DELETE THIS Set it up - Securing your iPhone with a lock screen

Your iPhone 6s has a lot of valuable information on it, and will likely be signed into accounts inside various apps to give you quick access to your data; Email, social media and file sharing apps to name but a few. The best way to keep all of this data from prying eyes is to secure your 6s with a passcode.

On an iPhone, you have a choice between a Custom Alphanumeric Code (which is a password using letters and numbers), a Custom Numeric Code (numbers only, but as many digits as you like!) or a 4-digit Numeric Code (a good old-fashioned PIN!). You will need to decide which you want to use, so it's worth considering that before you dive into the settings.

How to set a passcode on your iPhone 6S

1. Tap on the Settings icon, then scroll down and tap on Touch ID & Passcode.
2. In the Touch ID & Passcode menu, tap the blue link to Turn Passcode On.
3. The default Passcode setting is a Custom Alphanumeric Code - a complex password containing letters and numbers. You can change this by tapping Passcode Options.
4. Tap your chosen Passcode option to select it.

5. Enter your passcode (our example shows a simple, 4-digit code but a long passcode is set in the same way). When you tap the fourth digit, the screen will advance automatically.
6. Re-enter your passcode to confirm it. If the entered passcodes don't match, you will be returned to the first passcode entry screen to start over. If the passcode has been entered the same both times, then you will return to the Passcode menu.
7. The last thing to decide is how quickly you need to enter your passcode, which is often a balance between usability and security. Tap Require Passcode.
8. Choose your timeout from the list on screen by tapping the interval you'd like to set. A tick will appear on that line, and when you're happy with the setting, tap Back in the top left-hand corner.

You can allow access to certain elements of your iPhone when the screen is locked. There are switches to allow access to Notifications, Siri, and other parts of the operating system. Tap any of these to enable them (when on the switches will appear green).

How to set up Touch ID to unlock your iPhone 6s

Now that you have set a Passcode, you may wish to enable Touch ID, which is fingerprint recognition to unlock your phone (meaning you won't have to type in that password, although you can if you want to!). To start setting up Touch ID, you'll need to be in the Settings menu.

1. In the main Settings menu, tap Touch ID & Passcode.
2. Enter your Passcode to access the settings.
3. Tap Add a Fingerprint.
4. To start adding your fingerprint, place your finger or thumb onto the Home button, but don't press it.

5. Lift and replace your finger as prompted on screen, moving it very slightly as you do so. When the middle of your print has been scanned, you will be asked to place your finger in different positions on the home button to scan the edges. When your print is fully scanned, you will see a Complete screen. Tap Continue.
6. As you add fingerprints, they will be numbered. You can change the names (so you know which print is which) or delete prints form the phone by tapping on the name and then editing or deleting as required.
7. When you've changed the name of a print, tap Done on the keyboard to save the new name.

That's all there is to it. You can add up to five fingerprints, depending on how you use your phone.