Here’s an uncomfortable thought: hand your locked iPhone to a stranger, and they can swipe right and read your calendar, your news headlines, your health data — without ever unlocking the phone. That’s the Today View, the widget panel that lives on your lock screen. The good news: a single toggle in Settings hides it behind your passcode. This is one of the quickest privacy wins on iOS.
Think about what’s sitting on your Today View right now: upcoming calendar events with meeting links, the top news headlines, your latest health and activity stats, the battery level of your AirPods, maybe a shortcut that starts playing music or calls your partner. All of it is one swipe away for anyone who picks up your phone — a curious coworker, a thief, anyone. The lock screen asks for no authentication and keeps no audit trail, so you’ll never even know someone looked.
Blocking Today View on the lock screen
Step 1 — Find the Today View
Wake your iPhone without unlocking it (raise it or press the side button), then swipe right. That’s the Today View: widgets for weather, calendar, news, battery, and anything else you’ve added. Anyone holding your locked phone can see all of it. 9to5Mac has long flagged this as a privacy soft spot on iOS.
Step 2 — Open Settings
Unlock the phone and open the Settings app. This is where iOS keeps all lock-screen access permissions.
Step 3 — Go to Touch ID & Passcode (or Face ID & Passcode)
On iPhones with Touch ID, tap Touch ID & Passcode; on iPhones with Face ID, tap Face ID & Passcode. Enter your passcode when prompted.
Step 4 — Turn off Today View
Scroll down to the section labeled Allow access when locked. Find the Today View toggle and switch it off. That’s it — the widget panel (and the lock-screen search) now refuses to open until the phone is unlocked. Apple’s iPhone support pages document what each of these lock-screen permissions controls.
Step 5 — Verify it worked
Lock your phone, wake it, and swipe right. Instead of widgets, you’ll see the passcode prompt. Your widgets still work perfectly once the phone is unlocked — nothing is deleted or rearranged.
What else leaks from the lock screen
While you’re in the “Allow access when locked” list, take a look at the other toggles. Notification Center can expose message previews and email subjects to anyone who swipes down. Control Center gives instant access to the flashlight, camera, and any smart-home toggles you’ve added — convenient, but also operable by a stranger. And Siri on the lock screen can read out messages, make calls, and reveal who’s texting you. You don’t have to disable all of these, but review them once and keep only what you actually use without unlocking.
If it still doesn’t work
If the Today View still appears on the lock screen, double-check that you toggled Today View and not Notification Center or Control Center — those are separate toggles on the same screen. A restart settles the occasional stuck setting. And remember: this toggle is fully reversible, so flip it back on any time you want lock-screen widgets again.
Frequently asked questions
Does this delete my widgets?
No. Your widgets stay exactly where they are and work normally after you unlock. The toggle only controls whether the locked phone shows them.
Can I still see widgets in Notification Center when unlocked?
Yes — swiping right on the home screen still opens Today View. The change only affects the locked state.
Conclusion
Lock-screen widgets are convenient right up until someone else is holding your phone. One toggle — Settings → Touch/Face ID & Passcode → Today View off — turns a privacy hole into a non-issue, and a quick review of the other lock-screen permissions closes the rest of the gaps. For more lock-screen hardening, see how to disable quick camera launch from the lock screen, learn how to move lock-screen widgets down in iOS 26, or explore the iOS 26 liquid-glass lock-screen clock redesign.
