lock on iPhone open on my Mac or Windows PC?
Yes. Every ZapLock app uses the same folder format. Add the folder on the other device; the first time, tap Hand over on your iPhone when ZapLock asks, so the new device gets its key. See locking folders on Mac.
Lock your first folder in a minute.
Free for one folder, for good. On Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad and Android.
Built-in options checked 22 October 2026 against: Apple: Lock or hide an app on iPhone.