How to Lock Individual Apps Using Your Fingerprint on the iPhone 5S (Video)

The Jailbreak tweak Applocker has been around for a while. Usually it’s used on a jailbroken iPhone to lock down specific apps by requiring a passcode whenever anyone tries to open them. Even though this isn’t a new tweak, it did just get an update that got it a lot of attention. The update allowed iPhone 5S users to use their fingerprints stored in Touch ID (the program included in iOS 7 that allows them to use their fingerprints to make purchases and unlock the device’s screen) to unlock the apps instead of entering in a passcode. Pretty neat, no? Here’s how to set it up if you’re interested.

I. Jailbreak your iPhone 5S

To do this procedure you must be jailbroken. If you aren’t, you can head to our Jailbreak How To’s section and pick the jailbreak for your version of iOS (currently at the time of writing this is 7.0.4). Once done with that procedure and you have Cydia installed, head back here to continue.

II. Setup Touch ID

Applocker can’t take fingerprints itself, it can only utilize ones that have already been stored in Touch ID. If you already have them setup, you can skip this, otherwise follow our video How to Setup Touch ID. Once done, come back to this one to continue.

III. Install Applocker

1. Open Cydia.

2. Tap Search in the bottom right corner.

3. Type in Applocker.

4. Tap on Applocker when it shows up (it’s generally the first one that shows up not the Activator or SBSettings options).

5. Tap Purchase at the top right and follow the prompts to login and purchase using your preferred method.

6. Tap Close when you’ve paid.

7. Tap Install where Purchase used to be.

8. Tap Restart.

IV. Setup Applocker

1. Once installed, go to Settings.

2. Tap on Applocker.

3. Tap on General.

4. Tap on the Password field and then enter in a password of your choosing as a backup if your fingerprint fails (you can also select Numeric keypad if you want to confine your password to only numbers and make it quicker to type in).

5. Tap Applocker at the top left to go back.

6. Tap on Application Locking.

7. Tap on Applications and select the applications you want to lock.

8. Try to open one of those apps and you should be prompted for a passcode and it should say Touch ID enabled under the text field.

9. Hold down one of your fingers you used for Touch ID in Section II and it should open the app.

You can also lock down folders and do a bunch of other neat things with this app. Enjoy!