Jailbreak Tweak 'AppLocker' Locks Individual Apps With Touch ID - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Jailbreak Tweak 'AppLocker' Locks Individual Apps With Touch ID

by

Following the December release of the evasi0n jailbreak for iOS 7 devices, several new jailbreak tweaks for the iPhone 5s are in the works, including a newly updated version of AppLocker that is designed to take advantage of the Touch ID sensor of the iPhone 5s.

AppLocker is a tweak that has existed for some time, allowing users to lock individual apps with a password. With iOS 7 and an iPhone 5s, AppLocker is able to lock and unlock apps using Touch ID's fingerprint recognition capabilities. iDownloadBlog has a detailed video of the tweak in use:


AppLocker is only able to access fingerprints that have been entered into the iPhone 5s via the Touch ID menu in the Settings app, and different fingerprints are not distinguished by the system, so there is little setup needed to install the tweak. As demonstrated in the video, app unlocking works as seamlessly as standard device unlocking with Touch ID.

At the current point in time, Touch ID on non-jailbroken devices is limited to unlocking the phone and making purchases in the App Store. It is likely that Apple will expand the use of Touch ID in the future, but it remains unknown whether Apple has plans to release a Touch ID API that would allow the functionality to be built into individual apps as in the AppLocker jailbreak tweak.

The security implications of the Touch ID-supported AppLocker tweak are unknown, as Apple has said that all Touch ID data (in the form of a mathematical representation of a fingerprint) is stored in a "Secure Enclave" inside the A7 processor that is walled off from the rest of iOS and unavailable to iOS or other apps.

According to the developer of the tweak, who spoke to Cult of Mac, AppLocker is not accessing Touch ID data, but rather confirming that a finger is authenticated. "All I am doing is asking iOS, 'Hey, is this finger authenticated?' and I get either a 'Yes' or a 'No,'" he said.

The Touch ID functionality in AppLocker 2.2 is currently available for download on jailbroken devices via the ModMyi repo. The update is free for current AppLocker users and $0.99 for new purchasers.

Top Rated Comments

Z
zunairryk
161 months ago
Why is the calculator app locked in the video? Is it his secret naughty number stash? Does he type in "34 + 35" and giggle to himself?

It's called a Demo :rolleyes:
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
O
osx11
161 months ago
aka New Feature in iOS 8......
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
AngerDanger
161 months ago
Why is the calculator app locked in the video? Is it his secret naughty number stash? Does he type in "34 + 35" and giggle to himself? Because I certainly don't… nope…
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
W
wikiverse
161 months ago
this might not be terribly useful on a phone but an ipad is a very different story. Before ipad air came out I was sure it would have touch id and it would be used as some kind of multi-user authentication tool along the lines of this jailbreak app. I still expect it to happen in ios 8 and the next ipad.

Multi user iPad? Put down the crack pipe.

Apple don't want to sell you one iPad for many users, they want you to buy one iPad each.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kriebe Avatar
kriebe
161 months ago
It's called a Demo :rolleyes:

And his comment is called a joke. ;)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Agent OrangeZ Avatar
Agent OrangeZ
161 months ago
I want banks to have the ability (an API) to use Touch ID to access bank accounts quicker on my phone. I am looking at you Chase app!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

iOS 27 on iPhone 17 1

iOS 27 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Saturday May 2, 2026 8:43 am PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8, and there are already many rumored features and changes for iPhones. The first developer beta of iOS 27 will likely be available immediately following the keynote, and a public beta typically follows in July. Following beta testing, the software update should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in...
Read Full Article • 91 comments
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

Why You Might Want to Wait to Buy a MacBook Pro

Friday May 1, 2026 3:43 pm PDT by
Apple refreshed the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max models in March 2026, but depending on your needs and interests, you might want to skip this generation because there's something better in the works. The M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models have faster chips, but the same design that Apple has used since 2021. An updated design with new display technology and faster ...
Read Full Article • 175 comments
Apple Announces 2026 Pride Band Watch Face and iPhone Wallpaper Article 2

iOS 26.5 Coming Soon With These New Features

Monday May 4, 2026 8:40 am PDT by
iOS 26.5 is expected to be released next week, following more than a month of beta testing. The update is relatively minor, but there are a couple of new features and changes across the operating system that we have recapped below. iOS 26.5 lays the groundwork for end-to-end encryption for RCS in the Messages app and ads in the Apple Maps app, and it will include a new Pride wallpaper and a...
Read Full Article • 39 comments