Lock iPhone to one app with Guided Access
With Guided Access, you can temporarily restrict iPhone to a single app. This can be useful when you let a child use your iPhone or when you want to stay focused on a task. You can set a time limit, and customize which features, hardware buttons, and areas of the screen are available.
![An iPhone screen showing Guided Access being set up. iPhone is being temporarily locked to just the Calculator app, and one of the buttons in the app has been disabled.](https://help.apple.com/assets/6758C14AEA2BBD75D7023772/6758C150890517C4260090D6/en_US/7a67a0f7b3d235764a42d2bfd63934bb.png)
Set up Guided Access
Go to Settings
> Accessibility > Guided Access, then turn on Guided Access.
Adjust any of the following:
Passcode Settings: Tap Set Guided Access Passcode, then enter a passcode.
You can also turn on Face ID (on an iPhone with Face ID) or Touch ID (on other iPhone models) as a way to end a Guided Access session.
Time Limits: Play a sound or speak the time remaining before a Guided Access session ends.
Accessibility Shortcut: Allow the use of Accessibility Shortcut during Guided Access sessions.
Display Auto-Lock: Set how long it takes iPhone to automatically lock during a Guided Access session.
Start a Guided Access session
Go to the app you want to use.
To turn on Guided Access, do one of the following:
Siri: Say something like: “Turn on Guided Access.” Learn how to use Siri.
Use Control Center if you’ve added Guided Access there.
Use the Accessibility Shortcut.
Circle any areas of the screen you want to disable. Drag the mask into position or use the handles to adjust its size.
Tap Options, then turn on or off any of the following:
Side Button
Volume Buttons
Motion (to prevent iPhone from switching from portrait to landscape or from responding to other motions)
Software Keyboards
Touch
Time Limit
Tap Start.
Important: Crash Detection and Emergency Services are not available while using Guided Access. Exit Guided Access to use Crash Detection or to make emergency calls.
End a Guided Access session
Depending on the passcode options you chose when you set up Guided Access, do any of the following:
Use the passcode: Triple-click the side button (on an iPhone with Face ID) or Home button (on other iPhone models), then enter the Guided Access passcode. If you didn’t set a Guided Access passcode, enter your iPhone passcode.
Use Face ID or Touch ID: If you turned on the Face ID or Touch ID option in Guided Access Passcode Settings, double-click the side button or Home button, then unlock your iPhone with Face ID or Touch ID (depending on your iPhone model).
To set up an iPhone with a simplified user interface and a customizable set of core features, see the Assistive Access User Guide.