Guided Access is a powerful accessibility feature that lets you temporarily restrict your device to a single app. This is incredibly useful when you want to prevent someone from wandering into other apps on your device, whether it’s a child playing a game or if you need to focus on a specific task without distractions. By learning How To Use Guided Access To Lock Apps, you gain greater control over your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Setting Up Guided Access
Before you can start using Guided Access to lock apps, you need to enable it in your device’s settings:
- Navigate to Settings > Accessibility.
- Scroll down and tap on Guided Access.
- Toggle the Guided Access switch to the “on” position.
- Tap Passcode Settings, then select Set Guided Access Passcode.
- Enter a passcode, and then re-enter it to confirm. This passcode will be required to end a Guided Access session.
- Optionally, you can enable Face ID or Touch ID as an alternative way to end a Guided Access session. This provides a faster and more convenient way to exit Guided Access if your device supports it.
Starting a Guided Access Session to Lock an App
Once Guided Access is set up, you can easily start a session to lock your device to a specific app:
- Open the app that you want to lock.
- Activate Guided Access:
- On an iPhone X or later, or an iPad without a Home button, triple-click the side button.
- On an iPhone 8 or earlier, or an iPad with a Home button, triple-click the Home button.
- (Optional) To disable specific areas of the screen from responding to touch, use one finger to circle those areas. These areas will be greyed out, preventing any interaction. You can move, resize, or remove the circles as needed by tapping the “X” within them. This feature is particularly helpful if you want to prevent accidental taps on certain buttons or areas of the screen.
- Tap Guided Access, then tap Start in the bottom right corner.
iPhone Settings showing Guided Access enabled
Alternatively, you can use Siri to start a Guided Access session. Simply open the desired app and say, “Turn on Guided Access.” Note that Siri features might vary depending on your region.
Controlling Available Features During a Guided Access Session
Guided Access offers several options to customize the user experience within the locked app. To access these options:
- Triple-click the Side or Home button (depending on your device).
- Tap Options in the bottom left corner. If you don’t see the “Options” button, triple-click the Side or Home button again and enter your Guided Access passcode.
- A menu will appear, allowing you to toggle various features on or off.
- Select the desired options and tap Done.
Here’s a breakdown of the available options:
- Sleep/Wake Button: Disables the power button.
- Volume Buttons: Disables the volume buttons.
Icon representing the ability to disable volume buttons during a Guided Access session.
- Motion: Limits the device’s response to motion. This prevents screen rotation and disables shake-to-undo functionality.
- Keyboards: Disables the keyboard from appearing. This is useful if you want to prevent text input within the locked app.
Graphical representation of the keyboard disable option in Guided Access settings.
- Touch: Disables all screen touches, effectively making the app read-only.
The touch icon as displayed in the Guided Access settings, indicating the option to disable touch input.
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Dictionary Lookup: Enables the Look Up feature when selecting text.
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Time Limit: Sets a time limit for the Guided Access session. When the time expires, the session will automatically end.
Ending a Guided Access Session
To exit a Guided Access session:
- Triple-click the Side or Home button.
- Enter your Guided Access passcode.
- Tap End in the top left corner.
If you have enabled Face ID or Touch ID for Guided Access, you can double-click the Side or Home button and use biometric authentication to end the session.
By mastering how to use Guided Access to lock apps, you can create a more focused and controlled experience on your iPhone or iPad, especially when sharing your device with others.
