How to hide photos on iPhone

To hide a photo on iPhone, open it in the Photos app, tap the More button (•••), then tap Hide. The photo leaves your library and moves to the Hidden album, which is locked with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.

That takes care of a friend swiping through your camera roll. Below are the full steps, how to find hidden photos again, how to hide the Hidden album itself, and what this feature does not protect against.

Hide photos with the Hidden album

These steps are for iOS 26. Earlier versions look slightly different but use the same menus.

Hide one photo or video

1. Open Photos and tap the photo or video.
2. Tap the More button (•••).
3. Tap Hide, then confirm.

You can also touch and hold a photo in the grid and tap Hide from the menu that appears.

Hide several at once

1. In Photos, tap Select.
2. Tap each photo and video you want to hide.
3. Tap the More button (•••), tap Hide, then confirm.

Hidden items are not deleted. They are only kept out of your library, Memories and widgets.

Find your hidden photos

1. Open Photos and tap Collections.
2. Scroll down to Utilities and tap Hidden.
3. Unlock with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.

To unhide something, open it in the Hidden album, tap the More button (•••), then tap Unhide.

Hide the Hidden album too

By default, the Hidden album is listed under Utilities, so anyone using your phone can see it exists. To remove it from view:

1. Open Settings, tap Apps, then tap Photos.
2. Turn off Show Hidden Album.

Your hidden photos stay put. Turn the setting back on whenever you want to see them.

Where the Hidden album falls short

The Hidden album is good for keeping photos out of casual view. It is not built for real privacy, for five reasons.

• Your phone passcode opens it. Face ID protects the album, but your iPhone passcode works as a backup. Anyone who knows your passcode, such as a partner, child or someone who watched you type it, can open it.
• Anyone can turn it back on. Turning off Show Hidden Album only removes it from view. The switch is in Settings, which is not locked, so anyone holding your unlocked phone can switch it back on.
• It syncs everywhere. With iCloud Photos on, photos you hide on your iPhone are hidden on your other devices too, according to Apple. They are on every Mac or iPad signed in to your Apple Account, including a shared family iPad.
• It is still the same library. Hiding moves a photo out of view, not into separate storage with its own lock. It stays part of your photo library and your iCloud backup.
• Photos and videos only. There is no Hidden album for documents. Scans of your passport, licence or medical letters need somewhere else.

If none of those matter to you, the Hidden album is all you need. If any of them do, you need a separate vault.

The Keepium way

Keepium is a vault app for iPhone that keeps photos, videos and documents in a separate, encrypted space on your device.

• Its own passcode. Keepium has a passcode separate from your iPhone’s, so knowing your phone passcode does not open it.
• Encrypted on your iPhone only. Files are encrypted with keys tied to your iPhone’s hardware. Keepium has no account, no analytics and no cloud, and it never goes online.
• Documents too. Store ID scans, PDFs and any other file next to your photos.
• A decoy vault. Set a second passcode that opens a harmless vault, for when someone insists you unlock it. This is a paid feature, paid for once with no subscription.

The trade-off is that Keepium cannot recover your files. If you forget the passcode or lose the phone, they are gone. That is what keeping them out of anyone else’s reach means.

Common questions

Does hiding a photo delete it?

No. Hidden photos stay on your iPhone in the Hidden album until you unhide or delete them.

Are hidden photos uploaded to iCloud?

Yes, if iCloud Photos is on. They sync to iCloud and stay hidden on your other devices.

Can someone else see my hidden photos?

Anyone who can unlock your iPhone with its passcode can open the Hidden album. Face ID only adds a step.

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 in Photos.

Can I hide photos without iCloud?

Yes. The Hidden album works with iCloud Photos turned off, but then your photos are not backed up at all. Keepium never uses iCloud.