How to See Hidden Photos on Mac, and Find a Missing Album
In Photos on Mac, choose View → Show Hidden Photo Album, then click Hidden in the sidebar and unlock it. Apple says the Hidden album is off by default on Mac, which is why most people cannot find it.
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What do I need to know?
- The album is switched off by default. It appears only after you turn it on in the View menu.
- It is locked by default. It opens with Touch ID or your login password.
- iPhone hidden photos need iCloud Photos. They show on the Mac only if both use it with the same Apple Account.
How do I see hidden photos on a Mac?
These steps are from Apple's Photos User Guide, which covers macOS 27 back to macOS 12.
- Open Photos and click Library in the sidebar.
- Choose View → Show Hidden Photo Album.
- Click Hidden under Utilities in the sidebar.
- Click View Album, then use Touch ID or your login password.
To unhide a photo, Control-click it and choose Unhide. To take the album out of the sidebar again, choose View → Hide Hidden Photo Album.
Why is the Hidden album missing on my Mac?
Work through these in order.
1. It is switched off. This is the usual reason. Follow step 2 above.
2. You are looking in the wrong place. The album sits under Utilities, not Albums. Scroll down the sidebar.
3. Photos opened another library. Apple says iCloud Photos works only with the System Photo Library. Quit Photos, hold Option and open it again. Pick the library marked System Photo Library. Apple explains this on its System Photo Library page.
Why is the Hidden album empty on my Mac?
If you hid the photos on your iPhone, check that iCloud Photos is on for the Mac. From Apple's missing photos page:
- Open Photos.
- In the menu bar, click Photos, then Settings.
- Click the iCloud tab and select iCloud Photos.
Then check that the Mac and the iPhone use the same Apple Account. New uploads can take a while to arrive on a large library.
If the photos were deleted rather than hidden, look in Recently Deleted. Apple keeps deleted items there for 30 days.
Can I stop the album asking for a password?
Yes, but think first. In Photos → Settings → General, the Use Touch ID or password option controls the lock. See Apple's Photos settings page. Leaving it on means anyone at your logged-in Mac still needs your password.
Can I see hidden photos without the Photos app?
Yes, at iCloud.com, if you use iCloud Photos. Our guide to viewing the Hidden album on a Windows PC has the steps, and they work in any browser.
What this doesn't protect against
Hidden photos are still ordinary photos in your library. Anyone who knows your Mac login password can open the album. Apple holds the keys to iCloud Photos unless you turn on Advanced Data Protection.
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