Handing your device to somebody
Show one thing on your phone without opening the rest of it.
Handing somebody your unlocked phone hands them your mail, your bank app, and every photo.
Most of the time that is fine. But there is a gentler option built in. Apple calls it Guided Access, Android calls it screen pinning. Both lock the phone to whatever app is open.
The other person can scroll and tap inside that one app. Swiping away does nothing. You unlock it again with your code or a triple press of the side button.
This is perfect for showing a grandchild a game, or handing a photo to a neighbor without them thumbing into last week.
Key points
- An unlocked phone shows a person everything.
- Guided Access and screen pinning lock it to one app.
- Open the app first, then turn on the lock.
- Your code brings you back out.
- You can also just hold the phone yourself.
What to remember
- The setting has to be switched on once before you can use it.
- Open first, lock second. That order never changes.
- Doing the tapping yourself is polite, normal, and keeps everything yours.
Try this
Turn the setting on today, open your photos, lock the screen to it, and hand the phone to somebody to try swiping away.
Practice: Handing your device to somebody. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.