App lock for Android

Private things stay private.

AppLock Master puts a PIN, a pattern or your fingerprint in front of the apps you choose — your chats, your gallery, your banking app. It also keeps a history of your notifications, so a message deleted by its sender stays readable, and it has a private browser that blocks ads and remembers nothing.

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The AppLock Master list of installed apps, with a lock beside each one
WhatsApp, Chrome, Discord and Instagram, each marked as locked
Notification history showing a message the sender deleted

What it does

One lock, and a few things around it.

Setting it up

Three steps, about thirty seconds.

  1. Allow two permissions

    Usage access lets it see which app is opening. Display over other apps lets it put the lock screen on top.

  2. Tick the apps to lock

    Everything on your phone is in one list. Search it, or filter to what you’ve already locked.

  3. Choose how to unlock

    A PIN, a pattern or your fingerprint. Change it whenever you like — a security question gets you back in if you forget.

What it asks for

Every permission, and why.

An app lock needs more access than most apps, so here is each one, what it’s for, and when you’ll see it.

PermissionWhat it’s forWhen it’s asked
Usage accessSeeing which app is opening, so the lock appears before the app does.At setup
Display over other appsDrawing the lock screen on top of the app you opened.At setup
Notification accessKeeping notification history, and hiding previews for the apps you choose.Only if you turn those on
CameraTaking the intruder photo after repeated wrong attempts.Only if you turn intruder selfie on

Your PIN, pattern, security question, locked-app list and intruder photos stay on your phone and aren’t uploaded; there’s no account to create. The app is free because it shows ads, and it uses analytics and crash reports — the privacy policy names each service and what it receives. Fingerprint unlock uses your phone’s own biometrics: the app is told only whether it matched.

Questions people ask

Does it work with WhatsApp and Instagram?

Yes. It locks any app installed on your phone: WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, your gallery, messages, banking apps, even Settings and the Play Store.

Can someone just uninstall it?

Not if uninstall protection is on. Your passcode is asked for before the uninstall screen and the permission settings open, so it can’t be removed behind your back.

What if I forget my PIN?

Answer the security question you set up, then choose a new PIN or pattern.

Will it slow my phone down or drain the battery?

It waits in the background for a locked app to open and does very little otherwise, so in everyday use the difference in battery is hard to notice.

Does it keep working after I restart my phone?

Yes. It starts again on its own after a restart.

Is it free?

Yes, AppLock Master is free to download on Google Play. It shows ads to stay free.

Keep private things private.

Free on Google Play. Setting it up takes about thirty seconds.

Get it on Google Play

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