Guided Access locks your iPhone to a single app and blocks everything else
Guided Access is an iPhone feature that restricts the phone to one app at a time. When you turn it on, the home screen disappears, the side button stops working, and the person using the phone cannot switch to other apps, adjust settings, or access notifications. You control what parts of the screen work and what stays blocked.
It is built into every iPhone running iOS 6 or newer. You do not need to read anything or pay for it. The feature was designed for people who need to focus on a single task, but it works for any situation where you want to prevent accidental or intentional navigation away from one app.
Guided Access is different from other iPhone restrictions. Parental Controls (Screen Time) limit which apps a person can open and how long they can use the phone. Guided Access assumes the app is already open and prevents leaving it. You might use Parental Controls to decide whether your child can open YouTube at all, and Guided Access to make sure they stay in YouTube once it is open.
Key Takeaways
- Guided Access locks the iPhone to one open app and disables the home button, side button, and app switcher until you end the session with a passcode.
- You can disable specific areas of the screen — for example, block the video recommendations section while leaving the play button active.
- The feature requires a passcode to turn on and a different passcode to turn off, so the person using the phone cannot exit without that code.
- Guided Access works for focus, accessibility needs, and situations where you want to prevent someone from leaving a single app.
- You set it up in Settings under Accessibility, and it takes about two minutes to configure the first time.
How to turn on Guided Access for the first time
Open Settings and go to Accessibility. Scroll down and tap Guided Access. Toggle the switch to turn it on. You will be asked to create a passcode — this is the code you will need to end a Guided Access session later. Use a code you will remember but that is not your regular iPhone passcode.
Once you have set the passcode, Guided Access is ready to use. You do not need to do anything else in Settings. The next time you open an app and want to lock into it, you will set up Guided Access from that app itself.
If you want to add a face or fingerprint unlock option instead of typing a passcode each time, go back to Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access and toggle on Face ID or Touch ID. This lets you end a session by scanning your face or fingerprint rather than typing a code.
Starting a Guided Access session in an app
Open the app you want to lock into. Press the side button three times quickly (or the home button three times on older iPhones). The Guided Access screen will appear, showing the app with a border around it. At this point, you can draw circles or lines on the screen to disable specific areas — for example, you could block the search bar or the settings icon.
To disable an area, use your finger to draw a circle around it. Anything inside the circle will not respond to touch. You can draw as many circles as you need. If you make a mistake, tap the area again to remove the circle. When you are done marking areas, tap Start in the top right corner.
The app is now locked. The person using it cannot press the home button, side button, or use gestures to switch apps. They cannot access Control Center or notifications. They can only interact with the parts of the screen you left active.
Ending a Guided Access session
To exit Guided Access, press the side button three times again (or home button three times on older models). You will see a prompt asking for your passcode. Enter the passcode you created in Settings. The app will close and you will return to the home screen.
If you set up Face ID or Touch ID, you can scan your face or fingerprint instead of typing the passcode. This is faster if you are ending sessions frequently.
The person using the phone cannot end the session without the passcode, which is the whole point of the feature. If you forget the passcode, you will need to restart the iPhone to exit Guided Access.
Real situations where Guided Access helps
A child is using an educational app and you want to prevent them from accidentally tapping ads or navigating to other apps. You open the app, set up Guided Access, and circle the ad banner. They can use the app but cannot leave it or tap the ad.
Someone with a tremor or motor control difficulty is using their phone to read or listen to audio. You lock them into the reading app and disable the buttons they might hit by accident. They can focus on the content without worrying about accidentally closing the app or opening something else.
You are demonstrating a feature in a store or at a presentation and you want the phone to stay in one app no matter what happens. Guided Access prevents someone from accidentally picking it up and navigating away.
A person with attention regulation needs is using their phone for a specific task. Guided Access removes the visual and functional distractions of the home screen and app switcher, making it easier to stay focused on what they are doing.
What Guided Access does not do
Guided Access does not limit how long the app can be used or set time limits. If you need to restrict usage time, use Screen Time (Parental Controls) instead. Guided Access also does not prevent someone from seeing notifications if they pull down from the top of the screen — it only blocks the home button and side button.
It does not prevent someone from force-closing the app by swiping up from the bottom (on newer iPhones) or using the app switcher if they know the gesture. The feature is designed to prevent accidental navigation, not to resist someone who is deliberately trying to escape.
Guided Access also does not work across multiple apps. If you need someone to move between two or three specific apps but nowhere else, you would need to end one Guided Access session and start another in the next app.
Combining Guided Access with other accessibility features
Guided Access works alongside other iPhone accessibility tools. You can use it with Voice Control to let someone navigate an app by voice while staying locked into that app. You can combine it with Zoom to magnify the screen, or with Display Accommodations to adjust colors or reduce motion.
If you are using Guided Access for a child, you can also turn on Screen Time in Settings to set overall daily limits for the device. Guided Access locks them into one app; Screen Time controls when they can use the device at all.
These features do not interfere with each other. You can have Guided Access active, Voice Control enabled, and Screen Time limits all running at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone exit Guided Access if they know the passcode?
Yes. Guided Access is not a security feature — it is a focus and accessibility tool. If someone knows the passcode, they can press the side button three times and enter it to leave. If you need to prevent someone from exiting, you would need to use a different tool like Screen Time or Restrictions, which require a separate passcode that only you know.
What happens if I forget the Guided Access passcode?
You will need to restart the iPhone. Hold the side button and volume button until the power-off slider appears, then slide to power off. Wait a few seconds and turn it back on. This will exit Guided Access. You can then go back to Settings and create a new passcode if you want to use the feature again.
Does Guided Access work on iPad?
Yes. The steps are the same: go to Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access, turn it on, create a passcode, then press the top button three times when you want to lock into an app. You can disable screen areas the same way.
Can I use Guided Access on someone else's iPhone?
Only if you have access to their phone and you know their Guided Access passcode. You would open the app, press the side button three times, set up the disabled areas, and tap Start. They would need your passcode to exit.
Does Guided Access prevent someone from restarting the phone?
No. If someone holds the side button and volume button long enough, they can restart the phone and exit Guided Access that way. If you need stronger restrictions, use Screen Time or Restrictions instead.