Pick a Strong Lock Screen Passcode
One of the most important things you can do to secure your phone while you’re away from it is to implement a passcode—and not just the four-digit kind. However, a strong password doesn’t guard against someone looking over your shoulder or viewing your iPhone’s lock screen as it sits on your desk. To keep your lock screen safe, manage the lock screen notifications.
Disable Lock Screen Notifications
Hide notifications on the lock screen so that only alerts from certain apps (or no apps) appear while your phone is locked. You control which apps show lock screen notifications.
Turn Off Siri Access From the Lock Screen
Siri is handy when easily accessible, and having it on the lock screen is usually ideal. Having Siri available there requires security access, so you might want to shut off Siri so that it can’t be instructed to show anything private while your phone is locked. To disable Siri from the lock screen, go to Settings and tap Siri & Search. Scroll down and turn off the Allow Siri When Locked toggle switch.
Disable Notification Center Previews on Lock Screen
By default, anyone who picks up your phone can see your notifications. You can turn off lock screen notifications while still getting them when you unlock your phone.
Turn Off Message Previews Inside Apps
With some apps, you can keep notifications enabled but disable previews. For example, be notified when you get a text or mail but turn off the message part. Anyone looking at your phone sees only that you got a message, but they won’t know what it says. This isn’t a function of every iPhone app, but some apps include it as an option. What makes this different from the Notification preview settings is that the app controls the alerts, not the phone settings. For example, as shown below, the Signal app includes an option to show only the name of the person texting you, or you can show no name or message but include an alert that someone messaged you.
Change the Lock Screen Wallpaper
When you don’t want anyone to find out about you by looking at your iPhone lock screen, remove all personal information from the lock screen, such as a wallpaper that shows your face or a family photo. Changing your iPhone wallpaper is easy. Just choose something not so identifying.
