How to lock a note on an iPhone

2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 3 October 2026

A locked note is encrypted and shows only its title in the list. It is a sensible place for things like a door code, a passport number or a private list, on a phone that other people sometimes hold. The lock applies on all your devices that use the same account.

Menu names are from recent versions of iOS.

Step by step

1. Choose how notes are locked

   Open Settings, tap Apps, then Notes and Password. Use Device Passcode locks notes with the passcode of the iPhone and is the simple choice. Create Password sets a separate password only for notes. Switch on Face ID or Touch ID so you rarely have to type either.

   Done

2. Lock a note

   Open the note, tap the More button (three dots) at the top and tap Lock. If you have not set up locking yet, the iPhone asks you to choose the method now.

   Done

3. Close the lock

   A note you have just locked or opened stays open for several minutes. To hide it at once, tap the padlock at the top, or lock the iPhone.

   Done

4. Open a locked note

   Tap the note and tap View Note. Look at the phone for Face ID, use Touch ID, or enter the passcode or password.

   Done

5. Remove the lock

   Open the note, unlock it, tap the More button and tap Remove. The lock is removed on all your devices.

   Done

6. Change the password

   Under Settings, Apps, Notes, Password, tap Change Password, enter the old one and then the new one with a hint.

   Done

Good to know

If you forget a separate notes password, Apple cannot open those notes. Reset Password in the same settings creates a new password for notes you lock from then on, but does not unlock the old ones. That is the main argument for using the device passcode.

Not every note can be locked. According to Apple this includes shared notes, notes with tags, notes that contain PDFs, audio, video or documents, and notes in an email account such as Gmail or Yahoo instead of iCloud.

Using the device passcode for notes requires iCloud Keychain to be on.

For passwords themselves, the Passwords app is the better place: how to find and manage saved passwords on an iPhone. To hide pictures and apps: how to hide photos on an iPhone and how to lock or hide an app on an iPhone.

In short: Open the note, More button, Lock. Choose device passcode or a separate password under Settings, Apps, Notes, Password, with Face ID on. View Note to open, More, Remove to unlock for good.