How to Hide Photos on iPhone
Hide one photo or many, find and unhide them, hide the Hidden album itself, and know what iPhone's built-in hiding does and doesn't protect.
Select the photos, tap the More button, then tap Hide. They move to the Hidden album under Collections → Utilities, which opens with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. To hide the album itself, turn off Show Hidden Album in Settings → Apps → Photos.
Hide one photo
- Open Photos and find the photo or video.
- Touch and hold it.
- Tap Hide, then confirm.
The photo disappears from your Library, your other albums and the Photos widget on your Home Screen.
Hide several photos at once
- In Photos, tap Select.
- Tap each photo and video you want to hide.
- Tap the More button (the three dots), then tap Hide and confirm.
Find your hidden photos
- Open Photos and tap Collections.
- Scroll down to Utilities and tap Hidden.
- Tap View Album, then unlock it with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.
Unhide a photo
- Open the Hidden album as above.
- Touch and hold the photo.
- Tap Unhide.
It goes back to its usual place in your Library.
Hide the Hidden album itself
By default, the Hidden album is listed under Utilities, so anyone looking through Photos can see that it exists. To remove it from view:
- Open Settings and tap Apps.
- Tap Photos.
- Turn off Show Hidden Album.
To see your hidden photos again later, turn this back on first.
Keep the Face ID lock on
Since iOS 16, the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are locked by default. The lock is controlled by Use Face ID (or Touch ID, or Passcode) in Settings → Apps → Photos.
If that setting is off, both albums open without asking. Check that it’s on.
Don’t forget Recently Deleted
Deleting a photo doesn’t remove it right away. It moves to Recently Deleted and stays there for 30 days. That album is locked the same way as Hidden.
If you’re moving private photos somewhere else, delete them from Recently Deleted too, so no copy is left on your iPhone.
On Mac and iCloud.com
- Mac: in Photos, Control-click a photo and choose Hide Photo, or press Command-L.
- iCloud.com: you can hide photos in the Photos section there too.
With iCloud Photos on, hiding is shared across devices. Hide a photo on one device, and it’s hidden on the others.
What hiding does, and what it doesn’t
Hiding is good for keeping photos out of sight. A friend scrolling through your camera roll won’t see them, and neither will a Memory or a widget.
It isn’t a separate lock, though. The Hidden album opens with your iPhone passcode, and hidden photos get no extra encryption. We explain this in Is the iPhone Hidden Album Encrypted?.
If the person you want to keep out knows your passcode, read How to Hide Photos From Someone Who Knows Your iPhone Passcode. It covers what works, from a locked note to a vault with its own key.
Hidlet is that kind of vault. The pattern you draw is the encryption key, and your iPhone passcode opens nothing. It’s coming soon to the App Store.
Frequently asked questions
Does hiding a photo delete it?
No. A hidden photo stays in your library. It only stops showing in your Library, other albums and the Photos widget, and you can unhide it at any time.
Are hidden photos hidden on my other devices?
Yes, if you use iCloud Photos. A photo you hide on your iPhone is hidden on your iPad and Mac too.
Why can't I find the Hidden album?
Show Hidden Album is probably turned off. Go to Settings → Apps → Photos and turn it on, then look under Collections → Utilities.
Can I lock the Hidden album with a different password?
No. It opens with Face ID, Touch ID or your iPhone passcode. There is no separate password for it.