You’ve got two options
Some Android smartphones have built-in ways to let you lock apps on your mobile, but Google Pixel phones don’t. So, if you own a Pixel device you might be wondering: «how can I lock apps on my mobile?».
By ‘locking apps’, I refer to any kind of method for stopping someone using certain apps on your phone. Maybe you’re giving your device to a child and you don’t want them to accidentally find a shopping app, or you want to make sure a person borrowing your phone doesn’t start rooting around on your banking app. Perhaps you want to lock apps for your own benefit, to stop wasting so much time on TikTok.
Unlike, say, Xiaomi or Huawei phones, Pixel phones don’t have a native app locking feature. However, they do have a feature that’s slightly similar, and there is another option if you’re happy downloading apps to achieve the same result.
In this guide, we’ll run through your two options for locking apps on your Pixel phone.Tools and requirements
You will need one major thing for locking apps on your Pixel phone, and that’s. well, a Pixel phone. With apps you’d like to lock. Pretty simple, really.
That’s the case for the first of these two options, at least, but the second one will require said Pixel phone to be connected to the internet. Cell connection, WiFi, wired internet – any of these options is fine.Quick steps for how to lock apps on a Pixel phone
There are two options for locking apps on a Pixel phone, and here they are:Step-by-step guide to app pinning
Let’s start with app pinning, a native setting on Pixel phones that doesn’t require you to install anything.
When an app is pinned, phone users will only be able to use that app without fully unlocking the phone. It’s a great option if you want to let someone play a game, watch a video, or read through a chatlog on your mobile, without them then delving into your personal files. Here’s how to set it up.Step-by-step guide to third-party app lock apps
If app pinning won’t cut it for you, then you’ll want to install a third-party app locking app which will give you much greater control over the process.
Be warned: the only major company which had an app locking app was Antivirus giant Norton, which shuttered Norton App Lock back in June 2024, and so all the options on the market are from smaller or less-well-known companies.
If you’re worried about installing anything dodgy onto your phone, make sure to read the app store reviews on anything you are considering installing.
