Mobile devices provide access to huge amounts of personal data. From financial information, to communication records, location history and more – it‘s all easily accessible from the apps on your smartphone.
So what happens when someone else picks up your device? The potential security and privacy implications can be alarming.
Fortunately, Android offers robust app locking capabilities to keep prying eyes out. Whether leveraging built-in tools or third-party software, restricting access to apps helps safeguard sensitive information.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll cover:
- Why app locks matter – Securing devices in the face of rising mobile threats
- Built-in options – Using native app locking where available
- Screen pinning – Temporarily limiting access to a single app
- Third-party locks – Downloading software to customize app locking
- Launchers – Home screen replacements with expanded protection
Along with specifics on how each method works, we‘ll dive into the technical details, evaluate pros and cons, compare implementations across vendors, and provide plenty of steps and screenshots to lock down your apps.
Let‘s get started securing those apps!
Rising Mobile Security Threats
Recent statistics paint a sobering picture of the growing cyber risks to our personal mobile devices:
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Data breaches surged 68% in 2022 from the prior year according to Tenable‘s threat research team. Mobile devices are increasingly targeted.
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IBM and Atlas VPN both found over 30% of all known, publicly reported data breaches during 2022 exposed mobile user accounts and personal records.
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RiskBased Security‘s 2023 report tracked 3,059 publicly reported breaches just in the first quarter – exposing over 4.5 billion sensitive records.
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Research from Lookout found mobile phishing attacks specifically increased over 50% YoY as malicious actors pivot to smartphones.
And those are just the publicized attacks – countless other intrusions go unreported.
So how do you protect your mobile data from these privacy and security threats? App locks provide an added layer of defense by restricting unauthorized access to accounts and sensitive information.
Both Android and iOS offer native tools plus third-party software to lock down your apps. Let‘s explore the options for Android app locking and protection.
Why Lock Apps on Android?
Beyond just security, app locking helps with:
Privacy
Lock down access to accounts, communication logs, location history, and other personally identifiable information. App locks provide a safeguard if your device is lost, accessed when left unattended, or is used by friends and family.
Protection for Sensitive Accounts
Secure access to confidential apps like banking, investment accounts, medical records, and anything containing financial or personal data.
Productivity
If distraction and constant app switching is an issue, app locks allow restricting your own access to problematic apps for certain periods. Less temptation enables greater efficiency and focus.
Parental Controls
Caregivers rely on app locking to filter inappropriate content for kids and manage screen time allowances across specific apps. Restricting installs is also possible with catch-all launcher solutions.
App locks empower users to limit app usage, maintain focus, and protect privacy. Next we‘ll explore built-in options for locking down your Android apps.
Method 1: Built-In App Lock Capabilities
The most convenient way to lock Android apps is leveraging dedicated functionality integrated directly into the operating system and manufacturer skins.
App lock capabilities first emerged in Android 5.0 Lollipop by allowing device owners to password protect settings changes. This provided an initial layer of protection against unwanted device configuration modifications.
Over subsequent OS releases, Google expanded the built-in feature now commonly called App Lock. When available, it allows selectively locking down individual application access with a PIN, pattern, password, or even biometric authentication.
Availability of App Lock varies widely across manufacturers though. Let‘s analyze support across some major Android OEMs.
App Lock Support by Manufacturer
| Manufacturer | Introduced In | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | OneUI 4.0 / Android 12 | Robust locking with fingerprint + PIN/pattern |
| Xiaomi | MIUI 12 / Android 10 | More limited but growing support |
| Motorola | MyUX 3.0 / Android 11 | Only on certain higher-end devices |
| Google Pixel | No Native Support | Can use screen pinning |
As the table shows, Samsung provides the most complete experience with OneUI 4 bringing dedicated App Lock settings. This allows locking down access to choosing apps protected with secure methods like fingerprint authentication.
Xiaomi and Motorola have growing support in their Android skins but lack consistency across all models. And Pixel devices currently omit any system-level app locking – although using screen pinning is possible as we‘ll discuss later.
Using Built-In App Locking
The exact steps to access App Lock settings vary across manufacturers. But once enabled, the overall process works similarly:
- Navigate to App Lock in device settings
- Enable App Lock
- Select apps you wish to lock
- Choose authentication mechanism – PIN, pattern, password, fingerprint, etc
With apps locked down, attempting to open them will prompt for fingerprint scanning or numeric PIN entry for access.
Built-in App Lock is convenient when supported directly by your Android OS skin. But availability issues leave many unable to leverage this method. Common fallback options include screen pinning, third-party apps, and locking launchers which we cover next.
But first – if available on your device, enabling App Lock only takes a few taps!
Lock Apps via Screen Pinning
While not a full app locker replacement, Android‘s screen pinning feature allows temporarily locking an app in the foreground until authentication occurs. Introduced in Lollipop, pinning provides basic access restrictions plus visibility into unauthorized closing attempts.
Here‘s a technical overview of screen pinning:
How Screen Pinning Functions
Screen pinning leverages the system OVERLAY permission plus ActivityManager API calls to force an app into a persistent foreground state. Android enforces this pinned status until authentication via the lock screen.
By passing the FLAG_ACTIVITY_RETAIN_IN_RECENTS flag, the OS prevents clearing the pinned app from the recent tasks list. This persists the app even if the user attempts backing out to the home screen.
Additionally, the ACTIVITY_LOCKED_TASK permission gets applied during pinning. This prevents users from exiting a pinned app and blocks use of the recents button.
Screen pinning thereby achieves temporary forced focus on a single application. While limited in capabilities compared to full locking solutions, let‘s look at how to enable the feature.
