In iOS 17, Safari gained the ability to lock Private Browsing tabs with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode, depending on which security method your device supports. It works much like the incognito tab lock in Chrome on phones, and it fully protects the sites you visit in Private Browsing on Safari. This guide shows you how to lock private tabs in Safari.
How to lock incognito tabs on Safari with Face ID
Step 1:
First, open the Settings app on your phone. Then scroll down and tap Safari to adjust the browser's settings.
On the next screen, turn on Require Face ID to Unlock Private Browsing so that Face ID is needed to open your private tabs.
If your device supports only Touch ID or a passcode, you will see Require Touch ID to Unlock Private Browsing or Require Passcode to Unlock Private Browsing instead. Turn that option on in the same way.
Step 2:
Next, open Safari and switch to Private Browsing. The screen will show the message Private Browsing is Locked. Tap Unlock, then use Face ID to open your private tabs in Safari.
After that, you can use your private tabs in Safari as usual.
When you leave Private Browsing in Safari, or switch back to regular browsing, the private tab lock turns on automatically, and you will need to unlock it to get back in.
