Is there a way to password protect my folders that store my apps?

Nope, can't be done. You could move them several screens away from the home screen though.

Because the iPad is not intended as a multiuser device.

If the apps have age ratings on them then you can hide them via Settings > General > Restrictions > Allowed Content: Apps

I've often wondered how that works. When it says 'don't allow', what does it mean? Not allowed to download? Hide existing apps?

It's not clear to me.

PS It's good to see our locations back after today's maintenance!

It may not have been 'intended' to be a multi-user device but it certainly is one in all the examples I've seen. Family use also features heavily in a lot of the promotional material.

I think this goes back to the roots of iOS, i.e. iPhones and iPods. Now they are one-user devices.

In my opinion, Apple needs a bit of a rethink on the iPad version of iOS. There have been many requests here for features such as password protected email, which I would have thought would not be difficult to implement.

It's meant to hide existing apps (not that many of my apps seem to have age ratings, apart from the browser I bought). Downloading of apps can only be on or off via it's own restriction setting.

And I agree about the location - makes answering some questions easier, such as those relating to iTunes/ App stores which can be location specific.

Thanks. You would think that would solve the OP's issue then as presumably any adult apps allowed by Apple would have an age restriction set.

Hmm.. I've just experimented with the restrictions settings, and if I set them to not allow 17+ then a whole load of apps that access the internet like all my browsers get hidden!

Now, I understand the logic of that, but it makes that setting have very limited use. Maybe Apple should introduce a new category for 'adult' apps to allow people like the OP to do what he is looking for.

My browser is the only app that when it has updates I have to confirm that I am over 18. I think some browsers may have parental controls within them (or at least I've seen threads about them). At the moment the iPad is very much a single user device.

King_Penguin wrote:

My browser is the only app that when it has updates I have to confirm that I am over 18.

Same for me.

At the moment the iPad is very much a single user device.

Well, it's more that that iOS was designed to be for single users with it's iPhone and iPod origins. In practice, the iPad is most definitely not a single user device, IMO. (see post above)

Message was edited by: igmackenzie

There are reasons that there should be a locking feature for files even with a single user device. This is particularly true for school use and even more for students with autism. If you require a student to do academics, use a device for communication purposes or reference a schedule on an iPad, you want to make sure that the individual does not skip into the motivational apps folder when something else is supposed to be happening. Don't make the assumption that it will be all fine if there was an adult in attendance. There are two reasons that this is not a valid argument. Children with autism (or others as well) will often take a restriction that is external a lot better than someone telling them what to do. If they discover a folder locked, they may simply move on. If someone tells them no, they may not be able to understand. A meltdown could ensue. The other reason is because we want to teach kids to be more independent. If we have to hover as they are going through a schedule, then it is not good for their growth. We need locking folders so we can communicate first ______ then _____ and make it work.

Great post. I too am facing the same problem.

I was jailbroken on my iPhone 4S iOS 5.0.1 and had the liberty to modify my device. It was so easy to lock apps and folders as I desired. Unfortunately, I had to restore. iTunes didn't allow me to restore to anything other than iOS 6.1.3. Now it has become increasingly difficult for me to use my iPhone.

It is pertinent to mention that Apple should take notice of these small things to make iOS better. Apple's claim that iOS is an easy to use system is wrong. You can do all the great stuff like toggling features on and off on an Android phone much easily directly from the status bar. But on a non jailbroken iPhone nothing's possible.

Maybe people should start buying androids instead of iPhones and iPods.

If Apple improves iOS maybe the need for jailbreaks totally goes of.

There are several apps that have features you can use to lock photos and media. I'm not sure if there are apps that can lock folders.