Locking apps on iPad

You're right, so I think the easiest solution (from a user's standpoint) would be the ability to create password-protected folders. That way I could "lock down" everything I didn't want my three-year-old to use just by moving those apps into one. Hopefully Apple will recognize the benefit of adding such a feature. Anyone who agrees can send them feedback here: http://www.apple.com/feedback/

tdubbs26 - Do you know how they resolved the problem. We use IPADS as an educational tool as well as reinforcement or prize that can be earned for positive behavior. I have been trying to figure out how to hide or disable certain apps so that the teacher can decide which are available for the student to access -but have had no luck -I tried placing the apps in folders but my kids are too smart for that.

thanks Cathy

I'm not sure what tdubbs did but your only options are 1) Settings > Restrictions or 2) using a Passcode for the iPad itself. There is no way to restrict individual apps (outside of the built-in Restrictions) without jailbreaking the iPad.

tdubbs26,

There is an app called Folder Lock that you might try. I have not used it so I cannot vouch for it but I am aware it exists and would likely do what you want.

Good luck.

This one also

http://jaxov.com/2011/02/password-protect-apps-folders-on-iphone-ipod-touch-ipad /

Another option for people like me that have endless money and dont care if our kid breaks our ipad (sorry to all you poor people that worry about that kind of thing) are these little home button covers.

http://bubcap.com/learn.html

You can open up the app you want your kid to use and most kids wont be able to push the home button, so you dont have to worry about them opening any other apps. There are also a couple of cases out there that do basiclly the same thing.

Hope that helps.

Demo wrote:

There is a real easy way to resolve this and it's not technical in nature at all!

IMHO ...Your sister should simply keep the iPad out of the three year old's hands unless she is with the child while she is using it. Call me old fashioned. A child that young has no business "playing" -your very word - with a $500.00 "toy" without adult supervision. There are just way too many things that could occur in that scenario, and a bunch of them aren't good.

Dang. There you go again, railing about personal responsibility!

Hi tdubbs!

First off, MM1 is an idiot, what you said was clear.

Secondly, you don't need parenting tips. I bought the ipad2 32g primarily for my 3 year old to use. He knows he has to be gentle with it. It has so many educational apps for him to use, and he loves it.

So I have a few app/games that I don't want him to use. So what I did was create a folder called MOMMY, and it put it on the last page. All of his games are on the first 2 pages, so he rarely ever goes to the last page. But I even told him that mommy's folder is off limits. He gets it. Hope this helps!

Just another way to look at this is that apple could make IPad a multi user tool so that we could set up user accounts for multiple family members. Then we just add apps for each user. I work in special Ed and love the IPad but there is no amount of telling a child with autism or mental retardation to not go in some folders. I frequently have four to six kids a time on IPads and though I can handle those numbers some can ,in a nano second , get into an app I don' t want them in. You don't not put poision out of reach of a three year old-because you should teach them not to drink it.. You do it because three year olds get into things they shouldn't despite being a great parent or a great teacher. Please apple find some way to lock folders or make multi- user accounts so us "bad" teachers and parents can let kids have some autonomy while keeping them from playing angry birds when they are supposed to be doing math!

Apple already offers exactly the product that you want. It's called the MacBook Air.

That's a laptop is it not? Big difference between at $2000 laptop and a $500 Ipad with an Otterbox on it. And apps that are free or cheap. Airbooks are much less durable and portable for children. And I like the touchscreen capabilities of the Ipad and the fact I can get an Augmentative Communication App on it for $200. So unless you jailbreak your device we still can't restrict certain apps from kid's curious fingers.

I feel badly for the original post. Clearly this is a person who cares about keeping children safe on an iPad. The ability to lock apps should be part of the operating system. I would think that educators would really like this feature. My son's High School allows iPads. Problem is that some kids abuse the privilege by emailing, chatting, etc. during class. The teacher needs to be teaching not looking for kids who abuse the privilege of technology. It would be really useful to be able to keep personal tools locked down during school hours.

Now my first grader is a child with special healthcare needs. He has very low tone in his hands and would benefit from being able to type in school. But I don't want to send him into school with an iPad unless I can ensure that is not possible for him to distract other kids with games, etc. I need an educational folder and then everything else in a locked password protected folder for the appropriate time. Attention Apple: I would run to the Apple store to purchase another iPad if you could provide this feature!

And for those of you with parenting opinions . . . Before I had kids, I thought I knew all about raising them. Raising kids is the most humbling experience. It is not possible to 100% supervise kids all the time, especially when you have more than one child. Yes, sometimes you do need an electronic babysitter--times like stomach flu, phone calls that need undivided attention, cooking dinner without burning down the house, sibling temper tantrums, etc.

Mother of 3 kids who inevitably run in 3 different directions!

I actually need something like this as well. My family needs access to my iPad, e.g., Wife looks up recipes, and Facebook--Kids use educational apps, games. However, I want to keep certain ones lock, mainly in fear of accidental deletion. I have sent request to the outside developers of apps I use to add this function, but what about apple applications such as itunes/music and notepad? Can Apple not add this feature?

Some people seemed confused about this request, but I don't see why. It's pretty basic. When you push an app, have a Password screen pop up--you must enter a password to access application. Hope those "terms" and "phrases" didn't confuse anyone.

Not a very friendly or useful support community. I would also like to be able to lock certain apps on my IPad. After researching this issue it appears that I would have to jailbreak my iPad to get this functionality by downloading a Cydia app after jailbreaking.

My question is why does Apple not allow this functionality? Anyone know why a developer cannot build an App to lock apps or folders, and then get this app in the AppStore? An answer that only says that the iPad is a single user device is not helpful, so please pass on posting this response.

If you can help me understand this issue, then thanks in advance.

Who could have expected that someone from the UK wouldn't be able to keep themselves from railing on and on about how incompetent children are at anything and everything? Oh wait, I could. Which is why I wasn't surprised at all to see him continue to insist that a child just can't be trusted with such "expensive" eqiuipment. I suspect that his idiotic ramblings have alot to do with the combination of the generally appalling attitude that Brits have towards children with his Apple fanboy mindset that keeps him from accepting that Apple dropped the ball by not including such basic functionality in such expensive technology.

The reality is that there is no excuse at all, in this day and age, to not include such a basic feature as the ability to lock certain apps with a simple pin number. It is a blatant design flaw. There is no reason at all children shouldn't have free access to technology when they want to use it. It is the world we live in now; meaning early and frequent exposure to the technology we have access too is pivotal to a child's development into a productive member of the society we have constructed. Keeping it out of their reach and not allowing them to safely and freely explore it is only going to stunt their mental development and stymie their potential compared to the children who are allowed to do so. I am not interested in raising a human being who needs to have their hand held in absolutely everything they do; that just lays the foundation for an adult with severe codependency issues. It is Apple's failure for not providing such a basic feature for their customers; not their customers failing as parents for expecting or asking for such a feature.

Stick that in your tea cup a drink it!

Sincerely,

A Texan Parent

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