iOS 18: Your Guide to Peace of Mind by Securing Apps with iPadOS 18

As a world infested with smartphones and so much of your life now exists as a set of apps, protecting your digital digital domain can feel more important than ever – which is why I’m excited that iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 contain new tools to keep your apps’ data private, as they roll out later this year. The updates offer many surprises and changes, but I want to focus on the ones that lock up your peace of mind and digital privacy, turning your home into a strategic campaign to keep the unwelcome out.

A Leap Forward: Enhanced App Privacy in iOS 18

More Security, More Control Over Your Apps

The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) of Apple was all about innovations as iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 were revealed. Many features were added, but some of the improvements in the area of privacy and security were quickly noticed and reported. You can now lock and hide apps to safeguard your information from prying eyes.

Bridging the Gap: iPadOS 18 Edges Closer to MacBook Capabilities

Another step towards combining iPad hardware as powerful as a MacBook’s with iPadOS is the upcoming M4 processor. Coupled with the iPadOS 18 update, this M4 processor will offer similar processing power to a MacBook, as well as bolstering the security of your apps, keeping your digital world safer.

In-Depth: The New Locking Mechanism

Locking Apps: The How-To Guide

Previously, unlocking your iPhone or iPad meant you had free access to all apps (which invariably raised privacy concerns), but iOS 18 has addressed this with the feature to lock individual apps. Here’s how to help beef up your app security:

• Activate the Lock: Go to the app in your home screen, press and hold the icon then click Require Face ID.
• Seal the Deal: Confirm your choice by tapping on Require Face ID again.

So that’s all it takes to turn your Face ID into an app bouncer that denies access to any unauthorised parties. Just repeat the process and go back to the step where you select Require Attention for Face ID, and choose Don’t Require Face ID to undo it.

Beyond Locking: The Art of Hiding Apps

The Stealth Mode: Hide and Secure

For those requiring a little more security, iOS 18 includes a Hide and Require Face ID option. By choosing this, you’ll not only be able to hide the app from your home screen, you’ll be able to lock it. Update: Some apps, such as the default Mail app, cannot be hidden.

Uncovering Hidden Treasures: Locating Your Hidden Apps

Secret apps take refuge in a Hidden folder inside the App Library. Entering the secret lair called the Hidden folder requires only a leftward swipe past your pages of apps and into the recesses of the App Library. Once there, Face ID will open up your stash.

Maximizing Your Digital Defense

Now that our smartphones are direct access points to our most sensitive data, protecting your app with lock and hide functions is a good idea. The new lock and hide features for iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 make it easy to keep your personal information safe from accidental exposure.

HOME: Your Digital Sanctuary

Ultimately, your home is more than a home. It’s a digital safe space in which private data and memories reside. With each feature improvement and security update, a device like an iPhone or an iPad is turned into an extension of that safe space, and we can rest easy knowing that our digital homes are safe and secure. With improved locking mechanisms and private apps becoming harder to find and access, iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 become more integral to protecting that digital safe space than ever, helping us protect those private data and memories so that they remain private. Now that we have become accustomed to the technological lifestyle of the 21st century, let’s take a moment to celebrate those tools that have helped us protect our digital front doors, to make our homes safe – both our physical and digital spaces.