iOS 9.3: Set up Touch ID and password protection for Notes

iOS 9.3 brings with it a number of new features, including the ability to password protect your data in the Notes app. And you also have the option of using Touch ID instead of typing in your password each time your access your notes.

In this how-to I’ll show you how to set up a password for Notes and how to enable Touch ID.

How to set up a password and Touch ID for Notes in iOS 9.3

Here’s how to set up a password for Notes in iOS 9.3:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap on Notes.

3. Tap on Password Protection.

4. Type in your preferred password, and type in a password hint.

5. The Touch ID button is on by default on the password screen. So you don’t need to do anything else to enable it. But if you don’t want to use Touch ID to access the Notes app, you’ll need to tap the button and move it to the off position.

Thanks for the extra privacy protection for Notes, Apple

I must admit that I was a bit surprised that Apple added the ability to use a password and Touch ID to the Notes app. I hadn’t expected them to do so at all, but when I stopped to think about it, it makes a lot of sense for many iOS users.

Notes might contain information that iOS users definitely don’t want someone else to easily access. The data in the Notes app can be confidential or otherwise very private. And if someone has access to your iOS device, they could easily see everything in the Notes app if there’s no password or Touch ID set up to protect your data.

So kudos to Apple for adding password and Touch ID protection to the Notes app.

Apple should add password and Touch ID protection to Photos and Messages

I’d also like to see the company add the very same protection to the Photos app. Photos and videos are certainly something that many people would like to keep private and away from prying eyes.

I remember one time letting a friend use my iPad, and then suddenly realizing that he was scrolling through all of my photos. It was slightly rude of him to do that since I hadn’t given him permission, so I was a bit irritated. If I had had the option to password protect my photos and videos, that incident would not have happened.

Messages is certainly another good candidate for additional privacy protections in a future release of iOS. People say all kinds of things in messages to their friends and family, and much of it should remain private between the individuals involved in the conversation.

So let’s hope Apple offers password and Touch ID protection to Messages and Photos in a future iOS release.

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