What Happens to My Photos When I Switch From Android to iPhone?
Your camera photos and videos can move over during iPhone setup with Apple's Move to iOS. Apple's page does not say whether hidden or locked folders transfer, so plan to move those yourself.
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What do I need to know?
- Camera photos and videos transfer. Apple lists photo albums, files and folders too.
- Hidden folders are not mentioned. Apple's page is silent on locked or secure folders, so check them yourself.
- Setup order matters. If you already set up the iPhone, Apple says you must erase it and start over.
How does the transfer work?
Apple's Move to iOS page says to look for the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen. Tap From Android, then Transfer with App.
Apple adds that in iOS 26.5 with compatible devices, you can transfer without the Move to iOS app. That needs Android 17 or later. Music, books and PDFs need to be moved over manually.
What about locked or secure folders?
Apple does not say. Do not assume a locked folder arrives, and do not assume it is gone. Open it on the Android phone before you wipe that phone.
Export what is inside to a computer or a cloud service you trust. Then bring it to the iPhone. Our guide to the Samsung Secure Folder and iPhone covers the gap.
What should I check before I wipe the old phone?
- Count your photos on both phones.
- Open every hidden or locked folder and confirm its contents are copied.
- Keep the Android phone until the iPhone looks complete.
- Move private photos into a vault, then delete the loose copies.
Where do private photos go on the iPhone?
Transferred photos land in the Photos app as ordinary photos. If you use iCloud Photos, they sync. The Hidden album is a view filter, not encryption, as our guide on whether it is encrypted explains.
What this doesn't protect against
A vault cannot recover photos that never made it across. It does not protect copies left on the old phone, a computer or a cloud account. A short pattern is weaker than a passphrase, so use 8 or more cells. If you lose both the pattern and the recovery phrase, the vault is gone.
Do it with Cryptile
Cryptile keeps private photos, videos and files encrypted with AES-256-GCM under a key from your pattern. There is no account and no server. Encrypted iCloud backup is included.
Cryptile is free to start. Plus adds more, and the app tells you when you reach it.