How to lock a folder on iPhone
Short answer
The iPhone Files app has no way to lock a single folder. To password-protect a folder, keep it in an app that supports locked folders. In MaxVault, open the folder's Folder Settings and set a Folder Password; Face ID can unlock it too.
Can you lock a folder in the Files app?
No. The Files app doesn't offer passwords for folders. You can lock whole apps with Face ID on iOS 18 and later, but that locks everything in the app, and it opens with your iPhone's own Face ID or passcode.
Lock a folder in MaxVault
- Download MaxVault and set your vault passcode.
- Create a folder (+ → Folder) and move your files into it.
- Open the folder's More menu and choose Folder Settings.
- Set a Folder Password. Face ID or Touch ID can unlock it too.
The folder now asks for its own password every time, even when MaxVault is already open.
Lock the whole vault too
- Vault passcode: 4 to 8 digits, required every time MaxVault opens. Each vault has its own, and the one you enter decides which vault appears.
- Separate vaults: a different passcode at launch opens a completely different set of folders.
- Panic Action: flip your phone face down to switch to another app instantly.
Folders that can't be locked
Files in iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive and other cloud folders can be opened outside MaxVault, so MaxVault can't lock them. Move sensitive files into a regular MaxVault folder first.