Start a lock

Starting a lock begins your timer and your check-in schedule. You can start one from Home any time you're not locked.

Start a lock

1. Open Home. When you're not locked, you'll see the Not locked card.
2. Under Minimum check-ins, choose how often you'll check in at least:
   • At least every 6 hours (4× a day)
   • At least twice a day (every 12 hours)
   • At least once a day (the default)
   • At least every 2 days
   • At least every 3 days
   • At least once a week
3. If you see How it’s locked, choose where your key is. 🤝 Honor system is the default. Beta lockboxes ask for a fail-safe and a maximum lock time first (see How your lock is locked).
4. Tap 🔒 Start lock.

Your timer starts straight away, and your first check-in is due one interval from now.

The schedule is a minimum. You can check in as often as you like, and every check-in starts the clock again. A lock with no check-in for 5 days ends on its own (see When a lock ends on its own).

With or without a keyholder

With a keyholder (for example, Morgan holds your key):

• Morgan is told when you start a lock, and sees every check-in.
• Morgan can change your minimum check-ins at any time. You get a notification when they do.
• Morgan decides when you're released. You can ask for a release, but you can't end the lock yourself, except with emergency unlock.

Without a keyholder you're self-managing. The No keyholder card says so, and you can end your lock whenever you like. You can't change the schedule of a lock that's running, so pick one you can keep. To get a keyholder, tap that card or open the Keyholder tab to send a pairing request (see Pair with a keyholder).

If you pair with a keyholder while you're locked, they take over the lock you're in. If the pairing ends, your lock carries on as self-managed.

What your lock page shows

Once you're locked, Home becomes your lock page:

• Status chips: On track, Check-in due soon, Check-in overdue, Release requested, On release or Lock back up now, plus how many check-ins you've missed and your schedule (for example Min. once a day).
• Time locked: days, hours, minutes and seconds, with your Best ever lock and this lock's Check-ins.
• Check in now, when your next check-in is due, and when you locked.
• 🙏 Ask to skip (with a keyholder) and ↗ Share streak (to X or Bluesky).
• With a Beta lockbox, a card that shows how you're locked, your fail-safe and your maximum lock time (see How your lock is locked).
• The Lock game card, your keyholder, your Photo check-ins setting and your Recent check-ins.
• If your keyholder hasn't been on CageCheck for a week, a card that lets you release yourself (see If your keyholder is away).
• At the bottom: Ask keyholder for release and Emergency unlock, or End lock if you're self-managing.

On a computer, the right-hand column also shows a Your lock card, and the side menu has a Check in button.

When you start a lock, a "started a new lock" post can appear in the feed, depending on Settings → Activity in the feed (see Activity in the feed).