Losing a smartphone or tablet stuffed with your life’s details can be a nightmare, but your privacy may also be at risk in less obvious situations — like if you leave your unlocked phone unattended or if the children know your tablet’s passcode. While apps for financial or medical matters typically require their own passwords (and Apple’s Photos and Google Photos can hide specific pictures), the latest versions of iOS and Android offer new tools for further shielding sensitive content on your device. Here’s a quick overview.

Securing iOS Apps

Apple’s iOS 18, released in September, now includes the ability to lock apps that don’t already require a passcode, Face ID or Touch ID to open them. Apple notes that look-alike siblings and children could bypass Face ID, so use a secret passcode if that’s a concern.

ImageTo put an extra lock on a selected app, press down on its icon and select “Require Face ID” from the menu (which may say “Require Touch ID” or “Require Passcode,” depending on your settings). As shown on the right, you can take off the lock permanently by pressing the icon again and choosing “Don’t Require Face ID.”Credit...Apple

To lock an app, find it on the iPhone’s or iPad’s home screen (or in the App Library) and press your finger on its icon. In the pop-up menu, select “Require Face ID” or the security method you normally use.

Tap “Require Face ID” again when prompted. To open that app going forward, you’ll need to unlock it.

To remove the lock from an app, press down on its icon and select “Don’t Require Face ID” from the menu.

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