Padlock at the top of an iPhone: what does it mean?
On an iPhone it means the phone is locked.
What Apple says
- iPhone (Apple) — Lock. iPhone is locked. Apple points to its page on waking and unlocking iPhone.
Source: Apple Support: Learn the meaning of iPhone status icons (iPhone User Guide) (checked 2026-09-29)
- What it looks like
- A closed padlock.
- Shown by
- iPhone (Apple)
Telling it apart
A padlock inside a circular arrow is the portrait orientation lock, not the phone lock.
Icons to compare
Sources
Each meaning above is taken from the maker’s own support page, fetched and read on the date shown. The drawing is ours; the real icon on your phone may be drawn a little differently and can change with software updates.
- iPhone (Apple) — Apple Support: Learn the meaning of iPhone status icons (iPhone User Guide). OS: iOS 27, the version the guide opened on; not dated on the page. Checked 2026-09-29.