How to Hide Photos on iPhone: When the Hidden Album Isn't Enough

Hide one or several photos

Apple's Hidden album is the quickest built-in option when you simply want photos or videos out of the main library view.¹

Find, unlock, and unhide hidden photos

On the current Photos layout, open Photos, tap Collections, scroll to Utilities, and open Hidden. Tap View Album and authenticate. To return an item to your normal Photos views, open it in Hidden and choose Unhide.^1,2

Make the Hidden album less visible

To remove the Hidden album from Photos, go to Settings > Apps > Photos and turn off Show Hidden Album. Apple also says the Hidden album requires Face ID, Touch ID, or the iPhone passcode to unlock, and that authentication behavior can be changed in Photos settings.²

Turning off Show Hidden Album is useful if your main goal is to keep the album out of casual view. It does not create a separate password for the album, so the protection still depends on the iPhone's own authentication.²

Whole albums, widgets, and iCloud Photos

Apple's Hide control applies to selected photos and videos, not to a user-created album as a single object. If you want the contents of an ordinary album hidden, select the items inside it and hide those items. The album itself stays in the album list.^1,2

Once hidden, those items stop appearing elsewhere in Photos. Apple specifically names the Library, other albums, and the Photos widget on the Home Screen.¹

Hiding is not the same as removing an item from iCloud Photos. If iCloud Photos is enabled, Apple says an item hidden on one device is hidden on your other devices too.¹

When is the Hidden album enough?

The Hidden album works well when you want private photos out of normal browsing and you are comfortable using the same device authentication that protects the rest of the iPhone.^1,2

If you are deciding between those two models, you can compare the Hidden album with a separate vault before moving any photos.

If you need a separate PIN, use a photo vault

Secure Folder is a private photo vault app for iPhone. Instead of relying on a familiar album inside Photos, it gives private photos and videos their own place inside the app.

Secure Folder can swap its Home Screen icon for an ordinary-looking option such as a calculator. That makes the vault less visually obvious to someone scrolling through your apps.

Secure Folder uses its own 6-digit PIN, separate from the iPhone passcode. That matters if a partner, family member, or anyone else who uses your phone already knows the phone's passcode.

A second 6-digit PIN opens a separate decoy vault. You fill that separate vault with harmless photos and files, and opening it does not expose the real vault.