One UI 9.5 finally adds app lock to Galaxy phones and tablets
▼ Summary
– Samsung phones currently lack a simple app-locking option, despite expectations for One UI 7.0 and 9.0.
– The App Lock feature is expected to arrive with One UI 9.5, discovered in firmware on a Galaxy S26 by tipster Fahad Ali Javed.
– Users can lock any app or game by pressing and holding its icon and tapping the lock-shaped icon in the top right corner of the menu.
– App Lock works from both the home screen and the app drawer.
– Locked apps unlock using the phone’s existing screen unlock method, requiring no additional password or PIN.
Samsung’s Galaxy devices have long offered Secure Folder for safeguarding sensitive files and applications, but a straightforward way to lock individual apps or games has remained noticeably absent. Many users expected this capability to debut with One UI 7.0, and later with One UI 9.0, yet neither update delivered it. Fresh evidence now points to the feature finally making its way to devices through One UI 9.5.
Tipster Fahad Ali Javed, who uncovered a One UI 9.5 firmware build on their Galaxy S26, has identified a newly developed App Lock function within the software. The feature is accessed by long-pressing an app or game icon, which reveals a lock-shaped button in the menu’s upper right corner. From there, users can secure any application directly from the home screen or the app drawer, no extra steps required.
What makes this implementation particularly user-friendly is its reliance on the device’s existing screen lock method. There is no need to memorize a separate password or PIN for protected apps, as unlocking them works exactly the same way as unlocking the phone itself. This integration streamlines the experience, keeping privacy protection both simple and consistent across the system.
(Source: SamMobile)
