Handing your phone to someone, even briefly, can expose far more than intended. Whether it is to share a photo, allow a quick call, or let a child watch a video, unrestricted access can put personal data at risk. To address this, both Android and iPhone offer built-in privacy features that limit access to a single app. Android calls this App Pinning, while Apple uses "Guided Access", allowing you to share your screen safely while keeping the rest of your phone locked.
Your smartphone holds far more than just apps. It contains banking details, private messages, location history, emails, and photos you may not want others to see. Even a quick glance at your home screen can reveal which banks you use or who you communicate with. This is why unrestricted access, even for a moment, can put your privacy and identity at risk. Handing over your phone without restrictions—especially to a stranger—is never a good idea.
There are many everyday situations where this feature becomes useful. A child may want to watch a YouTube video, but you do not want them opening emails or messages. A stranger may need to make a call in an emergency, but nothing beyond that. Even a friend doing a quick Google search does not need access to your search history or other apps. App Pinning and "Guided Access" make sure the phone stays exactly where you want it.
On Android, enabling App Pinning is simple. Head to Settings, search for “App Pinning,” and turn it on. Make sure authentication is required to exit the pinned app. Once enabled, open the app you want to share, go to the recent apps view, tap the app icon, and select Pin. The phone will stay locked to that app until you authenticate. To exit, swipe up and hold, then unlock using your PIN, password, or biometrics.
iPhone users can achieve the same result using "Guided Access". This feature lives under Settings → Accessibility. After setup, it can be activated by triple-clicking the power button. Open the app you want to share, triple-click the power button, and hand over the phone. When finished, triple-click again and authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode to return to normal use.
One limitation exists when sharing photos on both platforms. If you pin the Photos app, the other person can still swipe through your gallery. On iOS, this can be fixed by disabling touch input from the "Session Settings" menu when starting "Guided Access". Android, however, does not currently allow disabling touch during App Pinning, which means extra caution is needed when sharing photos.
The takeaway is simple: never hand your phone to someone without locking it to a single app first. App Pinning on Android and "Guided Access" on iOS are easy to use and extremely effective at protecting your privacy, keeping prying eyes away from your personal data.