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There are times when you might want to let someone else temporarily use your iPhone – to take a picture of you, for example – without giving them access to everything on your device. But right now, that’s not really possible in iOS 18.
That could all change in the future, though, as a recently published patent indicates that Apple is thinking about bringing some form of “guest access” mode to future iPhones. If it comes to fruition, it could solve a thorny issue that’s been bugging iPhone users for years.
According to the patent, an iPhone's owner could set up a guest mode for other users. This mode would have restricted access to apps and files, with the device owner deciding what is accessible to guest users and what is not. The idea is that you can still let someone else use your iPhone without the risk of them messing with (or deleting) something important.
The patent states that access could be granted to the second user once they are authenticated in some way. This might provide an extra layer of security so that not just anyone can access the guest mode. As well as that, you may be able to control guest access from a second device (like another iPhone or iPad), enabling you to change settings on the fly from a separate location.
Gaining a handy feature from macOS
Apple has never implemented a feature like this in its iPhones, although a few related alternatives exist. For instance, iOS 18 introduced hidden and locked apps, which can be concealed from view or secured behind a passcode. Similarly, iOS contains a Guided Access feature, although this locks your device into using a single app rather than a suite that you’ve decided on, like in the guest access patent.
The patent idea could help bring some level of parity between the iPhone and the Mac, at least in this area. Mac users have been able to create guest accounts for years, helping to keep vital apps, documents, and operating system functions sequestered away from those who don’t need to access them. Now, iOS users might be able to do the same thing at some point in the future.
It could also bring benefits to the iPad. Apple’s tablets are often used as gaming devices for children or as home-control hubs, and a guest mode would help keep them focused on the tasks they’re being used for without being as restrictive as Guided Access mode.
That said, this is just a patent, and there’s no guarantee that Apple will ever implement it in an actual iPhone. The company frequently files patents for experimental ideas that it ultimately declines to pursue, and this could be another example.
Still, we’re hoping it does eventually make it into iOS to give iPhone users more control over how other people use their devices.