If you want to keep specific images hidden from view, if you want to shield someone from a surprise, or if you just want to keep a certain photo under wraps, there are plenty of reasons to hide a photo in your iPhone’s camera roll. Fortunately, iOS 17 offers a simple way to move specific photos into a locked Hidden folder. This process is applicable for iOS 16 as well.
While you could delete these photos from your iPhone, being able to quickly hide photos on your phone can be essential, particularly if your phone is frequently accessed by children or friends. Here, we will demonstrate how you can hide your photos on your iPhone and iPad. Later on, we’ll also show you how to unhide them and remove them from your Hidden folder.
First, here’s how to hide pictures on your iPhone.
How to hide your photos on your iPhone
The quickest way to hide photos on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch is to use the native Photos app. This method removes the selected images from your main photo library and from search results. The hidden photos are placed in a dedicated Hidden album, which can be found on the Albums page under the Utilities section. Additionally, the Hidden album can only be accessed after unlocking it with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device’s PIN code.
Step 1: Open the Photos app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.
Step 2: Find the photos you need to hide.
Step 3: Tap the Select button located in the top-right corner to open the multi-selection menu.
Step 4: Tap on every photo you’d like to hide.
Step 5: Tap the Overflow icon displayed in the bottom-right corner. It looks like (…).
Step 6: Select the Hide option.
Step 7: The selected photos will now move to the Hidden album listed under Utilities on the Albums tab.
How to unhide or view hidden photos
Unhiding or viewing hidden photos is as simple as navigating to the Albums page and scrolling down. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Tap to open the Photos app.
Step 2: Tap the Albums tab listed at the bottom.
Step 3: Scroll down and tap the Hidden folder listed under Utilities. This will prompt you to use Face ID or Touch ID for access.
Step 4: Tap the Select button displayed in the top-right corner.
Step 5: Tap on every photo that you want to unhide.
Step 6: Tap the Overflow button located in the bottom-left corner. Once again, it resembles an ellipsis enclosed by a circle.
Step 7: Tap the Unhide option on the pop-up menu. The photos will then move back to their original spots. Alternatively, you can tap Add to album to move them to a specific album.
Can you lock hidden photos on iPhone?
Here’s how to easily store and lock photos in a hidden folder on your iOS 17-enabled iPhone:
- Open the Photos app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.
- Find the photos you need to hide.
- Tap the Select button located in the top-right corner to open up the multi-selection menu.
- Tap on every photo you’d like to hide.
- Tap the Overflow icon displayed in the bottom-right corner. It looks like (…).
- Select the Hide option.
- The selected photos will now move to the Hidden album listed under Utilities on the Albums tab.
How do I make a hidden folder for photos on my iPhone?
Hidden photos are automatically moved to a hidden album folder. The hidden album is only visible after you unlock it using your Face ID, Touch ID, or your device’s PIN code.
How do I hide photos on an iPhone with iOS 16?
The process of hiding photos on an iPhone with iOS 16 is identical to the process of hiding photos on iOS 17. To start the process, tap the Overflow icon in the bottom right corner of a selected photo (it looks like (…)), and select the Hide option.