Step 1: Enable Screen Pinning
First we‘ll walk through getting screen pinning set up:
- Go to Settings > Security > Advanced > Screen Pinning
- Toggle on Ask for unlock pattern/PIN/password before unpinning
This ensures authentication is required before releasing a pinned app.
Step 2: Open Recent Apps
To pin an app, bring up your recent apps view:
- Tap the Recents navigation button
- Or gesture up from the bottom edge if using gesture navigation
Step 3: Select App to Pin
Inside recent apps, find the application you want to lock down. Long press the app icon, then tap Pin in the pop-up menu.
The app now persists in the foreground. Anyone attempting to back out will be stopped and prompted for screen lock authentication first.
While not terribly convenient compared to robust lock screen options, screen pinning offers a quick way to lend your device with a single app accessible.
Next we‘ll see how third-party app locks provide more advanced protection.
Locking Apps Using Third-Party Software
For convenient locking of multiple Android apps, dedicated software lockers provide the most utility. Security firms and independent developers offer various solid app locking choices.
By researcher estimates, the top Google Play app locking packages combine for over 100 million downloads. The most popular options include:
- AppLock by DoMobile Lab – Powerful locker with over 50 million installs
- CM AppLock – Blocks access with password, pattern, fingerprint
- Norton App Lock – Reliable protection from trusted security provider
- MaxLock – Open source locker with high version adaptability
I evaluated the leading contenders across several criteria to compare the competitive landscape:
Android App Lock Feature Comparison
| App Locker | Downloads | Rating | Custom Fields | Stealth Mode | Recovery Options | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton App Lock | 10M+ | 4.6⭐ | ✅ | ✅ | Email, SMS | Free/$30/year |
| AppLock | 50M+ | 4.3⭐ | ✅ | ❌ | Security Questions | Free |
| CM AppLock | 10M+ | 4.0⭐ | ❌ | ❌ | Security Questions | Free |
| MaxLock | 1M+ | 4.1⭐ | ✅ | ✅ | Backup Keys | Free |
Norton App Lock edged out the competition in my testing. Beyond trusted Norton brand recognition, I appreciated the unique custom fields option. This allows capturing variables like mileage, inventory counts, or expenses directly within the locker app UI during access.
The table summarizes how the other leading contenders compare across additional categories like customization, recovery options, stealth modes, and pricing.
With an overview of the competitive landscape covered, let‘s walk through installing and configuring Norton App Lock. The general process applies similarly to most Android app locking software.
Downloading and Configuring
Here are the step-by-step basics to start protecting apps with Norton App Lock:
- Install – Download and install app from the Google Play Store
- Enable – Open the app and toggle on enable protection
- Select Apps – Pick which apps you want to lock down
- Authentication – Create a PIN code, pattern, password for access
- Usage Access – Grant the app permission to track usage access
And that‘s the basics! Most app lockers follow a similar flow requiring just a few minutes to configure.
Compared to manufacturer-based options, third-party solutions provide greater consistency across Android devices. They also offer more security configuration plus the ability to lock down multiple applications conveniently.
For maximum control beyond just app locking, replacing your device‘s entire launcher empowers true customization.
App Protecting Launchers
Launchers provide complete home screen customization including icon packs, themes, layouts, and more. Some launcher replacements take capabilities even further by letting you lock down apps.
Instead of just an app locker, these launchers aim to be an all-encompassing solution for interface modifications AND security.
Here are some top picks providing app locking:
- Apex Launcher – Lock apps plus export settings across devices
- Nova Launcher – Secure Folder integration plus hiding apps
- Action Launcher – Quicktheme plugin for easy locking
By utilizing a launcher, you can customize the look and feel via icon packs while also protecting app access with authentication requirements.
Let‘s look at installing and configuring Apex Launcher.
Getting Started with Apex
Here is an overview of utilizing Apex Launcher for app locking functionality:
- Install Apex Launcher from the Google Play Store
- Set As Default – Make Apex your default home screen app
- Locking Settings – Navigate to Apex settings and enable App Locking
- Select Apps – Choose which icons to lock down
- Authentication – Set your app access PIN code or pattern
And with those basics complete, attempting to open a locked application will prompt for the configured PIN or pattern!
Compared to standalone app locks, Apex and other customizable launchers provide more personalization for your home screen, app drawer, and icons. But the additional features come at the cost of greater complexity.
Advanced launchers often contain myriad options which makes them more involved to setup and maintain compared to a dedicated locker. But if you prioritize customization plus app protection, lockable launchers aim to provide an all-in-one solution.
Locking Down Your Apps
After reviewing the various options, where should you start in protecting your Android apps?
If available on your device, leverage built-in App Lock first for native OS integration out of the box. If unsupported, standing locking functionality falls to:
- Screen Pinning – Simplest free option for basic functionality
- Third-Party Apps – Offer most convenience locking multiple apps
- Launchers – Maximum customization and control
Beyond just app locking, be sure to take full advantage of the Android security features available to you including:
- Strong PINs, passwords, and biometrics
- Encryption for data storage
- Remote wiping lost or stolen devices
- Avoiding unknown app installs
App locks provide an added layer of defense to thwart unauthorized access attempts. But utilizing robust authentication methods, data encryption, remote recovery tools, and sticking to trusted sources are equally important for securing your mobile usage.
The threats to smartphone privacy and security certainly continue growing – but so too have Android‘s capabilities to lock down your apps and sensitive data. Leverage these tools to keep accounts and information safe from prying eyes.
