Lock WhatsApp, Messages and Photos — invisibly.
These are the apps people ask to see. Each one has its own way to lock it, and each of those shows a lock. Private I protects them with a decoy instead.
Download on the App StoreLock WhatsApp on iPhone
WhatsApp has its own Screen Lock and Chat Lock, both using Face ID. They work, but Screen Lock asks for Face ID every time WhatsApp opens, and Chat Lock moves chats into a Locked Chats folder. Anyone looking can see you've locked something.
With Private I, WhatsApp opens to what looks like a connection error or an endless spinner. To anyone else, WhatsApp is just having a bad day.
Lock Messages on iPhone
Messages has no lock of its own. Since iOS 18 you can put it behind Require Face ID, which shows a Face ID prompt every time it opens — on the one app everyone expects to just open.
Private I makes Messages look like it's stuck loading. No prompt, and no question about why your texts are locked.
Lock Photos on iPhone
Photos locks its Hidden and Recently Deleted albums with Face ID, and you can lock the whole app with Require Face ID. Either way, there's a locked album or a prompt to notice.
Private I protects the whole Photos app with a decoy. Someone opening it to find one photo sees an app that won't load instead of your library.
Protect all three — and keep them protected
The free version of Private I protects one app. Pro protects as many as you like, with a different decoy for each — a network error on WhatsApp, a loading screen on Photos, a crash on Messages — so no single fault looks suspicious.
Tamper Lock, part of Pro, stops anyone switching your protection off. Getting to the settings that keep your apps protected needs your face first. Compare Private I with iPhone's built-in app lock.
Frequently asked questions
Can I lock WhatsApp without WhatsApp showing a lock?
Yes. Leave WhatsApp's own Screen Lock off and protect WhatsApp with Private I. Anyone else who opens it sees a decoy instead of a Face ID prompt.
Can I lock the Messages app on iPhone?
Yes. iPhone's Require Face ID locks it with a visible prompt. Private I protects it with a decoy, so Messages simply looks like it won't load.
Will my notifications still show messages?
Private I protects what's inside the app; it doesn't change your notifications. To keep previews private, set Show Previews to When Unlocked or Never in Settings → Notifications.
Can I protect all three apps for free?
The free version protects one app. Private I Pro protects WhatsApp, Messages, Photos and any other app you choose.