How to Lock a Phone to One App for Kids: iPhone and Android
If your child is borrowing your phone for a short time, you can temporarily keep it on one app. Here is how to start and end Guided Access on iPhone or iPad and app pinning on Android.
Published and information checked: . Written by 39Kids, the developer of PhotoPuzzle. Menus vary by OS version, device maker and navigation mode; follow the instructions on your device and the official help pages. The cover is an AI-generated image. Practical guidance was updated on October 7, 2026.
Before you briefly lend your phone or tablet, choose the app, turn on its one-app mode and practice ending that mode yourself. Locking the screen to one app does not make its content, purchases or photo access automatically safe for children.
Run the entire sequence alone first: pin the app, check whether Home is blocked, then unpin it. Do not hand over a device until you can exit the mode, and make ending the session and taking the device back part of the same routine.
This guide is about a parent’s device being shared for a short session. Long-term management of a child’s own device may call for Screen Time, Family Link or other separate controls.
The short answer: Guided Access on iPhone, app pinning on Android
Apple’s Guided Access can temporarily restrict an iPhone or iPad to one app. Android app pinning keeps a selected app on screen until you unpin it.
- iPhone or iPad: turn on Guided Access in Settings → Accessibility.
- Android: turn on App pinning in the device’s security settings.
- Both: practice starting and ending a session before your child holds the device.
Think of this as narrowing where someone can navigate while they borrow your device, not as a substitute for reviewing the app itself.
Three things to check before you hand over your phone
- 1. Open and try the chosen app
Look at the play screen, outside links, purchase prompts and photo picker that your child might reach. - 2. Check how you will authenticate to exit
Know your Guided Access passcode on Apple devices or your Android device PIN, pattern or password. Do not share it with your child. - 3. Complete a trial start and exit
Pin the app, then end the session yourself. Button and navigation gestures differ between devices.
Keep the device where you can see it during play. If you want a time boundary, review the device’s and app’s separate time settings as well.
iPhone and iPad: set up, start and end Guided Access
Set it up once
Open Settings → Accessibility → Guided Access and turn it on. In Passcode Settings, set a code for ending sessions and decide whether to allow Face ID or Touch ID. Check the current labels in Apple’s instructions and on your device.
Start the session in your chosen app
- 1. Open the app your child will use.
- 2. Triple-click the side button on iPhone or the top button on iPad. Triple-click Home on an older device with a Home button.
- 3. If an Accessibility Shortcuts panel appears, choose Guided Access. On the first setup screen, you can circle an area that should not respond to touch, review Session Settings such as a time limit, then tap Start.
Apple notes that a repeat session for the same app can start immediately using earlier settings. Recheck any blocked touch area or time limit before handing the device over. Make sure the parts needed for the activity still work.
End it yourself
Triple-click the side, top or Home button, authenticate with the Guided Access passcode or enabled Face ID or Touch ID, then tap End. Apple lists a double-click instead for ending a session on iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 and earlier. Follow the official exit instructions for your version.
Emergency-use warning: Apple says Crash Detection and Emergency Services are not available during Guided Access. End the session before using those features or making an emergency call.
Android: set up, pin and unpin an app
Turn on app pinning
Google’s instructions place App pinning under Settings → Security (or Security & location) → Advanced. Names and locations can vary. Search Settings for App pinning or Screen pinning and consult your device maker if needed.
Pin the app you chose
- 1. Open the app.
- 2. With gesture navigation, swipe up from the bottom and hold to show recent apps. With three-button navigation, tap Overview.
- 3. Tap the app icon at the top of its recent-app card, then choose the pin icon or Pin.
Unpin it
With gestures, swipe up and hold. With three-button navigation, press and hold Back and Overview. With two-button navigation, press and hold Back and Home. Enter your PIN, pattern or password when asked. Use the steps that match your phone’s navigation mode.
Android devices and versions do not all show the same menus. Prefer the prompts on your own phone and the maker’s help if they differ from this guide.
How the two features compare
| Check | iPhone or iPad | Android |
|---|---|---|
| Feature | Guided Access | App pinning / Screen pinning |
| Purpose | Temporarily restrict to one app | Keep a chosen app on screen |
| Start | Open app, triple-click a device button | Open app, pin it from recent apps |
| Exit | Button action and Guided Access authentication | Unpin gesture and device unlock if requested |
| Extra options | Time limit and blocked touch areas | Check the options on your device |
Both are temporary, but their settings and exit actions are different. Test the actual device you plan to share.
What a one-app session does not do
- Prevent in-app purchases: pinning is not a purchase restriction. Review Apple’s purchase controls or the relevant store and account settings separately.
- Vet the content inside the app: test ads, video, outside links and parent menus yourself. Our ads-and-purchases checklist can help.
- Hide photos or permissions: a pinned app can still use features you allowed inside it. Choose appropriate photos and review our photo-permissions guide.
- Manage a child account long term: Family Link app controls address a different use case from briefly pinning a parent’s phone.
“Cannot easily switch apps” and “everything inside this app is right for my child” are different claims. Use several checks and try the activity together first.
If you are playing PhotoPuzzle together
For the iPhone and iPad version of PhotoPuzzle, made by 39Kids, choose a photo or built-in sample, try a four-piece puzzle together, and then start Guided Access if you want to lend the device briefly. Our getting-started guide covers the app itself, while our photo guide covers family images.
As of September 30, 2026, PhotoPuzzle’s Google Play version is still coming soon. The Android steps above apply to other apps currently available on an Android phone, not to an Android release of PhotoPuzzle.
Frequently asked questions about sharing your phone
Does locking a phone to one app prevent purchases?
No. A one-app session temporarily limits switching to other apps. It does not replace purchase controls inside the app or store. Review the app yourself and set up appropriate purchase restrictions separately.
Can I make an emergency call while Guided Access is on?
Apple says Crash Detection and Emergency Services are unavailable during a Guided Access session. End the session before making an emergency call or using those features. Be especially careful when this is the phone you rely on in an emergency.
What if I cannot find app pinning on Android?
Names and menus vary by manufacturer and Android version. Search device Settings for App pinning or Screen pinning. If you still cannot find it, check the device maker’s official support instructions.
Can my child still see photos inside the pinned app?
Pinning does not automatically hide features or photos already available inside that app. Choose the photos you want to use before handing over the device, and check photo permissions separately.
Is Family Link the same thing as Android app pinning?
No. App pinning is for temporarily keeping the current screen on one app. Family Link manages apps and screen time on a supervised child account. Choose according to whose device is being used and for how long.
What if I cannot exit the one-app session?
On iPhone or iPad, use the button action for your device and OS, then authenticate with the Guided Access passcode or enabled Face ID or Touch ID. On Android, use the unpin gesture for your navigation mode and enter the device PIN, pattern or password if prompted. Try the full exit process before your child uses the device.
Choose the app, practice the exit, then share
Guided Access on iPhone and iPad and app pinning on Android can help keep a borrowed device on one app. Practice both the start and exit steps, and check purchases, photos and in-app content separately.
PhotoPuzzle
Turn a family photo or sample into a puzzle starting at four pieces. Try the first activity together before using Guided Access on iPhone or iPad.
