The Settings Page¶
Opening it¶
Go to the Info tab and tap Settings. The app asks for Face ID or Touch ID first, so that nobody who picks up your unlocked phone can quietly change how it's protected. (If your iPhone has neither set up, the page opens without a check, because otherwise nothing could ever be changed.) Tap Done or swipe the page down to close it.
[Screenshot: the Settings page showing its five settings]
The five settings¶
| Setting | What it does | Starts as |
|---|---|---|
| Require Face ID / Touch ID at Launch | Shows a lock screen whenever the app opens or comes back to the front, and after the Idle Timeout. Turning it off needs Face ID or Touch ID. Every individual code still needs Face ID or Touch ID whatever you choose here. | On |
| Close After | How many seconds the code screen stays open once a code is showing. The orange Done button fills up as the time runs out. Any number from 0 to 300; 0 keeps the screen open until you close it. | 20 |
| Idle Timeout | How many seconds the app can sit untouched before it closes whatever is open and covers itself with its splash screen. Any number from 10 to 300; 0 turns it off. | 120 (2 minutes) |
| Sync Accounts via iCloud Keychain | Shows the answer you gave to the sync question. It can't be changed here; the text under it explains how. See Syncing Between Your iPhones. | Your first-launch answer |
| Use Device Sync (under Apple Watch) | Sends your accounts to the Private Authenticator app on your Apple Watch. See Apple Watch. | Off |
Typing a number¶
Close After and Idle Timeout are typed with the number keypad. A valid number is saved as soon as you type it. If what you typed isn't allowed (letters, a number outside the range, or nothing at all), a red Not saved note appears under the field and the old value stays. Tap Done above the keypad, or scroll, to put the keypad away.
Where the other choices live¶
Everything else you can change is elsewhere:
- Tags: the Tags tab's gear, or Manage Tags in the menu.
- Which app opens add to authenticator links: the iPhone's own Settings app, under General → AutoFill & Passwords → Verification Codes → Set Up Codes In.
- Camera and Photos permissions: the iPhone's Settings app, under Apps → PrivAuth.
Continue to Face ID at Launch and the Idle Timeout.