To lock a phone to one app, use the feature built into the operating system. On an iPhone or iPad, turn on Guided Access in Accessibility settings. On an Android phone or tablet, turn on App pinning in Security settings. To lock several devices at once, an administrator applies Single App Mode through a mobile device management platform.
Key Takeaways
Locking a phone to one app helps organizations create secure, distraction-free devices for dedicated business tasks and customer-facing workflows.
- Single App Mode Explained: Locking a phone to one app restricts users from accessing other applications, settings, or system functions, turning the device into a dedicated business tool.
- Built-in vs Enterprise Methods: iPhones support Guided Access and Android offers Screen Pinning for temporary use, while MDM-based kiosk mode provides stronger, centrally managed restrictions for organizations.
- Ideal Business Use Cases: Single app mode is widely used for self-service kiosks, POS terminals, digital signage, visitor check-ins, field operations, education, and customer feedback systems.
- Enterprise Features Matter: Beyond locking devices to one app, businesses benefit from remote configuration, automatic app launch, policy enforcement, monitoring, and device recovery capabilities.
- Choose Based on Scale: Built-in features are suitable for personal or occasional use, whereas organizations managing multiple devices should use an MDM solution for secure, scalable, and consistent device lockdown.
What Locking a Phone to One App Actually Means
Three different things get called the same thing, and the difference decides which feature you want:
- App locking usually means putting a passcode on an app so nobody can open it. That is the opposite of what this article covers.
- Locking a phone to one app means the device runs one app and will not leave it. Apple calls this Guided Access. Google calls it App pinning. Both are built in, free, and set up on the device by hand.
- Single App Mode is the managed version. An administrator applies it from a dashboard to many devices at once.
Handing your phone to a child for one game is the first case. Deploying fifty tablets as checkout terminals is the third.
Implementation Methods to Lock iPhone and Android on One App
There are two ways to do this, and which one fits depends entirely on how many devices you are dealing with.
Built-in Features
Every current iPhone, iPad and Android device ships with a way to lock itself to one app — Guided Access on Apple devices, App pinning on Android. They are free, they work offline, and they take about a minute to set up. They are also configured one device at a time, by hand.
Mobile Device Management (MDM) Solutions
An MDM platform applies the same restriction as policy: set once in a dashboard, pushed to a group of devices. It is the difference between locking a phone and locking a fleet. The table below sets the two approaches side by side.
| Feature/Aspect | Built-in Features (like Guided Access/Screen Pinning) | Mobile Device Management (MDM) Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Setup | Simple to activate directly on the device. Typically involves a few steps in device settings. | More complex setup, usually requires IT administration. Involves configuring settings remotely. |
| Control and Customization | Limited control and customization options. Mainly allows locking to a single app. | Extensive control and customization. Can set policies, deploy apps, restrict specific functionalities, etc. |
| Scalability | Ideal for personal use or small-scale scenarios. Not scalable for a large number of devices. | Highly scalable. Can manage and configure large fleets of devices simultaneously. |
| Remote Management | Not available. Any changes require physical access to the device. | Available. Devices can be managed and monitored remotely. Ideal for distributed teams or devices in various locations. |
| Security Features | Basic. Mainly restricts device to a single app. | Advanced. Includes additional security features like remote wipe, data encryption, and compliance reporting. |
| User Access Levels | Typically a one-size-fits-all approach. | Allows different access levels and restrictions for different user groups or device profiles. |
| Cost | Free, as it is a part of the device’s operating system. | Varies. Often involves subscription fees based on the number of devices or level of service. |
| Support and Updates | Limited to the features provided by the OS, dependent on OS updates. | Continuous support and regular updates. MDM providers often offer customer support and compliance with the latest standards and technologies. |
How to Lock an iPhone or iPad to One App
Turn Guided Access on, once per device:
- Open Settings → Accessibility → Guided Access and turn it on.
- Open Passcode Settings and set the passcode that ends a session. Touch ID or Face ID can be enabled here instead.
Start a session:
- Open the app the device should be locked to.
- Triple-click the side button on an iPhone with Face ID, the top button on an iPad with Face ID, or the Home button on models that have one, then choose Guided Access.
- Optionally circle areas of the screen to disable, and switch off hardware buttons or touch under Options.
- Tap Start.
End a session:
- Triple-click the side button on an iPhone with Face ID, the top button on an iPad with Face ID, or the Home button on models that have one.
- Approve with Touch ID or Face ID, or enter the Guided Access passcode.
For iPad specifically, including how Single App Mode differs, see how to lock an iPad to one app.
How to Lock an Android Phone or Tablet to One App
Android’s equivalent is App pinning — Google also calls it “Pin & unpin screens”. It is not Guided Access; that is Apple’s feature, and the two work differently.
Turn it on:
- Open Settings → Security (shown as Security & location on some versions) → Advanced → App pinning and turn it on.
Pin an app:
- Open the screen you want to pin.
- Swipe up to the middle of the screen and hold, to open Overview.
- Tap the app’s icon at the top of the image.
- Tap the Pin icon.
On Android 8.1 and below: tap Overview, swipe up to reveal the Pin icon at the bottom right, then tap it.
To unpin, depending on the navigation style in use:
- Gesture navigation: swipe up and hold
- 2-button navigation: touch and hold Back and Home
- 3-button navigation: touch and hold Back and Overview
Enter the PIN, pattern or password if prompted.
Manufacturers rename these settings; Samsung groups them differently. If the option is not where it is described here, search the Settings app for “pin”. For more on the Android built-in feature and where it falls short, see Guided Access for Android devices.
Locking Several Devices at Once with Single App Mode
Past a handful of devices, configuring each one by hand stops being practical. Single App Mode applies the restriction as policy from a dashboard.
On iOS and iPadOS, Scalefusion documents three prerequisites:
- a supervised iOS device
- a device enrolled as a corporate device — Single App Mode is not supported on devices enrolled as User devices via User invites
- an account with access to the admin dashboard
The setup, in outline:
- Sign in to the Scalefusion dashboard.
- Under Enroll Devices, choose the iPhone or iPad platform and follow the enrollment steps on screen.
- Create or edit an iOS device profile.
- Turn on Single App Mode in the profile and choose the app the devices should be locked to.
- Apply the profile to the device group.
On Android, the managed equivalent runs through Android Enterprise and can lock a device to one app or to a chosen set. Because the setup differs meaningfully from iOS, it is covered in how to lock down Android devices in single-app kiosk mode, and for tablets in locking down Android tablets for business.
Where it earns the setup: shared devices, customer-facing terminals, kiosks, digital signage, warehouse scanners and classroom sets — deployments where the device belongs to the organisation.
FAQs
How do I lock my iPhone on one app?
Turn on Guided Access in Settings → Accessibility and set a passcode. Open the app, triple-click the side button — or the Home button on models that have one — and tap Start. To finish, triple-click again and enter the passcode.
Can you individually lock apps on iPhone?
Guided Access does something different: it locks the device to one app rather than putting a lock on individual apps. Per-app restrictions on iOS are handled through Screen Time, or on a managed device through an MDM policy.
How do I lock my phone so a child can only use one app?
Use Guided Access on iPhone or iPad, or App pinning on Android. Both keep the child in the app, and both need your passcode to leave — so set one the child does not know.
How do I lock my phone screen on one thing?
Guided Access on iOS and App pinning on Android both keep the screen on a single app until someone with the passcode ends the session.
