On iPhones, the Notes app can contain important and sensitive information. This is why it’s essential to keep it secure by setting a password.
To change your Notes password, go to the Notes section in the Settings app, select “Password”, enter your current password, then choose “Change Password.” Create a new password, confirm it, and enable Touch ID/Face ID to unlock your Notes.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to change Notes passwords on an iPhone, lock Notes, reset your Notes password, and more.
This Article Covers:
What to Know Before Locking Your Notes
Before you think about locking your Notes, there are a few things to consider:
Only Locked Notes Are Secure
Only Notes locked with a password or Touch ID/Face ID are secure. Any unlocked Notes can be accessed by anyone with access to your iPhone (and other linked Apple devices).
You Can Only Lock Individual Notes
The Notes app allows you to lock individual Notes. This means you can’t lock the entire app. If you want to keep all of your Notes secure, you’ll need to lock each one individually.
Your Password Should Be Strong
When setting a password to lock Notes, make sure it’s strong and unique. Avoid using common phrases or easily guessable information (like your date of birth).
Don’t Forget Your Password
If you forget your password, you won’t be able to access locked Notes. And if you reset your password using your Apple ID, all of your locked Notes will be erased. The good thing is that while setting it up, you will be asked to set up a hint. Make sure that this hint will actually help you remember your password.
You Can Use Your Existing iPhone Passcode
Using your current passcode means you don’t have to create and remember a separate password. However, to use this method, you’ll need to enable the iCloud Passwords & Keychain feature.
You Can’t Lock Shared Notes
Locking Notes prevents other recipients from accessing them. That said, you can still keep the information in the Note secure by not including sensitive information within it. Alternatively, you can create a separate Note with sensitive information and lock that one instead.
Locked Notes Are Automatically Locked When in the Background
If you leave a locked Note open and switch to a different app or lock your iPhone, the Note will lock to protect your sensitive information. Even if someone gains access to your unlocked iPhone, they won’t be able to view your locked Notes without your permission.
How to Set Up a Password for Notes on iPhone (iOS 16)
To set up a password for Notes on your iPhone, simply follow the steps below:
1. Open the Notes app on your iPhone.
2. Create a new Note or an existing one you want to lock.
3. Tap the “More” button (…) on the top right corner of the screen.
4. A drop-down menu will appear. Tap on “Lock” (padlock icon) to lock the Note.
5. If it’s your first time locking a Note, you’ll be prompted to create a password. You can either lock Notes with your iPhone passcode or create a separate password instead.
6. Tap on “Use iPhone Passcode” if you want to use your current device passcode. Upon tapping, you’ll be asked to enter the passcode.
7. If you prefer to create a separate password instead, tap “Create Password.” When a prompt appears, tap “Continue.”
8. You’ll be asked to enter your password twice for verification, as well as a hint to help you remember your password more easily (recommended). Click “Done.”
9. Next, you’ll be asked if you want to Enable Face ID. If you do, tap “Enable Face ID.” If not, tap “Not Now.”
10. A new prompt will appear asking to allow Notes to use Face ID. Tap “OK.”
11. Finally, tap “OK.”
How To Lock Notes on iPhone
Once you’ve set a password for Notes, you can lock individual Notes. Here’s how to do it:
1. Open the Notes app on your iPhone.
2. Create a new Note or select an existing Note that you want to lock.
3. Tap the “More” (…) button.
4. Tap “Lock.”
5. Tap the Lock icon on the top-right corner of the screen to hide the Note’s contents.
How to Open a Locked Note on iPhone
To open a locked Note, follow these steps:
1. Open the locked Note you want to open.
2. Tap “View Note.”
3. Use Face ID or enter your Notes password.
4. The Note will now be unlocked and you can view and edit it as usual.
5. Once you’re done with the Note, tap the lock icon at the top of the screen to lock it again.
Related: How to Recover Deleted Notes on iPhone
How to Remove Lock From a Note on iPhone
To remove the lock from a Note on your iPhone, follow these steps:
1. Open the Notes app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on the locked Note that you want to remove the lock from.
3. Next, tap “View Note.”
4. You’ll be prompted to enter your password to unlock the Note.
5. Tap the “More” button (…).
6. Finally, tap “Remove.” The lock will be then removed from the Note and will no longer require a password to view or edit.
How to Change the Notes Password on iPhone
Now that you’ve set up your password and hint, you can lock Notes easily. If you want to change a password, however:
1. Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap “Notes.”
3. Tap the “Password” option.
4. Next, tap “Change Password.” You’ll find it right below the “Use Face ID” option.
4. A new page will pop up where you’ll be asked to input your new password. Re-enter your new password to confirm it, as well as a hint to help you remember your password. This hint will be displayed if you forget your password — make sure it’s something that’s not too obvious.
Note: In case you forget your password, your hint will appear after the second wrong entry attempt.
5. Once you’re finished, tap “Done” at the upper-right portion of the screen to save your new password.
Once you’ve changed your Notes password, any Notes that were previously locked with the old password will now be locked with the new password. To unlock those Notes, you’ll need to enter the new password that you’ve just created.
How to Reset Notes Password on iPhone if You Forgot It
Forgot your Notes password? Reset it this way:
1. Open your iPhone’s Settings and tap “Notes.”
2. Tap on “Password.”
3. Tap on “Reset Password.”
4. You’ll be prompted to enter your Apple ID password then tap “OK.”
5. Next, tap “Reset Password.”
6. To reset, use your iPhone passcode or enter a new password. If you want to use your passcode, tap “Use iPhone Passcode.” Otherwise, tap “Not Now.”
7. Finally, create a new password, verify it, and enter a password hint. Once you’ve created a new password, tap “Done” to save your changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Lock a Shared Note?
The Notes app doesn’t allow you to lock Notes you shared with other users. In the same manner, you cannot share locked Notes.
How Do I Stop iPhone Notes from Being Shared with My iPad?
To stop your iPhone from sharing or syncing Notes with your iPad, you need to disable iCloud sharing. Here’s how:
1. Launch settings and tap on your Apple ID. It is at the top of the screen, right below the search bar.
2. Tap on the iCloud option.
3. Scroll down to the section “Apps Using iCloud” and tap on Notes.
4. Next, disable the sync feature by tapping on the slider to the right. Now, your iPhone Notes won’t sync with your other Apple devices.
Wrapping Up
iPhone Notes is a helpful feature that lets you capture ideas quickly. If you plan to use a password to lock your creations, ensure you know how to change Notes passwords (and be sure to set up a password hint). This way, you won’t have to worry about losing access to any of your work.
If you’re looking to expand your technical or creative capabilities, check out some of SkillShare’s classes with a free, one-month membership!
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- How To Make a Collage on iPhone [Easy Step-by-Step Guide]
- How to Unlock iPhone Without Passcode or Face ID [Easy Guide]
- 17 Best Secret iPhone Codes (+ How to Use Them)
