Google Drive on iOS, iPadOS gets Touch ID, Face ID lock support

Google offered similar privacy functionality including passcodes on iPhones until late 2017. The functionality has made a comeback but with only Face ID or Touch ID.

Google Drive gets another privacy layer (REUTERS)

Google has started rolling out a new update for Google Drive on iOS and iPadOS which brings a new security feature. Drive users on these platforms can now lock the app through Face ID or Touch ID. The feature will help keep your content on the Drive more secure.

Users will also have the option to customise the "Delay" for the Face ID or Touch ID to kick in. You can set it for 10 seconds, 1 minute, or 10 minutes depending upon the preference. Note that the privacy screen has some limitations. For instance, it won't hide notifications, certain Siri functionality, files shared with the Files app, photos shared with the Photos app, and other system functionality.

Google had first announced the feature last month. It's likely the feature has begun rolling out just recently. "Sometimes you might want a little more privacy for documents stored on your phone," a Google spokesperson told Digital Trends. "You might share devices with family or loved ones more often if you're working from home."

The new privacy screen feature is quite similar to WhatsApp's on iOS. The Facebook-owned app supports fingerprint-based authentication on Android.

It's worth noting that Google offered a similar privacy screen functionality on iPhones until late 2017. Then, Google also had the passcode as one of the ways to unlock the Drive app. Google later removed the functionality.