How to Lock Notes on iPhone in 2026 (Step by Step)

Short answer: To lock a note on iPhone, open it, tap More (…), then Lock. Choose your iPhone passcode or a separate Notes password the first time. Use the separate password if anyone else knows your passcode. Notes with tags, PDFs, audio, video or collaborators can’t be locked.

This guide covers setting up the password, locking and unlocking notes, and what to do when a note won’t lock or you forget the password. Steps checked against Apple’s documentation for iOS 26 and later.

Step 1: Choose how locked notes open

1. Open Settings > Apps > Notes > Password.
2. If you have more than one account, pick iCloud (notes in Gmail or other IMAP accounts can’t be locked).
3. Choose Use Device Passcode or Create Password.
4. If you create a password, add a hint you’ll understand later.
5. Turn on Face ID (or Touch ID) if you want to unlock notes with it.

Use Device Passcode needs iCloud Keychain turned on.

Step 2: Lock a note

1. Open the note.
2. Tap More (…) at the top, then tap Lock.
3. If asked, confirm with Face ID, your passcode or your Notes password.

The note stays open with a lock icon at the top. Tap the icon to close it right away.

Step 3: Open and re-lock it

1. Tap the locked note, then View Note.
2. Unlock with Face ID, Touch ID or your password.

The note stays unlocked for a few minutes and locks again when you close Notes or the iPhone locks.

To remove the lock for good, open the note, tap More (…), then Remove. This removes it on every device signed in to your Apple Account.

If a note won’t lock

Apple doesn’t let you lock a note that:

• has tags;
• contains a PDF, audio, video, or a Pages, Numbers or Keynote file;
• is shared with someone (stop sharing first);
• lives in a Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook or other IMAP account;
• is in a Managed Apple Account used by a school or company.

Photos and documents you scan with Notes can be locked. For PDFs and other files, see how to hide files on iPhone.

If you forget your Notes password

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Notes > Password, pick the account and tap Reset Password.
2. Enter your Apple Account password, then set a new password or switch to your device passcode.

The reset only applies to notes you lock from now on. Notes locked with the old password still need it. Apple can’t recover them.

What this doesn’t protect

• The note’s title. The first line shows in the notes list even when the note is locked. Start private notes with a neutral first line.
• Anyone who knows your iPhone passcode, if you chose Use Device Passcode.
• Other devices. On an iPad or Mac signed in to your Apple Account, the note opens with the same Notes password or that device’s passcode.
• Copies elsewhere. If you pasted text from an email or saved a scan to Photos first, the original is still there.
• PDFs and files. They can’t go in a locked note at all.

How we checked this

We checked every step against Apple’s own documentation (support.apple.com) on 25 Oct 2026, for iOS 26 and later. We haven’t tested this guide on a device yet.

Methods compared

Option	Needs more than your iPhone passcode	Holds PDFs and files	Cost
Locked note, device passcode	No	No	Free, built in
Locked note, Notes password	Yes	No	Free, built in
Cubbylock secure notes (in development)	Designed to use its own code	Designed to keep notes next to files and PDFs	Free download planned

For private text and scans, a locked note with a separate password is a solid free choice. If you also want PDFs and files behind the same code, read secure folder on iPhone.