One UI is now expected to get a new feature called App Lock with the upcoming One UI 7 update. This news comes from leaker Tarun Vats on X (formerly Twitter).

It is known that this is not a completely new feature and this app-locking function was present in previous versions of One UI in certain regions. Apple is also developing similar functionality, which may have prompted Samsung to introduce the feature on the upcoming OneUI 7 update.

The App Lock feature is currently missing in One UI 6. You can see the screenshot above, which shows it is available in the next version of One UI that is in development. This is located in the Advanced Features section of the Settings app. Currently, you will not see the โ€œApp Lockโ€ feature below Dual Messenger in the Advanced Features section on devices running on One UI 6.1.

It's important to note that you can still hide your apps, documents, and files in Secure Folder. You just need to set it up for the first time and install the new version of that app. However, if you don't want to go through the entire setup process and just want simple app locking, the upcoming App Lock feature will be a great choice for you.

There are several other similarly useful features available in One UI such as Samsung Pass, Auto Blocker, Secure Folder, and Private Share. However, the App Lock feature is currently being developed so it is not yet certain whether it will appear on the One UI 7 update or not.