How to Hide Photos on iPhone: Every Option, Ranked
You can hide a photo without any app. Open it in Photos, tap the More button (three dots), then Hide. It moves to a locked Hidden album. It is not encrypted, and anyone with your passcode can open it.
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What do I need to know?
- Hiding is a view filter. The photo stays in your library, in iCloud Photos and in backups.
- The Hidden album is locked by default. It opens with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.
- For photos that must stay private, use a vault. Encrypted files stay closed to anyone without the key.
How do I hide a photo on iPhone?
These steps are from Apple's iPhone User Guide for iOS 27. The Hide step works the same way on iOS 18 and later.
- Open the Photos app.
- Tap the photo or video.
- Tap the More button, then tap Hide.
To hide many at once, open your library, tap Select, tap each photo, then tap the More button and Hide.
Where do hidden photos go?
Apple says hidden photos move to the Hidden collection and "You can't view them anywhere else." To find them:
- In Photos, tap Collections.
- Tap Hidden under Utilities, then View Album.
- Unlock with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode.
To unhide one, open it there, tap the More button, then Unhide.
Do hidden photos show up in search, widgets or Memories?
No. Apple's guide says a hidden photo can be viewed only in the Hidden album. So it stays out of the library grid, search in Photos, Memories, featured photos and the Photos widget. It is still part of your library, so it syncs and backs up like any other photo.
If you only want a photo out of Memories, you do not have to hide it. See how to hide photos from Memories.
Can I make the Hidden album disappear?
Yes. Go to Settings → Apps → Photos and turn off Show Hidden Album. The album no longer appears in Photos at all.
In the same place, leave Use Face ID (or Touch ID, or Passcode) on. If it is off, anyone holding your unlocked phone can open the album.
Who can still see my hidden photos?
- Anyone with your passcode. Face ID is a shortcut to it.
- Your other devices. With iCloud Photos, a photo hidden on one device is hidden on all of them. It is still in each library.
- Apps you gave full photo access. They read the library, not the Photos app's view of it.
- Apple, on iCloud. Photos are not end-to-end encrypted unless you turn on Advanced Data Protection.
More detail: is the Hidden album encrypted?
How do I hide a photo so nobody can open it?
Move it into an encrypted vault, then delete the original from Photos.
- Add the photo to the vault app.
- Delete it in Photos.
- Open Recently Deleted, select it and tap Delete. Otherwise it stays there for 30 days.
With iCloud Photos on, deleting removes the photo from your other devices too. Check it opens in the vault first.
Which option should I use?
- A surprise or an awkward screenshot: Hide is enough.
- Someone who knows your passcode: use a vault with its own key.
- Someone who could get into your iCloud account: a vault, plus Advanced Data Protection.
What this doesn't protect against
Hiding does not stop anyone who knows your passcode. A vault protects files at rest, not from someone who watches you unlock it or malware on an unlocked phone. Use 8 or more cells in a pattern. If you lose the pattern and the recovery phrase, the vault is gone.
Do it with Cryptile
Cryptile keeps photos out of the Photos library. Each is encrypted with AES-256-GCM under a key made on your phone from a pattern you draw. There is no account and no server. A different pattern opens a different vault, and nothing lists them.
Cryptile is free for up to 2 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos. Plus removes the limits for $19.99 a year (7-day free trial) or $39.99 once, for one person. The price is the same every day.